On Sunday, in the city of Lorient, the Moroccan Consul General in Rennes, Najoua El Berrak, proceeded to the official handing over of the Moroccan flag to the two sailors who will take part in this new round the world race in Class40 (40 feet sailboats).

This competition, which will last nine months and will include nine stages in total, will start from the Marina of Tangier on June 26. A first of its kind from the Kingdom, having counted great sailors in its long maritime history and this, since the Middle Ages, says the Moroccan consular representation in Rennes.

The Kingdom will be the first Arab and African country to host such a global event, said the same source.

Before the big departure from the city of the Strait, the different participants will benefit from a first training session during a prologue linking Lorient to Morocco, for 966 miles and 5 days of sea in racing conditions.

Nearly 9 months later, 140 days at sea and 120 days on land, during 8 stages and 9 stopovers between places never seen before in ocean racing, the fleet of new round-the-world sailors will once again set course for the port of Lorient, the finishing town of the last stage of the Grand Route between Grenada (Caribbean) and the port of Lorient La Base.

In addition to Tangier and Lorient, other stages of the competition include São Vicente (Mindelo, Cape Verde), Mauritius, Auckland (New Zealand), Papeete (Tahiti), Ushuaia (Argentina) and Recife (Brazil).

The first arrivals and grand finale are scheduled for mid-March 2023, according to the organizers.