Tour de France a la Voile- Dieppe to Cherbourg

by Isabelle Musy on 5 Jul 2001 The fleet is off for a most tricky offshore race to Cherbourg

The 38 Mumm 30's left Dieppe today at 17:12 p.m to head towards Cherbourg
for the second offshore race of this Tour de France à la Voile 2001. A 105
mile leg along the Normandy coast. A most tricky leg according to some
navigators. The wind is forecast to be light with some thunder storms to
play with. But the biggest issue will probably be the strong current near
the finish. The race could be played there.


At 17:12 p.m , the 38 Mumm 30 fleet crossed the start line and sailed off
Dieppe and started heading towards Cherbourg. Student boat Cap
Université-Versailles-Saint Quentin en Yvelines, skippered by Figaro sailor
Eric Drouglazet got the best start.
The crews will spend their first night at sea with this second offshore race
of the Tour de France à la Voile 2001. A 105 mile leg that could take a
while according to some of the navigators.
It should also be most tricky as the wind should be light with some thunder
storms here and there.
The end of the race could be the most difficult part as the boats might
encounter a strong current against. Interesting things could happen within
the last hours of the race and a radical change of positions could easily
occur if some boats get caught by the current.
Aboard Simon Shaw's British Universities, Mike Broughton will do the
navigation: ' There will be two tricky areas of low pressure. It should
affect the race as it will bring an awful amount of moisture from Central
France giving light wind for the start and stronger wind to the North of the
rhumb line. It will rain a huge amount in the morning but it will still be
warm. We'll have to try and use the leading edge of the thunder storms on
the clouds that are raining', comments Broughton.
'It is the first time we'll race a Mumm 30 at night. So we're hoping that it
will all come together', adds Simon Shaw.
Aboard Sun Microsystems Team New Zealand Racing Crew, Cameron Appleton is
also wary of the tides, ' We want to get in a good start position, and then
sail along the coast as quickly as possible before the tide changes a few
hours after that. The breeze is also due to build up this afternoon from
behind the fleet - it should be an exciting race', comments the Kiwi black
boat's helmsman.
Though the wind is forecast to pick up later on this evening, famous
offshore sailor Isabelle Autissier is not so optimistic: 'Fore sure it will
be difficult! I don't think the wind will as strong as forecast. I fear it
will be much lighter. I even think that we might have to anchor at some
stage when we'll come across the thalweg. And of course, it will be 'rock
and roll' at the finish in Cherbourg as we'll probably have 4 knots of
current. I think the race will all start again there and anything might
happen. We'll better not be too sleepy. The current will really be the
biggest issue and it will be most important to position ourselves for the
finish. Before that, it should be tactical downwind', comments Autissier,
navigator aboard Jimmy Pahun's Région Ile de France.