Normandy Sailing Week - Sunshine and heat

by Kate Jennings - Expression on 5 Jun 2010 Normandy Sailing Week Le Havre.

Normandy Sailing Week began today for the IRCs, J80s and Sportsboats. Glorious sunshine and a Mediterranean heat. 8 to 10 knots of N’ly wind blew across the Baie de Seine’s race zone, which faces the town designed after the second world war, by the modern architect Auguste Perret.

The Farr 30s, continued with their windward-leeward event today, which is the theatre for the second stage of the French Crewed Championship. Tomorrow this class will contest a 105 mile coastal course

The 34 boats competing in IRC 1, IRC 2 and IRC 3, according to their length, really put on a show on the Norman playing field today. The IRCs are sophisticated craft constructed for cruiser-racing and long offshore runs. The race committee for the IRC Round managed to launch two races which proved to be incredibly intense.

In the star category of large IRC 1s, 'Gaia', the prototype skippered by Alexandre Mercier, leads, virtually neck and neck with the British Swan 45, 'Wisc' skippered by Glynn Williams and 'Selagis/Karver' skippered by local skipper François Blossier. In the IRC 2 category, there was some fierce battling at the top level between the Le Havre sailors and those of nearby Dunkirk. Ludovic Senechal on 'Foggy Dew' and Philippe Bourgeois on 'Marine Diffusion Dunkerque' are tied. Finally in IRC 3 the top three in the provisional general ranking are within a hair’s breadth of each other.

The small, 6m50 ‘sleighs’ that are the Sportsboats managed to complete four races on their round. Manuel Guedon on the Mach 6.50 'Nemo', the number one supporter of this class of latest generation one-designs, won all today’s races. The UNCL member was beaming from ear to ear this evening on the pontoon of the Anse des Régates. He boasts a 6 point lead over the K 6.50 'K.MA 3'.

Meantime it’s a tie for the top two from the J80 class at Normandy Sailing Week. After four races 'Marine Cherbourg' and 'Ecole Navale CG29' both have 10 points, so it’s been a great day for the French Navy teams!

Finally, amongst the Farr 30s, a further four races were run today. The Dunkirk sailors are leading the way, just two points ahead of the Omani team, three ahead of Fabien Henry and his crew and 10 ahead of the fearsome Norman Benoit Charon. Tomorrow’s coastal course, which will be launched at 1200 hrs local time, will doubtless play the role of justice of the peace for the Farr 30 series racing at Normandy Sailing Week.

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Ludovic Senechal aboard Foggy Dew: 'In everyday life I’m a docker who takes care of general dock work in port. However, I’ve sailed a lot too, notably aboard the America’s Cup Class boat 'Ville de Paris' and with the late Paul Vatine on the trimarans 'Région Haute-Normandie' and 'Chauss Europ' as helmsman or bowman. Nowadays most of my sailing is for pleasure amongst friends and notably involves the RORC races in the UK. Our JPK is new and the season has started off very nicely for us'.

Manu Guedon aboard the Mach 6.50 'Nemo': 'I created the 6m50 class (which shouldn’t be confused with the Mini 6.50). It gathers together several Class associations which sail on 6m50 sportsboats (K 6.50, Open 6.50, Mach 6.50). They’re small boats weighing in at less than 500 kg and easy to manœuvre, fun to helm and really pick up speed very quickly the minute there’s 15 knots of breeze, especially downwind. We’re competing in the final of our championship here.'

Dimitri Deruelle 'TPM – COYCH': 'It’s pretty difficult for us because in this kind of weather (light airs), everyone goes fast, even the less hardened sailors. It’s a dense fleet. You really have to battle for supremacy. Tomorrow we’re setting off on a race spanning around 105 miles. If the course isn’t shortened, the coastal race will have a coefficient 3. Suffice to say then that the Normandy Sailing Week will be decided at the end of that race'.

Jimmy Pahun 'Ile-de-France 2010': 'I’m disappointed to read the general ranking (sixth place) because we had a good day with one race victory. First days are complicated because you have to find your bearings again. The crew was better today. Tomorrow a big coastal course awaits us between Le Havre and Quenneville (a return trip) along the coastline bordering the Baie de Seine. Light airs are expected and even some rain on Saturday night'.

