06.06.2012
The Omanis from the outset
The crew in the colours of the Sultanate of Oman, “BAE Systems”, helmed by
Frenchman Cédric Pouligny, secured a win in Normandy Sailing Week’s big race
after a 27-hour express run across the English Channel. They were tailed by
the young Norman team, on “Bred”, who pulled off a blinder on home waters!
It took a little over 24 hours of racing for the 11 M34s taking part in the
Normandy Sailing Week opener, to complete the big 235-mile race, which
involved a looped circuit starting and finishing in Le Havre, via the Isle
of Wight. heading downwind through a series of gybes in a medium breeze for
yesterday’s channel crossing, the big players on the circuit were neck and
neck throughout the day, jockeying for position. Yesterday evening,
“Courrier Dunkerque” had the edge as the fleet rounded the compulsory mark
at Cowes, after a fine race around the Solent in a medium breeze. With the
wind on the beam last night, thanks to a welcome rotation of the wind to the
South-West, the fleet was able to set a course towards the goal. However, in
the early hours, the situation changed somewhat, with Cédric Pouligny’s team
having moved up into the lead.
“We made a winning strategic choice by hunting down the favourable turn of
the tide at Barfleur, despite not leading at the time. The strategy worked.
The Normans were with us”, explained the skipper of the Omani M34. Indeed
“Bred La Normandie” also made the most of the change of current and secured
a fine second place at 1340 hours local time. “We weren’t expecting that”,
indicated local skipper Maxime Mesnil on arriving at the dock. “We got off
to a very bad start. After that though, we made a great comeback as we were
approaching the Isle of Wight and, like the Omanis, we made the most of our
position in ambush”.
In the provisional overall standing for this coefficient 3 course, the
sailor from Hyeres in southern France snatched third place with a certain
Fabien Delahaye in charge of the navigation. “We messed up the gate at Cowes
as we got caught up in a fishing pot, whilst we were rock-hopping in the
Solent”, explained the Norman sailor and French Solo Offshore Champion 2011.
“We were not very good on the reach last night, but despite the wind heading
as we approached Barfleur, we were able to really power along. In short, we
managed to salvage something from the wreckage!”
In Le Havre tomorrow, the M34s will link together some close-contact courses
around the cans from noon. At the same time, 80 IRC and sportsboat crews
will be getting their bearings on shore, with lifting and scrutineering on
the cards for them. They’ll begin their international sailing week in
Normandy on Friday.
Normans on the racetrack
They really caused a stir this afternoon. The youngsters on the M34 “Bred La
Normandie” scored a fine second place in Normandy Sailing Week’s big
offshore course. In fact, the boat comprises a crew, which hails from all
over Normandy, as well as belonging to the National Sailing School (Ecole
Nationale de Voile). Cédric Château, head of Le Havre’s centre of excellence
for sailing, himself a top-level match racing specialist, is skipper of the
Norman boat: “This project came about through the association of the French
Sailing Federation, Bred and sailing’s lifeblood from Upper and Lower
Normandy. It is managed by Benoit Charon and aboard the boat are the young
hopefuls who were selected for this challenge. For example, we have a lot of
young 420 racers among us, which is still a very popular dinghy here in Le
Havre. Just as an aside, I didn’t manage to make it aboard for the big race
as I was competing in a stage of the World Match Racing Circuit in Korea.
However, two young round-the-cans racers from the Optimist circuit replaced
me so this was their offshore baptism!”
Rights free photos for press and web use with the compulsory caption:
Jean-Marie Liot
Banner photo - Amandine Grivot
Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
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