Mini Pavois - Good start from Gijon

by Veronique Largeau on 11 May 2010 The fleet set sails at 11:20 this morning and headed towards La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime) for 465 nm. The wind was five-six knots east sector (90 °). A windward mark was moored 1.3 miles off Cabo de San Lorenzo in front the Island of Tortuga and Nicolas Boidevezi (719 – Défi G.D.E) took the lead for protos ahead of Paul Marette (265 - Région Nord Pas de Calais) and Milan Kolacek (759 - Follow me).

Among series boats, it’s Amaury François (697) that was first to head North for his second crossing of the Bay of Biscay ahead Jean-Marc Allaire (464 - Baker Tilly - AG2R La Mondiale) and Pierre Cizeau (746 - Colibri).

Ile d'Yeu to leave portside, the South Cardinal buoy named Sablaire to leave starboard (46°43,7 - 02°19,4W), Belle Isle to be left portside, the lighthouse of Birvideaux to circumvent and leave starboard (47°29.2N - 03°17.4W), Belle Ile to leave starboard, mark buoy to leave portside, the lighthouse of Chanchardon to leave portside, the tower of Antioch to leave starboard, finish line between the buoy at the Minimes to leave portside and a tetrahedral orange buoy to leave starboard.

That will meddle offshore and coastal courses with all the difficulties that it brings: night sailing, fishermen fleets, coastal effects, currents, and tidal phenomenon...

The firsts are expected Thursday in the late afternoon in the Port Minimes.

34 sailors at the start: Vincent Pilato does not go...
There will be 34 minis 6.50 set sails for the second leg to La Rochelle. Vincent Pilato (481 - Mcom), for personal reasons, will not be at the start. So there will be 21 series boats and 13 prototypes.

Meteo Consult weather forecast:

Monday the 10th of May

Light and variable wind angling northwest 7-10 knots in the evening. 1,5 to 2m northwest waves. Very cloudy and rainy weather. Sometimes very bad visibility with banks of fog, the situation gets much better after the wing angles northwest.

Tuesday the 11th of May

West wind 7-10 knots to 4. 1 to 1.50 meters northwest swell. Predominant bright intervals. Good visibility. There be should a clear improvement of the forecast.

Wednesday the 12th of May

NNE wind 11-15 knots, 16-20 knot gusts. Slight to moderate sea. Predominant bright intervals. Good visibility.

Next trends

Moderate north streams.


First leg’s (La Rochelle / Gijon) podiums:

Prototypes:

1. Jorg Riechers (753 - Mare.de)
2. Nicolas Boidevezi (719 - Défi G.D.E)
3. Thomas Normand (787 – Financière de l’Echiquier)

Series:

1. Xavier Macaire (472 - Starter)
2. Amaury François (697 - www.amauryfrancois.com
3. Jonas Gerckens (473 - PragmaWork)