Normandy Sailing Week in full swing

by Kate Jennings - Translation on 6 Jun 2010
Normandy Sailing Week, which continues in Le Havre until tomorrow, is in full swing this weekend. This morning the Farr 30s set off on a 105 mile coastal course around the Baie de Seine. They are expected to cross the finish line tomorrow morning. Meantime the IRCs have sailed a fine circuit around the bay, whilst the Sportsboats and J80s enjoyed some contact racing around the cans, still warmed by the glorious sunshine, though the wind was slightly lighter than yesterday (5 to 8 knots). The First 7.5s raced for a place in the French Junior Championship, which will take place from 21st to 27th August 2010 in Le Havre.

The 700 racers competing in Normandy Sailing Week, of which this is the first edition to be held in Le Havre, got together yesterday for a highly enjoyable crew soirée, which was held in Le Havre’s Société des Régates. This morning the same crews were raring to go and the pontoons in the Anse des Régates was buzzing with 100 boats tied up to the dock, ranging from 46 to 20 feet. Things were equally lively on the water too, with the Farr 30 start accompanied by that of the IRCs and the Sportsboats, their sails quivering across the water.

It’s proving to be a fabulous festival of watersports organised by the Town of Le Havre, the three large, local sailing clubs, Sirius Evénements (event organiser) and the Upper Normandy Sailing League. Indeed the latter, managed by Francis Le Goff, comprises 9,570 members spread between 24 local clubs and 1,000 craft. As such it is one of the most active centres in France, dedicated to sailing for all and competition.

The First 7.5, a boat created by the Bénéteau yard, is very popular in Normandy. In fact Normandy Sailing Week is an opportunity for no less than 17 crews to qualify for the French Junior Championship, a key event for those hoping one day to become French champion! Solely the top four will be retained and for now it’s Thomas Avenne d’Elboeuf who’s leading.

In IRC3, there’s a bitter struggle at the head of the provisional general ranking, between the Quarter Tonner skippered by Pierre Paris and the Corby 26 skippered by Vincent Delforge. In IRC 1, the J133 'Jivaro' is leading the way ahead of the British Swan 45 skippered by Glynn Williams. In IRC 2, 'Dunkerque Plaisance' skippered by Philippe Bourgeois is heading the fleet.

Finally, at 1800 GMT this evening, the Farr 30s were making headway offshore of Bayeux, just off Ohama Beach. Following a big wind shift off Cabourg, 'CSC Essec' skippered by Hervé Gautier, 'Région de Bruxelles – Capitale', 'Ile-de-France 2010', 'Oman Sail Renaissance' and 'Team Sog – Safran' were leading hostilities. The wind is set to increase midway through the night so the competitors are currently expected into Le Havre very early tomorrow morning.

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Quotes from the boats:

Olivier Hays aboard 'Farrniente': 'It’s really full-on with little wind and some sunny spells. There are 11 of us in the IRC 3 category. We set out this morning from the South of Le Havre’s channel, bound for Trouville where we rounded a compulsory mark, which proved to be very tricky. Our Farr 727 is a quarter tonner. It’s a small series and there are no more than 60 of us in the world'.

Eric D’Hooghe aboard a Sun Fast 32 'Jolly Gaff': 'We had light airs this morning and then a thermal breeze of 7 to 8 knots kicked in. It was an interesting race, especially as I’m sailing with a family crew this time.'

Jean-Michel Carpentier aboard the J133 'Jivaro': 'We won the race in elapsed time and certainly in corrected time too. The wind was fairly light this morning and then a bit of breeze picked up. Our offshore option on the return leg paid off.'

Philippe Bourgeois 'Marine Diffusion Dunkerque': 'We lost the race at the end as we decided to head inshore. However, our direct rivals are not doing as well as us overall, which is a good thing as regards the provisional general ranking. Tomorrow the wind is set to increase with a Force 4 to 5 W’ly wind'.

Charlotte Lavialle, fourth in the provisional general ranking in the First 7.5: 'I’m a sailing instructor at the SRH and we’ve put together a team for Normandy Sailing Week, which is a qualifier for the French Championship. There’s stiff competition and the racing is very interesting on a technical level'.

