2015 Nacra 17 European Championship - The cream of Catalonia

by Groupama Sailing Team on 4 Oct 2015 Ninth in the European Nacra 17 Championship contested in Barcelona, the crew of Groupama made up of Franck Cammas and Sophie de Turckheim came close to pulling of a massive performance with four months until the selections for the Olympic Games in Rio.

The first French pairing in a competition won by the British, ahead of the Danish and the Australians, the skipper of Groupama is essentially taking away all the positives from this result and is now focusing on further training in his bid to excel at the highest international level.

Despite being deprived of a podium place before the Medal Race even began for the top ten overall, the crew of Groupama were more motivated than ever to show just what they were made of in a southerly breeze of around fifteen knots on the Catalonian race zone. Posting a solid start, they passed the midway mark in fourth position, ahead of the top three in the overall ranking.

And just at that point: 'After rounding the leeward mark, I went out on the wire and promptly fell in the water. Likely my clip wasn't threaded through the cable properly. I was quickly picked up by a jury boat as Sophie turned back so I could climb back aboard. During this manoeuvre, we were last, but still finished the race,' Franck Cammas explains with precision.

'It's a shame Franck went over the side as we were right on our game. The minute the wind is strong enough for both of us to go out on the wire, we rocket along. It's really good and it shows that we were right to try and dig deep. In addition to the Olympic selections, which remain open, we're making progress with the way we race. A year ago, we weren't capable of such performances at the highest level,' adds Sophie de Turckheim.

And even though there are just two competitions left before the World Championship in Clearwater in February 2016, the Groupama duo will be putting in a lot more time on the water so they can give themselves every possible chance right the way to the end of their campaign: 'We're going to get in some training in the United States from December and through into January too. Both of us still need to make progress technically downwind in the breeze and I particularly need to work on my helming style in the light airs,' continues the skipper of Groupama.

Critical about their weak points but perceptive about their abilities, Franck Cammas gives us a positive assessment of this European Championship: 'Aside from Besson and Riou, virtually all the top players were in attendance. Apart from the final day of fleet races, we always managed to vie with the leading group, which is very positive. We just need to really get a feel for the boat in the lighter wind. I'm not worried though; it'll come back to us. The general standard is very high. The top three were the most consistent, whatever the wind strength'.

Very strong in the light airs in 2013 and 2014, the crew of Groupama has put on around fifteen kilos in 2015 so as to be more effective in the breezy conditions. As such it's job done on that score: 'However, this year we've hardly had any light airs. We need to get our bearings again. The same is true in the start phases, where we're often a little overly cautious, a bit too far back from the line. There's little in it but it's so important,' concludes Sophie.

Ninth in the European Championship after hanging onto third place for a fair old while, Franck Cammas and Sophie de Turckheim don't harbour any regrets. 'We've learnt more and we've made more progress. Now, I'm heading to Marseille for four days training on the GC32 before setting a course for Bermuda with Groupama Team France,' gushes Cammas, in a hurry as usual. And don't tell him he's doing too much and that's he's not conserving his energy. No, he's not the kind of guy to take a breather and ease off the pace: 'The selections for the Games are thrilling. Indirectly, they also enable us to prepare for the America's Cup. Indeed, you'll notice that I'm not the only helmsman with a Cup challenge to be involved in an Olympic series'.

So Cammas will first head to the north-east for a few days, before calling in at his home port of Lorient, Brittany, and then on to Bermuda and the next leg of the America's Cup World Series.

Overall ranking for the European Nacra 17 Championship 2015 in Barcelona

1. GBR 254 - Ben Saxton / Nicola Groves - 64 points
2. AUS 242 - Darren Bundock / Nina Curtis - 68 points
3. DEN 281 - Allan Norregaard / Annette Viborg - 71 points
4. ITA 262 - Vittorio Bissaro / Silvia Sicouri - 81 points
5. AUT 240 - Thomas Zajac / Tanja Frank - 85 points
6. ESP 028 - Fernando Echavarri / Tara Pacheco - 95 points
7. DEN 282 - Lin Ea Cenholt / Christian Peter Lübeck - 102 points
8. GER 211 - Paul Kohlhoff / Carolina Werner - 109 points
9. FRA 077 - Franck Cammas / Sophie De Turckheim - 111 points
10. FRA 225 - Moana Vaireaux / Manon Audinet - 130 points