The 57th Française de Hyères, opens Monday with racing for the all ten Olympic classes.
The Hyeres event is the second event of the 2026 Sailing Grand Slam series and will have competitors from more than 50 nations, competing across the ten Olympic disciplines.
Following closely on the Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca event, the British entry is considerably reduced with just ten British Sailing Team (BST) members competing . . . no BST ILCA 6, 49er or iQFoil men.
The 49er team crews are concentrating on their upcoming Worlds in Quiberon starting 12 May. But Americans Nevin Snow and Ian MacDiarmid – winners here in 2025 and recent runners-up in Palma – start as the crew to beat. China’s Wang Xin and Qi Tianyu, third in Palma, will be among the leading challengers in a fiercely competitive fleet.
In the 49er FX, Sweden’s Vilma Bobeck, Olympic silver medallist at Paris 2024, is one of the main favourites alongside teammate Ebba Berntsson, who recently finished 4th in Palma. British main entry, in the absence of Freya Black and Saskia Tidey are Maddy Anderson and Katie Dabson
In the 470, Martin Wrigley and Bettine Harris will face Palma winners Jordi Xammer and Marta Cardona again, while John Gimson and Anna Burnet will look to improve on their third in Palma.
The British ILCA men are in force with Micky Beckett, Sam Whaley, Finley Dickinson and Elliot Hanson looking to find a way round Aussie Matt Wearn.
Main GBR in the boards are Sam Dickinson and Lily Young Formula Kite.
At the end of the week the dinghy classes Medal Series will again feature ‘adjusted’ points scoring to reduce the points between the ten qualifiers before they compete in two medal races to decide the podium places.
The reasoning for the change is to produce a medal series with a maximum number of competitors still able to win and produce an across the line medal podium finish.
This is apparently a requirement of the Olympic Committee for sailing’s continued Olympic participation, although the format being trialled still does not match other sports with traditional first-across- the-line formats.
Last year the only British medal winners at Hyeres were John Gimson and Anna Burnet with a Gold in the Nacra17 class.
French Olympic Week schedule
Sunday, April 19: 6:00 PM – Opening ceremony
Monday, April 20 to Friday, April 24: Qualifying series
Friday, April 24: iQFOiL & Formula Kite Medal Series
Saturday, April 25: ILCA, 49er, Nacra 17 & 470 Medal Races
Saturday, April 25: 5:00 PM – Prize giving & closing ceremony