Laurent Pagès 'Mumma Duck': 'We’re competing in Normandy Sailing Week to train for the Tour de France à la Voile. It’s a way for me to get in touch with the crew and there’s already been some progress. It’s my first race for over two years. I’m happy to put myself in danger with this team of youngsters who are in very fine shape'.

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Results

Farr 30 Group (FAR) after 7 races (6 of which are retained.)
1: 'Courrier Dunkerque', Pierre Loic Berthet ( / A P C C Nantes) 18 points
2: 'Oman Sail Renaissance', Robert Greenhalgh ( / Oman) 20 points
3: 'Tpm-Coych', Fabien Henry ( / Cercle Org Yachting Competition Hyerois) 21 points
4: 'Manche Basse Normandie', Benoit Charon ( / Y C de Granville) 28 points
5: 'Tu Delft', Bert Schandevyl ( / Hollande) 29 points
6: 'Ile de France 2010', Jimmy Pahun ( / S N Trinite S/mer) 29 points
7: 'Nouvelle Caledonie', Michel Cohen Addet ( / Yacht Club de la Grande Motte) 32 points
8: 'Groovederci', Deneen Demourkas ( / Etats Unis D'am) 37 points
9: 'Team Sog-Safran', Julien/quentin Villion/ponroy ( / S N Trinite S/mer) 38 points
10: 'Bred', Yann Rigal ( / France) 55 points
11: 'Mumma Duck', David Vanderberg ( / Hollande) 65 points
12: 'Csc Hec Ecole Navale', Herve Gautier ( / Porh Loeiz Skiff) 70 points
13: 'Purflo les Thermes Marins St Malo', Ronan Desert ( / S N Baie de St Malo) 72 points
14: 'Rapetou', Alban Mesnil ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 79 points
15: 'Essec - Hanploi.Com', Damien Seguin ( / Sport Nautique de L'ouest Nantes) 82 points
16: 'Region de Bruxelles-Capitale', Laurent Declercq ( / Belgique) 82 points
17: 'Normale Sup - Lagardere', Eric Brezellec ( / Centre Nautique de St Cast) 85 points

IRC1 Group (IR1) after 2 races
1: 'Gaia', Alexandre Mercier ( (Jnd 36 / Union Nationale Pour la Course Au Large) 4 points
2: 'Wisc', Glynn Williams ( (Swan 45 / UK) 5 points
3: 'Sealogis/karver', Francois Blossier ( (A 35 / C N D Honfleur) 7 points
4: 'Jivaro', Alain Rouault ( (J 133 / Societe des Regates de Brest) 8 points
5: 'Emg-Happy Hours', Philippe Firmin ( (A 35 / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 10 points
6: 'Dark & Steamy', Nick/Annie Haigh ( (Dk 46 / UK) 12 points
7: 'Turquoises', Luc Langeoire ( (Dufour 40 Gte / Y C Rouen 76) 15 points
8: 'Orange Mecanix', Maxime de Mareuil ( (X 41 / Societe des Regates du Havre) 15 points
9: 'Tradition Philosophie Iv', Nicolas Gaumont-Prat ( (First 40.7 Gte / UK) 16 points
10: 'Avalanche', Guillaume Lemoine ( (Mumm 36 / Union Nationale Pour la Course Au Large) 18 points
11: 'Dedale', Jacques Ravon ( (Jod 35 / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 22 points
12: 'Meraki', Arnaud Guillet ( (Jod 35 / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 24 points
---: 'Didgeri-Two', Matthieu Lucet ( (A 35 / S R Caen Ouistreham) 28 points

IRC2 Group (IR2) after 2 races
1: 'Foggy Dew', Ludovic Senechal ( (Jpk 10.10 / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 3 points
2: 'Marine Diffusion Dunkerque', Philippe Bourgeois ( (First 34.7 Gte / Dunkerque Plaisance) 3 points
3: 'Gwaihir Venturi', Philippe Rios ( (Dufour 34 / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 6 points
4: 'Parsifal', Didier Dardot ( (Sphinx 33 / Ste des Regates Rochelaises) 8 points
5: 'Perseverance', Jean Luc/marie Herve ( (J 109 / Y C de St Briac) 11 points
6: 'Adrenaline', Nicolas Lemarchand ( (Prism 28 / Societe des Regates du Havre) 12 points
7: 'Exec Avenue', Thierry Mercier ( (Bavaria 35 Match Gte / S R de Dives Houlgate) 14 points
8: 'Ty God', Denis Vaudry ( (Bongo 870 / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 15 points
9: 'Yoalla 4', Yves Fouchet ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 18 points
---: 'China Blue', Marc Noel ( (Sun Fast 3200 / Union Nationale Pour la Course Au Large) 24 points
---: 'Jam', Patrick Villette ( (J 92 S / C N Valeriquais) 24 points

