La Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 gets off to a good start
by Véronique Largeau on 26 Sep 2011
Race start - Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 2011 Pierrick Garenne / GPO
La Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 got off to a good start at 5:17 p.m in La Rochelle this Sunday, 25 September 2011.
The 79 skippers have crossed the start line one minute after the liberating gunshot, to pay tribute to Jean-Marc Allaire who should have been on the starting line with them today.
The start was given in a wind of six knots from the west and the first to the mark buoy were the prototypes: Sebastien Rogues on 716 - Eole Generation GDF Suez, Sébastien Picault on Kickers number 198 and Antoine Rioux on Festival des Pains number 800. Followed by Aymeric Chappellier on La tortue de l'Aquarium - La Rochelle (N° 788), Thomas Normand on Financière de l'Échiquier (N° 787) and Etienne David on Teamwork (N° 679). The first three series boats were Renaud Chavarria on Béziers Méditerrannée (N° 596), Giacomo Sabbatini on Scusami la Spalle (N° 554) and Gwenolé Gahinet on Asso Watever - gwenalogahinet.com (N° 455).
They now sail toward the buoy, Fort Boyard, leaving the Pertuis of Antioch, towards Cape Finisterre (north-west Spain). A cape that the fleet is not expected to reach before Wednesday considering the difficult weather conditions expected on the Bay of Biscay.
First official results will be posted at 08:00 p.m on the event website. Rankings will be updated every day at 8:00 a.m, 12:00 noon and 6:00
La Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat website
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