16.05.2010
Normandy Channel Race Start!
The first running of the Normandy Channel Race set sail today at 1400 hours
offshore of Hermanville-sur-Mer in France’s Calvados region. 10 Class 40s,
helmed by 20 sailors, have over 1,000 miles ahead of them now, taking them
through some legendary navigation zones including the islands of
Saint-Marcouf, Barfleur, the Solent, the South coast of England, the Celtic
Sea, the Irish Sea, the famous Fastnet Rock and the Raz Blanchard.
Competitors are expected to return to Caen next Friday or Saturday.
Early this afternoon, the sailors participating in the Normandy Channel Race
crossed the start line in calm seas and a 10 knot WSW’ly breeze. Yvan Noblet
and David Taboré got off to a fantastic start on port tack. Close-hauled,
several boats opted to hug the coast, where some got tangled up in lobster
pots. Tanguy De Lamotte even had to dive under his boat to unravel nets
laced around his rudders! Just a stone’s throw from the port of
Courseulles-sur-Mer after two hours of racing, the fleet were tightly
bunched with “Destination Dunkerque” leading, tailed by “Moonpalace” and
“Novedia- Initiatives”; the boats further offshore falling back a little…
Bound for Saint-Marcouf, the first passage mark, the first 37 miles spent
tacking offshore or along the landing beaches, it’s proving to be a
adrenalin-packed introduction to the race.
For the double-handed crews it’s all about getting into the rhythm of the
competition and begin to negotiate the potential wind shifts and, above all,
the current, which is likely to have considerable influence as the fleet
passes Barfleur early this evening. This initial tricky passage may well
have an impact on the provisional general ranking. However, once this
section is behind them, the skippers will then focus on crossing the English
Channel, setting a course towards the Solent and the Isle of Wight, which
will have to be left to port, with a significant drop in wind forecast as it
switches round to the NW.
Reactions prior to the start:
Tanguy Leglatin “Destination Dunkerque”: ”The idea is to be at the front of
the pack at Barfleur this evening so as to get by with the current. Sailing
close-hauled for the first 30 miles, we’re going to be flat out and won’t
have time to rest. We’ll get into the rhythm as we traverse the Channel.
Following on from that it’s important to choose our trajectories well
according to what headsails we carry. Finding the right angle and the right
compromise is one of the key features inherent to the Class 40s”.
Jean Galfione “Novedia Initiative”: “It’s one of the first races where I’ve
been in a position to rank well. It’s a great feeling. I used to get exactly
the same sensation when I was a pole vaulter and had titles to defend. At
the same time I still have numerous tricks to learn at sea and I think
Tanguy will be a great help as far as that’s concerned”.
Marc Lepesqueux “Marie Toit / Caen La Mer”: “I had a lot of things to deal
with prior to the start so roll on the race now! With my Jumbo 40, we should
come off well in the initial hours. The Verdier designs will likely have the
advantage on the reach across the Channel. After that I reckon the initial
options will take shape midway through the night or tomorrow morning in the
Solent, which in principle will involve close-hauled sailing in light airs.”
David Taboré “Appart City”: “We’re adopting a calm approach to the race with
the goal of ranking among the best of them at the finish in Caen on Friday
or Saturday. As we round the western cardinal of Saint-Marcouf, the first
compulsory mark, we’ll have a few hours of upwind sailing under our belts.
If all goes to plan we’ll then be able to open our sails a bit as the wind
comes abeam of us, providing great conditions for our boat”.
Roland Franssens “Moonpalace”: “The race is going to involve some lengthy
sessions at the helm through sectors we know like the back of our hands.
It’s holiday time for us. We’re going to try to enjoy it, whilst reindexing
concentrated on our strategy”.
Josh Hall, organiser of the Global Ocean Race, the double-handed Round the
World Class 40 race with five stopovers: “We’re soon going to announce the
start and finish port for our race. For the time being, two crews
participating in the Normandy Channel Race will take the start of our race
in the shape of Jacques Fournier and Michel Kleinjans. This Norman
competition is destined to become a classic on the Class 40 circuit. It will
be great training for our racers next year. I’m sure there will be over 20
Class 40s in Caen in 2011.
Clearly this event is already proving popular with the public as the
Normandy Channel Race village welcomed over 9,000 visitors to the quayside
of the Bassin Saint-Pierre in the space of four days. Last night’s Manouche
jazz concert was a great success and 250 students made the trip to Caen to
meet the skippers. The watersport initiation sessions and tours of the
traditional sailing ship were of great appeal to the public, as were the
“aquadog” demonstrations and the toings and froings of the sailors during
Saturday’s prologue. Finally the virtual Normandy Channel Race “Virtual
Ocean Races” can boast a good number of entries and during next Sunday’s
prize-giving, the virtual winner will award his or her prize along with the
on-the-water racers.
Rights free photos for the press and web with the compulsory credit of
Jean-Marie Liot
Follow the Normandy Channel Race at:
http://www.normandy-race.com/, an official position report will be online
each day at 5, 8, 11, 15 and 19 hours
Yesterday’s prologue ranking:
1 40 Degrees Peter Harding and Halvard Mabire
2 Spliff Andrew Dawson and Stephen Card
3 Novedia – Initiatives Tanguy de Lamotte and Jean Galfione…
4 Phesheya – Racing Nick Leggatt and Philippa Hutton – Squire
LIST OF COMPETITORS IN THE NORMANDY CHANNEL RACE
Race name of the boat
Sail No.
Skipper
Co-skipper
SPLIFF
67
Andrew Dawson
Stephen Card
PARTOUCHE
60
Christophe Coatnoan
Pierre-Yves Lautrou
Marie Toit / Caen la Mer
26
Marc Lepesqueux
Eric Defert
NOVEDIA - INITIATIVES
30
Tanguy de Lamotte
Jean Galfione
GROUPE PICOTY
20
Jacques Fournier
Denis Van Weynebrgh
DESTINATIONDUNKERQUE
88
Thomas Ruyant
Tanguy Leglatin
PHESHEYA RACING
23
Nick Legatt
Philippa Hutton Squire
APPART CITY
55
Yvan Noblet
David Tabore
MOONPALACE
75
Roeland Franssens
Michel Kleinjans
40° DEGREES
90
Peter Harding
Halvard Mabire
Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
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