Fez – Tangier will host the departure location of the first “offshore” race to take place on the African continent on June 26, 2022. The event Globe40 has chosen the city as the start venue of the sailing competition.
“Offshore” boat races refer to races on the ocean, as opposed to “inshore” races that take place on rivers and lakes.
Tangier has been chosen as the starting city for the race and hence becomes the first Arab and African city to host the launch of the “Globe 40” ocean race, organized by “Sirius Evenements” that combines sports competition with tourism, environmental and cultural objectives.
The event is a round-the-world race that is accessible to both “informed amateurs as well as professional skippers,” using Class 40 monohull sailboats and yachts designed for short-handed offshore and coastal sailing.
“The round-the-world course will deviate from traditional routes, providing skippers with an unprecedented journey that will see them visit unusual and exotic locations”.
The race will consist of 16 starts and arrivals for a duration of nine months, taking participants to different locations, including Cape Verde, Mauritius, Auckland, Papeete, Ushuaia, Recife, and Grenada.
On this occasion, Mohamed Ounaya, the director of the Development Company for the Conversion of the Port Zone of Tangier (SAPT) stated: “This round the world trip from the city of Tangier will be part of the history of sailing and major races around the world”.
Tangier’s opportunity to host this major sporting event will certainly shed light on the city’s improved infrastructure, noted Ounaya who expects the event to have a positive impact on the tourism sector in light of the recent reforms that the region has witnessed.
Manfred Ramspacher, President of Sirius Evenements, also expressed his joy over choosing Tangier as the starting point of this trip in regard to the city’s international reputation. He stated that “launching the Tangier Globe40, supporting the development of boating in this mythical city, offering Morocco a dream of offshore racing around the world is a great opportunity and an honor for me”.
He also praised the new marina port indicating that it is “the perfect setting for this new ambition around the world”.
Choosing Tangier as the first Arab and African city to host this well-recognized sporting event did not come out of the blue, the city has long enjoyed international relevance thanks to its unique geographical location, improved infrastructure, and historical significance.
The city has long been an attractive destination for tourists from all over the globe, looking for a peculiar mixture of antique and modern sites and landscapes.
