World Odyssey 25 Rally Sets Sail from La Grande Motte

The World Odyssey 25 fleet leaves La Grande Motte under clear skies, launching the second edition of the Grand Large Yachting rally. Courtesy Grand Large YachtingCourtesy Grand Large Yachting

A bluewater adventure is officially underway. On September 29, the first seven boats in the World Odyssey 25 fleet cast off from La Grande Motte, France, bound for the Canary Islands. The rally marks the beginning of the second edition of the Grand Large Yachting group’s three-year circumnavigation event, which brings together a community of sailors chasing a shared dream of global exploration.

Families, friends, and fans gathered along the docks to cheer as the fleet departed under sunny skies. After one last “French-style breakfast” of croissants and baguettes, crews aboard Outremer, Allures, Garcia, RM, and Gunboat yachts slipped their lines for the first leg of an adventure that will span 35,000 nautical miles.

Their first stop: Tangier, Morocco, where more boats will join before the fleet continues to Lanzarote for the official start in late November.

The sailors setting out on this ambitious voyage have spent months (some, years) preparing. Grand Large Yachting’s rally team supported each crew through an extensive training program that included webinars, in-person sessions at the World Odyssey University in Lorient, and hands-on workshops with Escale Formation Technique. Topics ranged from offshore safety and medical care to mechanical maintenance and provisioning.

Smiles all around aboard Moonshot as the crew readies the boat for departure and the start of the World Odyssey 25 rally. Courtesy Grand Large Yachting

“The goal is to make sure every participant feels ready, supported, and connected before they leave port,” said rally coordinator Camille Allard. “It’s as much about building community as it is about the sailing.”

More than 20 boats are expected to take part in this year’s event, with crews choosing between two routes: a tropical passage through the Panama Canal or a southern course around Cape Horn and the Strait of Magellan. Along the way, participants will experience some of the most remote and culturally rich destinations on the planet.

The World Odyssey series is part of a growing portfolio of adventure rallies organized by Grand Large Yachting, which also includes the Nordic Odyssey (a voyage through the fjords and northern coasts of Europe) and the upcoming Warm Up rallies in the Mediterranean for new boat owners eager to gain offshore experience.

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