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Press release – Sunday 22 May 2011
Here we go!
They’re off! At 1300 GMT today, the 16 Class40s competing in the Normandy
Channel Race 2011 crossed the start line off Ouistreham. The steady breeze
and sunshine provided a very fine spectacle. After a fast coastal course the
fleet are now making towards the Saint Marcouf islands, before beginning
their Channel crossing tonight.
Final goodbyes
This morning, one by one, the 16 Class40s left the Bassin Saint Pierre for
the traditional descent of the Caen channel. After an hour-long parade, the
fleet made it into the lock in the port of Ouistreham’s where an apéritif
awaited them. The crowds were out in force to bid a final farewell to the
heroes. At 1100 GMT, the gates opened and after a few warm-up tacks, the
competitors lined up for the race start. At 1300 GMT, the Mayor of the city
of Caen, Philippe Duron, fired the starting gun to launch the 2011 edition
of the Normandy Channel Race.
Clean start!
Weather conditions were pretty lively today. The 16 Class40s headed off
early this afternoon in a steady westerly wind which took the skippers by
surprise as they crossed the line. Sylvie Viant, race director, looks back
at the start: “A sudden southerly wind shift forced the skippers to switch
direction on the start line, which they could no longer clear on starboard
tack. Very quickly the boats crossed tacks. Everyone was a bit late, except
for Damien Seguin and Yoann Richomme aboard “Des pieds et des indexs”, who
got off to a very good start!”
Already less than 15 miles from the first course mark, the Saint Marcouf
islands, the leaders have opened up a good lead. Tanguy de Lamotte,
Initiatives Saveurs, contacted by telephone at 1730 GMT, gives his account
of the race start: “We’re sailing under indexsail and solent along the coast.
We’re neck and neck with Fabien Delahaye and Bruno Jourdren, who are
downwind of us. We’ve already got a sizeable lead over the rest of the
fleet. At the start we were a bit behind because of the current but we
followed that with a good upwind stretch and moved up through to the front
of the fleet. We’re satisfied with our performance. We couldn’t have found a
better way of casting the die!”
Find the cartography, updated rankings, photos and radio sessions on the
race site: www.normandy-race.com
Join the Normandy Channel Race at
www.normandy-race.com and on Facebook.
Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
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