Tour de France a la Voile - Closing in on Courrier Dunkerque 3

by Fabienne Morin on 24 Jul 2014 The Tour de France a la Voile fleet completed two races today in Hyères (one inshore and one coastal). Groupama 34 won the first one and is now catching up Courrier Dunkerque 3 on the leaderboard, while Bretagne Crédit Mutuel Elite won the second one and is now nine points ahead of Team Oman Sail in the fight for third place of the podium.

The sea breeze was light today. No more than 8-9 knots. The fleet started an inshore race at 11.30. Courrier Dunkerque and Team Oman Sail were early on the line and were called back, while Groupama escaped at the front of the fleet leaving a few boats in between, and eating a few more points on Daniel Souben’s lead overall.

The Corinthian teams performed well on the first race. Nantes - Saint Nazaire, Normandy-Acerel and Toulon Provence Méditerranée – COYCH, second, third and fourth

After the first race, the wind died off and the race committee had to cancel the second inshore race. They managed to start the coastal race as the wind was building again just after 16.00

Bretagne Crédit Mutuel Elite took the best start and led the fleet around the course to finally win in front of Groupama and Courrier Dunkerque. It was a great day for Nicolas Troussel and his crew who increased their lead over Oman Sail from one to nine points in one day, in their fight for third place of the podium.

Tomorrow the boats will leave at 9.00 for two more inshore races before going back on land and leaving again in the evening for the last offshore leg of this Tour, to Nice.

Overall ranking:
1 Courrier Dunkerque 3, Daniel Souben 851 pts
2 Groupama 34, Franck Cammas 844 pts
3 Bretagne - Crédit Mutuel Elite, skipper Nicolas Troussel 803 pts
4 Team OmanSail, skipper, Sidney Gavignet 794 pts
5 Ville de Genève – Carrefour Addictions, Nicolas Groux 738pts
6 Normandy – Acerel, Baptiste Choquenet 729 pts
7 Toulon Provence Méditerranée, Florian Simonnot 711 pts
8 Nantes Saint-Nazaire, Jean-Baptiste Gellée 699 pts
9 Be Brussels Bienne Voile, Delphine Wolters et Olivier Besire 632 pts

Offshore leg ranking:
1 Courrier Dunkerque 3, Daniel Souben 366 pts
2 Bretagne – Crédit Mutuel Elite, Nicolas Troussel 350 pts
3 Team Oman Sail, Sidney Gavignet, 340 pts (…)

Technical ranking:
1 Groupama 34, Franck Cammas 504 pts
2 Courrier Dunkerque 3, Daniel Souben 485 pts
3 Team Oman Sail, Sidney Gavignet 455 pts (…)

Amateur ranking:
1 Normandy - Acerel, Baptiste Choquenet 729 pts
2 Toulon Provence Méditerranée, Florian Simonnot 711 pts
3 Nantes Saint-Nazaire, Jean-Baptiste Gellée 699 pts
4 Be Brussels Bienne Voile, Delphine Wolters et Olivier Besire 632 pts Event website