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Press release – Saturday 21 May 2011
Awaiting the start…
Tomorrow, the 16 Class40s competing in the Normandy Channel Race will leave
Bassin Saint Pierre in Caen for a 1,000 mile sprint in double-handed
configuration. After 4 days of preparation, they’ll set off on what promises
to be a demanding and testing course, which will pile the pressure on the
skippers from beginning to end. As they await tomorrow’s start, the
competitors were able to enjoy the sunshine of Normandy today, as well as
the warm welcome proffered by the general public, who were out in force to
meet the crews. In less than 24 hours’ time, the fleet of Class40s will be
across the start line and off on the Normandy Channel Race 2011!
A race village in party mode
This Saturday proved to be very sunny in Caen as thousands of visitors
flocked to the Normandy Channel Race village. They were able to enjoy a
wealth of entertainment, local product tastings, tours of the old sailing
ships, rescue dog demonstrations and Optimist sailing. The index event was
the helicopter winching demonstration performed by the French navy. The
Journal de la Course (Race News emission), presented by Serge Herbin and
broadcast live across the race village, enabled the public to get a better
understanding of ocean racing. A packed day then, which certainly had a
little something for everyone!
On the eve of the start: a recap of the course
Tomorrow, it’ll be quite another festival for the racers because, once
again, the very northern course of the Normandy Channel Race 2011 won’t
spare the sailors. Current, wind and effects of the site will all give the
skippers something to play with! At 1400 hours local time, they’ll set off
from Caen bound for the Saint-Marcouf islands. From there they’ll traverse
the English Channel where they’ll make headway as quickly as possible to one
of the index difficulties of the course: the Solent. On exiting the English
sound, the fleet will make for Tuskar Rock and then on towards the legendary
Fastnet lighthouse, devouring the Irish Sea as they go. The island of
Guernsey will be the next passage point, then Raz Blanchard and Raz de
Barfleur, culminating with a last run towards the finish in Caen. A 1,000
mile course full of pitfalls which, according to the organiser, Manfred
Ramspacher, is reminiscent of a “cycle Tour de France solely made up of
cols”! There are numerous tricky passages along the way and the rankings are
likely to witness more than their fair share of upsets. Only the future will
tell us which names will succeed those of Thomas Ruyant and Tanguy Leglatin,
winners of the 2010 edition…
The start of the Normandy Channel Race 2011 will take place tomorrow, Sunday
22 May at 1400 hours local time. The public are invited to the Bassin Saint
Pierre from 0930 hours to witness the grand Class 40 parade.
Join the Normandy Channel Race at
www.normandy-race.com and on Facebook.
Press contact:
Sirius Evénements - contact@sirius-events.com
Alexandra Gardin -
a.gardin@sirius-events.com - +33 (0)6 72 67 14 25
List of participants 2011:
Boat name
No.
skipper
type
nat
co-skipper
nat
1
TEAM MABIRE - MERRON
101
Halvard Mabire
Pogo 40 S2
FRA
Miranda Merron
GBR
2
DEFI GDE - TZU HANG
53
Axel Strauss
Akilaria
GER
Nicolas Boidevézi
FRA
3
RED
66
Matthias Blumencron
CC 40
GER
Boris Herrmann
GER
4
LIVEWIRE
48
Stuart Dodd
Express40
GBR
Steve Kennington
GBR
5
OCEAN ELEVEN
20
Stéphanie Alran
Pogo 40
FRA
Caroline Vieille
FRA
6
DES PIEDS ET DES indexS
52
Damien Seguin
Rogers 40
FRA
Yohann Richomme
FRA
7
PARTOUCHE
60
Christophe Coatnoan
JPK
FRA
Sébastien Figue
FRA
8
PERASPERA
102
Francesco Piva
Kiwi 40FC
ITA
Zoccoli Luca
ITA
9
PORT DE CAEN OUISTREHAM
59
Fabien Delahaye
Rogers 40
FRA
Bruno Jourdren
FRA
10
SPLIFF
67
Andrew Dawson
Express40
GBR
Rune Aasberg
NOR
11
TALANTA
95
Jean Galfione
Pogo 40 S2
FRA
Eric Péron
FRA
12
MARE.DE2
79
Jorg Riechers
FS 40
GER
Etienne David
SUI
13
PHESHEYA RACING
23
Philippa Hutton
Akilaria
RSA
Nick Leggatt
RSA
14
MARIE TOÎT - CAEN LA MER
107
Marc Lepesqueux
Kiwi 40FC
FRA
Michel Kleinjans
BEL
15
GRYPHON SOLO 2
106
Joe Harris
Akilaria RC2
USA
Josh Hall
GBR
16
40 DEGREES
90
Hannah Jenner
Jaz40MK2
GBR
Anna-Maria Renken
GER
17
L'EXPRESS - SAPMER
68
Pierre-Yves Lautrou
Pogo 40 S
FRA
Dominic Vittet
FRA
18
INITIATIVES SAVEURS
30
Tanguy de Lamotte
Rogers 40
FRA
Sébastien Audigane
FRA
Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
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