IRC3 Group (IR3) after 2 races
1: 'Farrniente', Olivier Hays ( (Farr 727 / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 7 points
2: 'Casper', Vincent Delforge ( (Corby 26 / S R de Courseulles) 8 points
3: 'Fletcher Lynd', Frederic Denis ( (Hustler Sj 30 / Y C Boulonnais) 8 points
4: 'L'adjame', Jean Louis Chaix ( (Dufour 34 E / Societe des Regates du Havre) 9 points
5: 'Pinguin Playboy', Pierre Paris ( (Quarter Tonner / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 9 points
6: 'Carabin', Claude Weisang ( (First 31.7 / Cercle de la Voile de Dieppe) 13 points
7: 'Jolly Jumper', Florent Bouillon ( (J 92 / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 13 points
8: '45° South', Laurent Beaurin ( (Farr 727 / Societe des Regates du Havre) 15 points
9: 'Jolly Gaff', Loic Mevel ( (Sun Fast 32 Gte / Club Nautique Carantec) 15 points
10: 'Bonobo', Marc Duboc ( (Surprise Q / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 20 points
11: 'Lubrizol', Georges Soudry ( (Sun Fast 32 Gte / Centre Nautique Paul Vatine) 20 points
---: 'Azimuts', Benoit Canneva ( (First 32 Gte / Union Nationale Pour la Course Au Large) 26 points

6.50 Group (6.5) after 4 races
1: 'Nemo', Manuel Guedon ( / Union Nationale Pour la Course Au Large) 4 points
2: 'K.Ma 3', Yves Gouron ( / S N Trinite S/mer) 10 points
3: 'Raoul Volfoni', Ronan Commault ( / Ecole de Voile Oceane) 10 points
4: 'Krapo', Marc Raufie ( / Deauville Y C) 18 points
5: 'Cci Pays D'auge Honfleur', Pierre Asselin ( / Y C de Granville) 22 points
6: 'Oceane Girls-Lecarre', Marie Hercelin ( / Ecole de Voile Oceane) 22 points
7: 'Agitation Perpetuelle', Jerome Cosse ( / S N Trinite S/mer) 29 points
8: 'Kalvados', Marin Clausin ( / Deauville Y C) 35 points
---: 'Artic Monkeys', Didier Steunou ( / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 40 points

J80 Group (J80) after 4 races
1: 'Marine Cherbourg', Fabrice Simon ( / C N Marine de Cherbourg) 10 points
2: 'Ecole Navale Cg29', Patrick Bot ( / C V Ecole Navale) 10 points
3: 'Vog', Philippe Szellos ( / Deauville Y C) 17 points
4: 'Paprec Bretagne', Sebastien Petithuguenin ( / A P C C Nantes) 19 points
5: 'Jaws', Marie Corson ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 20 points
6: 'Deauville Yacht Club', Cyril Dussaux ( / Deauville Y C) 21 points
7: 'Marine Cherbourg-Utlagi', Gilbert Rizzolo ( / C N Marine de Cherbourg) 25 points
8: 'Jules de Chez Smith En Face', Laurent Chauvin ( / Deauville Y C) 33 points
9: 'Hydro le Havre', Victor Leblond ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 34 points
10: 'Price Up', Matthieu Dolle ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 36 points
11: 'Piscine En Seine', Amelie Lemaire ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 43 points
12: 'Jiking', Nicolas Boulard ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 51 points
13: 'Jobar Boat', Francois Balogh ( / N Trouville Hennequeville) 52 points
14: 'F-E-I', Patrick Dormeau ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 52 points
15: 'Defi Dijor', Philippe Genain ( / Deauville Y C) 57 points

LASER SB3 Group (SB3) after 4 races
1: 'Baloo's Zhik', John Outhwaite ( / UK) 5 points
2: 'Onyx', Manuelle Adam ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 10 points
3: 'Morpheus', Edward Russo ( / C N Valeriquais) 11 points
4: 'Puissance 4', David Bauquin ( / C N Valeriquais) 14 points
5: 'Capucine', Florent Laroche Joubert ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 20 points

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