Patrick Bot 'Ecole Navale CG29': 'Little by little the bird makes its nest… We’re managing to get the edge over our rival. It’s a really great way to prepare for the European J80 championship at the end of June on Lake Garda'.

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Results:
IRC1 Group (IR1) after 5 races (4 of which are retained)
1: 'Jivaro', Alain Rouault ( (J 133 / Societe des Regates de Brest) 4 points
2: 'Wisc', Glynn Williams ( (Swan 45 / UK) 8 points
3: 'Sealogis/karver', Francois Blossier ( (A 35 / C N D Honfleur) 14 points
4: 'Dark & Steamy', Nick/Annie Haigh ( (Dk 46 / UK) 16 points
5: 'Orange Mecanix', Maxime de Mareuil ( (X 41 / Societe des Regates du Havre) 17 points
6: 'Gaia', Alexandre Mercier ( (Jnd 36 / Union Nationale Pour la Course Au Large) 18 points
7: 'Emg-Happy Hours', Philippe Firmin ( (A 35 / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 22 points
8: 'Turquoises', Luc Langeoire ( (Dufour 40 Gte / Y C Rouen 76) 27 points
9: 'Tradition Philosophie Iv', Nicolas Gaumont-Prat ( (First 40.7 Gte / UK) 40 points
10: 'Avalanche', Guillaume Lemoine ( (Mumm 36 / Union Nationale Pour la Course Au Large) 41 points
11: 'Dedale', Jacques Ravon ( (Jod 35 / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 47 points
12: 'Meraki', Arnaud Guillet ( (Jod 35 / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 50 points
---: 'Didgeri-Two', Matthieu Lucet ( (A 35 / S R Caen Ouistreham) 56 points

IRC2 Group (IR2) after 5 races (4 of which are retained)
1: 'Marine Diffusion Dunkerque', Philippe Bourgeois ( (First 34.7 Gte / Dunkerque Plaisance) 7 points
2: 'Gwaihir Venturi', Philippe Rios ( (Dufour 34 / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 8 points
3: 'Parsifal', Didier Dardot ( (Sphinx 33 / Ste des Regates Rochelaises) 12 points
4: 'Foggy Dew', Ludovic Senechal ( (Jpk 10.10 / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 13 points
5: 'Perseverance', Jean Luc/marie Herve ( (J 109 / Y C de St Briac) 17 points
6: 'Ty God', Denis Vaudry ( (Bongo 870 / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 24 points
7: 'Yoalla 4', Yves Fouchet ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 29 points
8: 'Adrenaline', Nicolas Lemarchand ( (Prism 28 / Societe des Regates du Havre) 30 points
9: 'Exec Avenue', Thierry Mercier ( (Bavaria 35 Match Gte / S R de Dives Houlgate) 33 points
10: 'Jam', Patrick Villette ( (J 92 S / C N Valeriquais) 38 points
---: 'China Blue', Marc Noel ( (Sun Fast 3200 / Union Nationale Pour la Course Au Large) 48 points

IRC3 Group (IR3) after 5 races (4 of which are retained)
1: 'Pinguin Playboy', Pierre Paris ( (Quarter Tonner / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 5 points
2: 'Casper', Vincent Delforge ( (Corby 26 / S R de Courseulles) 10 points
3: '45° South', Laurent Beaurin ( (Farr 727 / Societe des Regates du Havre) 11 points
4: 'Farrniente', Olivier Hays ( (Farr 727 / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 15 points
5: 'Bonobo', Marc Duboc ( (Surprise Q / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 20 points
6: 'Fletcher Lynd', Frederic Denis ( (Hustler Sj 30 / Y C Boulonnais) 20 points
7: 'L'adjame', Jean Louis Chaix ( (Dufour 34 E / Societe des Regates du Havre) 22 points
8: 'Jolly Gaff', Loic Mevel ( (Sun Fast 32 Gte / Club Nautique Carantec) 28 points
9: 'Carabin', Claude Weisang ( (First 31.7 / Cercle de la Voile de Dieppe) 31 points
10: 'Jolly Jumper', Florent Bouillon ( (J 92 / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 31 points
11: 'Lubrizol', Georges Soudry ( (Sun Fast 32 Gte / Centre Nautique Paul Vatine) 42 points
---: 'Azimuts', Benoit Canneva ( (First 32 Gte / Union Nationale Pour la Course Au Large) 52 points

