From 11 to 17 May, the National Sailing Institute (I2N) in Saint-Pierre-Quiberon, Brittany, will host the world championships of three Olympic classes: Nacra 17, 49er and 49er FX. A major event, as it is the only world championship in an Olympic discipline to be held in France in 2026, across all sports. Sailorz takes a behind-the-scenes look at how the event is being delivered.
At the start of 2025, when the 49er/FX and Nacra 17 classes – which traditionally organise their major international events together – launched a bidding process to host the 2026 world championships, Jimmy Pahun and Alain Champy felt the opportunity was simply too good to miss. The former, MP for Morbihan’s second constituency, is also a well-known former racing sailor; the latter is president of the Morbihan sailing committee (CDV 56), a former French 49er team coach and ex-international umpire.
As Quiberon has not hosted a world championship in an Olympic class since 1981 (470), the prospect of bringing top-level international racing back to the bay was highly appealing. “A few months after the Paris 2024 Olympics, we saw it as an opportunity to keep the Olympic spirit alive, but also to showcase Quiberon Bay and, more broadly, the whole region,” explains Jimmy Pahun. “I believed in it from the outset and really wanted it to happen. Part of an MP’s role is also to promote their constituency.”
The Breton bid had several strengths to put forward: CDV 56 benefits from recognised expertise and extensive experience in organising French championships and international regattas. The organisation is also able to mobilise the necessary human resources (volunteers) and logistics (committee boats, RIBs) by bringing together several clubs across Morbihan. Above all, the region benefits from the National Sailing Institute (I2N), formerly ENVSN, offering an exceptional venue in the heart of Quiberon Bay. The French bid was officially approved in June 2025, leaving organisers with one major challenge: finalising the budget.
A €270,000 budget,
without a title partner
The initial budget was estimated at €330,000, with organisers hoping to secure a title partner contributing €60,000. “I thought we would find one quite easily given the scale of the event. After all, this is the only world championship in an Olympic sport taking place in France in 2026. Apart from this, there is only one European championship, in swimming (31 July–16 August in Paris and Saint-Denis),” says Jimmy Pahun. “Bruno Troublé (who notably helped create the Louis Vuitton Cup in the early 1980s) supported us in our search for a title partner. We had some promising discussions, but none ultimately materialised. In France, Olympic sailing appears to attract less interest than offshore racing,” Alain Champy adds with some regret.
One major partner is nevertheless involved: SNCF, which “is funding two exhibitions about the world championships in Rennes and Vannes stations, as well as advertising displays in Paris-Montparnasse, Auray and Lorient stations. It is also covering transport costs for the race officials, worth €15,000, which represents a significant expense for our organisation,” explains Maëlle Le Mestre, director of CDV 56.
The final budget assembled to stage the championships amounts to around €270,000. Communications, and in particular the video and photo production used to cover the racing live during the final phases (on the class websites and YouTube), account for a significant share of expenditure. “Between €70,000 and €80,000,” specifies Maëlle Le Mestre, with Aalvaa Media and Sailing Energy, the classes’ usual suppliers, selected for the coverage. Other major costs include on-water logistics (€45,000) and race officials (€35,000).
On the revenue side, entry fees account for €120,000, alongside €144,000 in public funding, notably through the GESI programme (Major International Sporting Events), attached to the Ministry for Sport, Youth and Community Life, contributing €65,000, Brittany Region (€20,000), Morbihan Department (€25,000), the Auray Quiberon Terre Atlantique local authority (€12,000) and the National Sports Agency, which is funding part of the video and photo production. Finally, €5,000 has been raised through private donations.
A key challenge:
bringing spectators to the I2N
Not securing the full target budget has forced organisers to make a few compromises: no giant screen in the event village, no spectator boats and fewer onshore activities. “For the racing and the athletes, everything will be fully optimised. Beyond that, we need to limit certain expenses – the idea is not to end up financially overstretched either. The goal is simply to break even,” says Alain Champy.
The village, free to access and located at the heart of the I2N, will nevertheless allow visitors to watch the sailors departing and returning ashore, and likely part of the racing itself, as if conditions allow, the courses will be set as close to shore as possible. In addition, several activities will be organised around four themes: inclusion, women in sailing, environment and youth.
Will that be enough to attract large crowds ? “We had plenty of discussions around the following question: should everything be hosted at the I2N or should part of the village be moved elsewhere?” explains Tim Mourniac, competing in the Nacra 17 with Aloïse Retornaz and racing on home waters (born in Vannes and a member of ASN Quiberon), who advised organisers throughout the process. The decision was made to keep everything in one place. Now, to get people engaged, we need to open the I2N wide to the public. As the competition takes place during the Ascension Bank Holiday week, the peninsula will be extremely busy, so we need to direct potential spectators towards our event. I’m confident because I can feel strong local momentum.”
In any case, the I2N site will be bustling: more than 350 athletes representing 40 nationalities are expected, alongside around one hundred coaches and approximately 80 race officials, staff and volunteers. “The I2N is an ideal venue; there are very few equivalents in France, or even in Europe, capable of hosting such an event,” notes Tim Mourniac. “And Quiberon Bay offers the perfect playground for our fast and unstable boats. I’m proud to be part of an event of this scale on home waters,” he adds. “After the 2024 Games in Marseille, it’s a fantastic opportunity for French sailors; it really fires us up.”
Photo : Sailing Energy
