The Bretagne Sailing Valley The Bretagne Sailing Valley ® represents the economic ecosystem of competitive sailing in Brittany. More than 220 players make up this performance- and innovation-driven sector, directly connected to the needs of over 200 competitive sailing teams and projects. This concentration of players and their know-how is the reason for Brittany’s worldwide renown in this sector. This sector is directly connected to the nautical, light sailing and gliding industries, and innovates for a wide range of sectors (naval, nautical, large yachts, aeronautics, marine energies, etc.). It’s only natural that the players in the competitive sailing sector should be able to make their innovative skills available to sailing ship propulsion technologies. The Competitive Sailing Industry The ecosystem of the Brittany Sailing Valley ® is particularly dynamic and diverse. It includes numerous stakeholders such as sponsors, racing teams, boat classes, races, coastal territories, training, research, and specialized companies. Sponsors: Sponsors play a crucial role in financing offshore racing campaigns. They can be local, national, or international companies seeking to promote their brand or societal projects through the visibility offered by races and boats. These sponsors can come from various sectors such as hospitality, energy, finance, temporary work, technology, or local authorities. Racing Teams: Racing teams consist of sailors, skippers, engineers, meteorologists, and other specialized professionals. These teams are responsible for boat preparation, navigation during races, logistics, and managing partnerships with sponsors. Boat Classes: There are different boat classes used in offshore racing, each with its own characteristics and rules. Classes decide on boat ratings. In Brittany, you can find monohull and multihull classes of different sizes, suitable for various competitions. The IMOCA class (International Monohull Open Class Association) The Class40 The Ultim class The Ocean Fifty class The Figaro Bénéteau Mini 6.50 class The IRC class Races: Brittany hosts many internationally renowned races, such as the Route du Rhum, the Arkéa Ultim Challenge, the Solitaire du Figaro, the Défi Azimut, the Return to Base, the Multihull Trophy, etc. These races attract global attention and large audiences, offering unique challenges to sailors. Territories: The Brittany coastline offers ideal sailing conditions, with strong winds and varied weather conditions. Brittany Sailing Valley ® has numerous ports, such as Saint-Malo, Lorient, or Brest, which serve as bases for racing teams and strategic locations for the start and finish of major races. Training: Brittany Sailing Valley ® has specialized training centers for sailing and offshore racing. These institutions train the new generation of sailors, preparing them for the specific challenges of solo or crewed navigation. Brittany also offers training for boat design companies of all levels. Research: Research plays an important role in improving navigation technologies, safety at sea, materials, and boat design. Collaborations between racing teams, companies, and research institutions contribute to innovation in offshore racing. The Eco Sailing Design program fosters this collaborative work between scientists from ENS Rennes and UBS, and a consortium of 13 companies on boat eco-design. Companies: Many companies in Brittany specialize in boat construction, maritime equipment manufacturing, sailmaking, masts, electronics, safety, as well as event logistics and other services related to competitions. There are nearly 30 different professions, and many of them are hiring. They are highly diversified and their innovations fuel many other sectors. In summary, the offshore racing ecosystem in Brittany is a complex set of interconnected actors, ranging from sailors to sponsors. The Wind Ship Propulsion sector Already committed to environmental transitions, the ocean racing industry is also innovating for other sectors and making a major contribution to maritime decarbonization as one of the main drivers of the sailing shipping sector. Initiated since 2019 at national level by the Wind Ship association, the creation of a sailing economic sector is taking shape in Brittany with 61 players already working for this sector. A major contributor to France’s leadership in sail-based shipping, the Brittany region also boasts a number of nuggets, pure players in the sector: Zéphyr & Borée, VPLP, Wisamo, Grain de Sail and Solid Sail Mast Factory are among the first companies to carry out projects revolutionizing shipping. The Wind Ship Propulsion sector encompasses several essential actors, each forming a link in a complete value chain from project and subassembly development to construction, maintenance, and operation of sail-powered vessels. The sector also includes upstream actors such as academic and private research, training, and downstream actors such as port operators, and financiers… Manufacturers of project assemblies or subassemblies for sail propulsion: These companies specialize in manufacturing components specific to sail propulsion, such as masts, sails, sail orientation systems (such as rotating masts), winches, etc. They can produce standard equipment or design bespoke solutions according to customer needs. Engineering and project modeling services: Engineering and modeling services are responsible for the detailed design of sail propulsion systems. They use modeling software to simulate vessel performance in different wind conditions, optimize sail configurations, and ensure efficient integration of components. Maintenance and support services: Maintenance of sail propulsion systems is crucial to ensure vessel operation. This includes regular maintenance of sails, masts, winches, as well as monitoring associated electronic or mechanical components. Some actors specialize in preventive and corrective maintenance of sail equipment, notably through digital twins. This also includes companies in AI, electronics, or computing working on the best ship routing systems. Shipbuilding and vessel retrofitting: Shipyards specializing in sail vessel construction are responsible for building new vessels according to customer specifications. Retrofitting involves modifying existing vessels to equip them with sail propulsion. These operations may include structural modifications, mast additions, and control system revisions. Shipowners: Shipowners are the vessel owners. They invest in the construction or conversion of sail vessels and are responsible for their operation. Shipowners may operate their own fleets of vessels or offer chartering services to other companies. Charterers: Charterers are companies or individuals that lease sail vessels to transport goods or passengers. They may enter into short or long-term charter contracts with shipowners. Charterers can be transport companies, producers of goods requiring maritime transport, or cruise operators. All of these actors work together to develop, build, maintain, and operate sail vessels. The wind propulsion industry is experiencing a revival with the growing interest in more sustainable and environmentally friendly maritime transport solutions. This sector is part of an overall transition towards more ecological and efficient navigation to meet the International Maritime Organization’s commitment to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050.