6.50 Group (6.5) after 8 races (7 of which are retained)
1: 'Nemo', Manuel Guedon ( / Union Nationale Pour la Course Au Large) 7 points
2: 'Raoul Volfoni', Ronan Commault ( / Ecole de Voile Oceane) 16 points
3: 'K.Ma 3', Yves Gouron ( / S N Trinite S/mer) 18 points
4: 'Krapo', Marc Raufie ( / Deauville Y C) 32 points
5: 'Cci Pays D'auge Honfleur', Pierre Asselin ( / Y C de Granville) 34 points
6: 'Oceane Girls-Lecarre', Marie Hercelin ( / Ecole de Voile Oceane) 39 points
7: 'Kalvados', Marin Clausin ( / Deauville Y C) 52 points
8: 'Agitation Perpetuelle', Jerome Cosse ( / S N Trinite S/mer) 53 points
9: 'Artic Monkeys', Didier Steunou ( / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 60 points

FIRST 7.5 Group (7.5) after 4 races
1: 'H', Thomas Avenne ( / C V St Aubin les Elbeuf) 15 points
2: 'E', Antoine Laurent ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 17 points
3: 'L', Pierre Viard ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 18 points
4: 'J', Baptiste Touzard ( / Centre Nautique Paul Vatine) 22 points
5: 'Q', Guillaume Pirouelle ( / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 24 points
6: 'C', Hugues Pirouelle ( / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 25 points
7: 'D', Thomas Couppey ( / Centre Nautique Paul Vatine) 26 points
8: 'I', Arthur Herreman ( / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 27 points
9: 'O', Yves le Guellec ( / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 28 points
10: 'B', Sophie Riot ( / C V Anneville S/seine) 31 points
11: 'N', Caroline Chaumeil ( / Vie Au Grand Air de Saint Maur Voile) 41 points
12: 'A', Jennifer Poret ( / Sport Nautique Et Plaisance du Havre) 51 points
13: 'P', Baptiste Hemeryck ( / Cercle de la Voile de Dieppe) 53 points
14: 'M', Quentin Arnaud ( / C V St Aubin les Elbeuf) 54 points
15: 'G', Jean Christophe Bonnal ( / Ass. Sportive Voile Espar) 57 points
16: 'K', Anne Charlotte le Gall ( / Centre Nautique Paul Vatine) 61 points

J80 Group (J80) after 8 races (7 of which are retained)
1: 'Ecole Navale Cg29', Patrick Bot ( / C V Ecole Navale) 13 points
2: 'Vog', Philippe Szellos ( / Deauville Y C) 19 points
3: 'Marine Cherbourg Dcns', Fabrice Simon ( / C N Marine de Cherbourg) 20 points
4: 'Jaws', Marie Corson ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 28 points
5: 'Deauville Yacht Club', Cyril Dussaux ( / Deauville Y C) 29 points
6: 'Paprec Bretagne', Sebastien Petithuguenin ( / A P C C Nantes) 36 points
7: 'Marine Cherbourg-Utlagi', Gilbert Rizzolo ( / C N Marine de Cherbourg) 43 points
8: 'Hydro le Havre', Victor Leblond ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 54 points
9: 'Jules de Chez Smith En Face', Laurent Chauvin ( / Deauville Y C) 57 points
10: 'Price Up', Matthieu Dolle ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 62 points
11: 'Piscine En Seine', Amelie Lemaire ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 75 points
12: 'Jiking', Nicolas Boulard ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 83 points
13: 'F-E-I', Patrick Dormeau ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 89 points
14: 'Defi Dijor', Philippe Genain ( / Deauville Y C) 95 points
15: 'Jobar Boat', Francois Balogh ( / N Trouville Hennequeville) 97 points

LASER SB3 Group (SB3) after 8 races (7 of which are retained)
1: 'Baloo's Zhik', John Outhwaite ( / UK) 7 points
2: 'Onyx', Manuelle Adam ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 16 points
3: 'Morpheus', Edward Russo ( / C N Valeriquais) 18 points
4: 'Puissance 4', David Bauquin ( / C N Valeriquais) 26 points
5: 'Capucine', Florent Laroche Joubert ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 34 points

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