Four sailors from the Arcachon Basin are returning to the Tour Voile circuit in 2026 with sharper objectives and a more developed support structure than they carried into their debut campaign. Competing under the banner of the Takhys association, the team blends a largely unchanged core group with several new recruits keen to make their mark on one of France's most demanding offshore circuits for the Figaro Beneteau 3 class.
Takhys was not created by chance. The association was founded with a deliberate purpose: to give sailors from Aquitaine a collective platform capable of sustaining campaigns at this level, sparing each individual the burden of building a programme entirely from scratch. The model rests on two mutually reinforcing aims, genuine competitive ambition and the long-term development of talent across the region. When the organisational framework is sound, those two goals tend to pull in the same direction.
Central to that framework is a continuing relationship with mentor Quentin Vlamynck and his organisation Neo Sailing Technologies, a partnership now moving into its second consecutive year. The coaching and logistical support that arrangement provides gives the Takhys crew a foundation that few solo campaigners can access. Vlamynck's familiarity with an event as layered as Tour Voile has helped the team shift from simply enduring the circuit to genuinely competing within it, building a working understanding of both the offshore legs and the inshore races that ultimately shape the final standings.
SEIKO's backing of the team reflects Tour Voile's commitment to supporting grassroots initiatives, a recognition that projects of this kind sit at the heart of how offshore sailing cultivates the next generation of serious competitors.
The connection to home has remained every bit as strong as the team's growing ambitions. Temporis and the municipality of Arcachon both provide backing for the campaign, while the sailors themselves come from three clubs rooted in the Basin: the Cercle de Voile d'Arcachon, the Club Nautique d'Arès, and the Cercle de Voile du Pyla-sur-Mer. That blend of municipal and club-level support points to something broader, reflecting a shift in how regional sailing networks across France are choosing to engage with elite competition rather than watch it from a distance.
Having already completed a full Tour Voile campaign, the crew heads into 2026 with a clear-eyed understanding of what the event demands. The physical toll of the offshore legs, the tactical complexity of the inshore courses, the relentless pressure on boat speed and crew coordination, none of it will come as a surprise. Experience of that depth changes how a team prepares and how it responds when the pressure is on, and Takhys are determined to draw full value from everything they absorbed in their first campaign. The aim is not simply to get through the event but to mount a genuine challenge at every stage of the competition.
Consistent personnel, a second year of sustained mentorship, a defined competitive target, and a network of meaningful partnerships behind them: the conditions are in place heading into 2026. Whether that preparation translates into results is a question only the racing itself can resolve.
