Normandy Sailing Week - Intense day for competitors

by Kate Jennings on 15 Jun 2014 Boasting a colourful coastal course for the M34s and IRCs, and a series of very different races for the J80s and FC 7.5s, this Saturday 14 June proved to be intense for the boats competing in Normandy Sailing Week 2014. The J80 Interface Concept skippered by Simon Moriceau has become the undisputed leader of this year’s biggest fleet, while Groupama skippered by Franck Cammas has extended her lead over her rivals in M34. In the other series, the ranking has been turned upside down*.

With Colombia currently up against Greece in the football World Cup, some 500 skippers and crews competing in Normandy Sailing Week are returning from their own playing field in Normandy’s Baie to Seine, tired, salty, but all smiles having spent seven hours on the water! Four races were run among the J80s and FC 7.5s, one among the M34s and IRCs, followed by a 24-mile coastal course around the Baie de Seine, so doubtless sleep will come easy tonight before the final slog tomorrow!

The morning wind was shifty in direction and not as strong as it could have been, which contrasted with a powerful current; a combination that caused the start of the first races to be delayed. Further down the line, a thermal breeze picked up along the shore, dishing up an established 15-knot northerly. With the boats on a heel, the action could get underway! And there was certainly plenty of it in the M34 and IRC round. Oman Sail skippered by Sidney Gavignet, just secured the win by force ahead of Groupama, bolstering its third place in the overall ranking. In the coastal course, it was Franck Cammas’ green boat which did it again, slightly improving on her lead in the overall ranking with a 19-point edge over second placed Courrier Dunkerque 3 skippered by Daniel Souben.

The J80 and First Class 7.5 crews linked together four races lasting around an hour each today. Interface Concept skippered by Simon Moriceau has built on her pole position with a 12-point lead over second placed Courrier Junior skippered by Éric Brezellec and 22 on Team Vendée skippered by Benjamin Dutreux. Among the FC 7.5s, Frédéric Moretti on CVSAE 2 is leading the provisional ranking with Aline Mignen’s Societe Des Regates Du Havre and Hervé Dispa’s CDV 27 hot on his heels.

In IRC, after a long race in light airs, the boats were able to power up on the 24-mile coastal course, which was identical to that of the M34s, taking them along the beaches of Deauville, Trouville then Cabourg. The fleet then merged at the landing beaches offshore of Ouistreham before returning to the finish line off Le Havre. Those at the top of the leaderboard will be available shortly here.

See you tomorrow at 0800 GMT for the final day of racing in Normandy Sailing Week. Sunshine and 15 to 20 knots of northerly wind are expected. After a lively week of racing, the final showdown is set to be incredibly intense once again on the race zone of Le Havre, culminating with the prize-giving at the SRH at 1500 GMT.

(* Subject to the jury’s decision)

Franck Cammas (Groupama): 'We sailed a classic windward-leeward and a 24-mile coastal course. We had to patiently wait for racing to commence this morning as there wasn’t a lot of wind. The first race was pretty twisted and rather strange with some really light airs, with no established wind on the race zone, so some big deficits opened up on the downwind leg with some boats holding onto the wind and others at a standstill. As a result it was bit special with just two boats in front and the bulk of the fleet behind. We came second in the end so we’re delighted. We followed straight on from that with a coastal course and a lot more breeze that was more established. We had a long run under spinnaker and a long beat so it was a pretty extensive course with 10-mile legs. It was pretty close under spinnaker, then on the beat we were slightly ahead of Bretagne and Dunkerque at the leeward mark. It was more of a drag race than tactical prowess and Courrier Dunkerque was able to get in front of Bretagne – Crédit Mutuel through pure speed, whilst we were able to hold onto a slight lead and finish first in the coastal race!'

Daniel Souben (Courrier Dunkerque 3): 'We had mixed results today as we were dominated by Groupama, which wasn’t the aim. However, in comparison with our rivals in the ranking, namely Oman Sail and Bretagne – Crédit Mutuel, we put up a pretty solid performance so it’s all Normandy Week