Spindrift seeking to topple Edmond de Rothschilds inshores supremacy

The Dun Laoghaire waterfront © Dominique Leroux / Route des Princes

Saturday and Sunday on Dublin Bay off Dun Laoghaire's National Yacht Club are expected to see some of the most spectacular inshore racing yet of the Route des Princes grand prix multihulls race around Europe.

The combination of strong winds and a relatively open water race course which will be easily viewed from the shore should provide the perfect combination when the six, short sharp round the buoys races are contested.

To date it has been Sébastien Josse's crew on Groupe Edmond de Rothschild which has been best at both Valencia and Lisbon, winning top points for both regattas.

Part of their winning formula so far has been using the skills of a specialist inshore tactician, match racing ace Sébastien Col.

Maybe the terms will even out in Dun Laoghaire as Spindrift – who have been second in both inshore regattas – bring on board Olympic 470 bronze medallist Nicholas Charbonnier as tactician and skipper Yann Guichard resumes his normal service on the helm for the inshores. Due to commitments on their team's D35 Ladycat powered by Spindrift, Guichard has not yet been able to steer Spindrift on the short course regattas.

Spindrift are overall leaders of the Routes des Princes by six points ahead of Josse's Edmond de Rothschild.

With ten points available for winning the regatta, eight for second and six for third, Josse's team will be looking to reduce that margin as much as possible before Monday's start of the last high scoring offshore leg of the race, from Dun Laoghaire to Plymouth.

W-SW'ly winds are forecast to be between 19 and 27 knots Saturday which should mean fast, tight racing. Considerably stronger gusts are forecast Sunday.

The MOD70's will compete over six short course over the two days.

A substantial shoreside festival is already under way on the East Pier where there are a whole host of different exhibitions and stalls.

The food festival "With Taste" is organised for the general public with small tasting tents offered by restaurateurs and food producers.

During the inshore races there will be commentary from Ireland's Olympic 470 sailor Ger Owens and Fiona Bolger.

At 1900hrs Saturday, an autograph session skippers to the public at 19:30 followed by a concert by Dan Ar Braz. And in Sunday at 19:30: barbecue and concert.

Overall Standings:

MAXI80
1-Prince de Bretagne 88 points

MOD 70
1-Spindrift, 94 points
2-Edmond de Rothschild, 88 points
3-Oman Air-Musandam, 88 points
4-Virbac-Paprec, 66 points

MULTI 50
1-Actual, 80 points
2-FenêtreA-Cardinal, 74 points
3-Arkema-Région Aquitaine, 68 points
4-Rennes Métropole – Saint-Malo Agglomération, 56 points

www.routedesprinces.com

Oman Air-Musandam incurs four-point penalty for infringement on Route des Princes start line in Lisbon

Oman Sail's MOD70 team has incurred a four-point penalty for a rule infringement at the start of Leg 2 of the 2013 Route des Princes in Lisbon on Sunday 16 June.

The International Race Jury, led by President Bill O'Hara, was convened in Dun Laoghaire on Friday evening to hear a protest from Spindrift relating to an infringement by the Oman Sail MOD70 team of Racing Rules of Sailing 11: When boats are on the same tack and overlapped, a windward boat shall keep clear of a leeward boat.

After a hearing lasting 80 minutes, the Jury found in favour of Spindrift and imposed the four-point penalty, equivalent to one place on an offshore leg on the Omani boat.

After such a close and hard fought leg 2 from Portugal to Ireland, skipper Sidney Gavignet was very disappointed at the result: "This MOD70 racing is incredibly close, especially on the start line and although we didn't think that we infringed Spindrift, we of course respect the jury's position and look forward to getting back on the race course on Saturday to start to regain the points we have lost," he said.