25th TOUR DE MARTINIQUE DES YOLES RONDES (A spectacular Yawl Boat Race in Martinique).
Yoles Race 2008 - Yole Mirsa winner 2008
One of the most exciting and festive events of the year is almost here.
The 25th Annual Tour de Martinique des Yoles Rondes–along with all the parties, food and fun that go hand in hand with the boat racing–will be happening from July 26 through August 2. The 2009 regatta is the silver anniversary of this week-long competition that celebrates the distinctive type of yawls known as yoles-rondes that have been developed and perfected for sailing the waters around Martinique over hundreds of years. These sleek, wind-driven vessels are powered by brightly colored sails and manned by crews who display strength, skill, acrobatic dexterity and incredible teamwork to keep them going at maximum speed. Every summer, for the past quarter century, the Tour de Martinique has marked the peak of the boating season with a prologue and seven stages of racing that circles the entire island. This year’s tour will begin and end with events near the southern township of Vauclin.
Besides the racing on the water, every stop along the way plays host to dockside parties that welcome sailors and spectators alike with music, dancing, food and lots of the local rum that has earned its own coveted AOC designation from the French Institut National des Appellations d’Origine. A trip to the Tour de Martinique des Yoles Rondes offers visitors a chance to see a unique, daring style of boat racing–while enjoying the delicious Creole/French/Caribbean cuisine and unrivaled rum of Martinique in an unforgettable week of music and merriment.
The crews of each yawl represent their home regions and strive hard to prove that they are they best by beating their neighbors, as well as longtime opponents from opposite sides of the island. In the same friendly spirit of competition, every town along the regatta course goes all out to show off its own brand of hospitality by throwing the best party. At the Tour of Martinique, the competition is always fierce–out on the water, on the dance floor, in the kitchen, and at the parties where everyone is a winner.
Tourists and locals alike can watch the racing from on shore or join the flotillas that sail out for a closer look. Last year’s General Classification was won by Mirsa-Dr. Roots, which finished the entire week of racing with a total time that was less than four minutes ahead of the second place team, UFR-SIAPOC, who were back to back champions in 2006 and 2007. UFR-SAIPOC could be the crew to beat again this year, the team has won the most recent two events after a slow start when five different teams won the first five regattas of the 2009 season.
To learn more about the 25th Tour de Martinique des Yoles Rondes, go to www.yoles-rondes.org. For information about tourism and more attractions in Martinique, please contact the Martinique Promotion Bureau/CMT at info@martinique.org.