Groupama Race - Franck Cammas ready to compete

by Groupama Race on 26 Sep 2014 The famous title holder of the last Volvo Ocean Race (around the world with crew and ports of call) triple winner of the Jacques Vabre Transit, The Route de Rhum and elected twice french Navigator of the Year, has engaged in the longest windward leeward race in the world : 600 nautical miles around New Caledonia and its lagoon which is part of the world heritage for Humanity.

Franck Cammas, the most talented navigator of his generation who has presented as helmsman for the French Team in the Americas Cup, will be at the start on the 19th of October in Noumea for the fourth edition of the Groupama Race. According to Franck the Groupama Race runs 'around the magical island of New Caledonia, 600 miles in often difficult conditions, upwind and downwind conditions, conditions where tactics are essential.'

Franck is the co-skipper of the Caledonian boat Keel Bill. Patrick Baldi, the co-skipper, and the crew of this fast racing boat constructed in carbon with a folding keel, have for objective the victory but also want to break the record held since 2008 by Team Australia ‘Les Nouvelles’ which was three days, 20 minutes and 55 seconds! A real challenge bearing in mind the opposition with the New Zealand boat Crusader (Eliott 35 SS – super sport) 2012, which is the same size and also has a folding keel. Just after its launch, she smashed the record of the Coastal Classic, a testing classic for New Zealand sailors.

The start of the Groupama Race will be on the 19th October 2014 opposite the Rocher a la voile in Noumea, New Caledonia. The whole population of Noumea and lovers of sailing are invited to follow this show from 09.00hrs. Even so, everybody should do that race and register to the virtual Groupama Race on the official website, four days in which to make the right tactical choices, without getting Event website