TOUR DES YOLES
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One of the most anticipated events of the year! Seven sailing stages that go around the island and make hearts race!
For generations, yawl racing has been a passion in Martinique. The eagerly-awaited Tour des Yoles Rondes is a festive occasion, almost on a par with Carnival. The competition takes place between the various communes of the Atlantic coast, and is watched by thousands of spectators. The race starts in Fort-de-France and takes place in seven stages around the island.
A sturdy little boat with a curious square sail, the yawl takes its name from the Dutch jol, meaning "a light, elongated boat with a shallow draught". It was the island's first inhabitants who passed on the art of navigation to the Martiniquais. The Kalinagos Indians used to carve long pirogues from the trunks of gum trees, giant rainforest trees generally reserved for this purpose. Nowadays built from cedar or pear wood, yawl-making requires no less attention to detail, and has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. One or two square-shaped sails, tensioned by a diagonal yard, give it its propulsive power. During the Tour des Yoles Rondes, the crews' performance is often a balancing act: to avoid capsizing the keel-less yawl, the members are forced to hang from the oars on the outside of the boat! The best-known teams are those from Le Robert and Le François, but many Martinique communes are also used to this local sport, which is particularly popular with the locals.
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