Fatality in Ouistreham results in Normandy Beach Race cancellation

It was during a one-on-one, 200m race on the sand that the crash happened; one of the vehicles involved (a 1930s Ford Model A convertible) got caught in a barrel roll after sliding on wet sand. The passenger, Marc Félix, was a 54-year-old-man and one of the three founding members of the Normandy Beach Race. Despite the emergency services' rapid intervention, he died at the scene.

A sad and sudden end to this year's edition

Crashes and injuries have already been known to happen at the Normandy Beach Race. A man fell from his bike on Saturday, and other minor incidents occurred in 2023. However, this crash is by far the most serious the event organisers have seen.

All the more surprising is that the vehicles don't travel at particularly high speeds. The Normandy Beach Race features vintage vehicles, cars and motorcycles of American and European makes dating back to pre-1947. The drag races take place on the beach at relatively low speeds, with no timers or incentive for competition, simply for the sake of showing off these vehicles and their capabilities.

The driver of the vehicle appears to have walked away unharmed. Around 15,000 people had to be evacuated from the beach by the gendarmerie.