Title defender leads Tour de France Sailing Race
The winner of the 2007 Tour de France Sailing Race, Toulon Provence M?diterran?e - COYCHy?res (Fabien Henry) won both the prologue and the first windward leeward race of the main regatta of the Crew-Sailing France Championship. Henry's crew showed their skills in vigorous wind conditions - between 18 and 20 knots - while some other boats did some freestyle downwind!
'Fleet - Tour de France ? la Voile'
Jean Marie Liot ©
A dynamic prologue!
This race proved the capacities of the student crew INSA Sopra Group (Simon Troel), which finished third, and of the amateur crew Val Thorens (Alexis Littoz, Lucas Millieret) which ranked fourth. Fabien Henry's sailors (Toulon Provence M?diterran?e - COYCHy?res) did no mistake at the front. They were followed by the local crew Courrier Dunkerque (Daniel Souben).
The wind was above 25 knots in gusts, and several M 30s did nice figures while sailing downwind. The most experienced crews such as Ile de France (Jimmy Pahun) or Manche - Basse Normandie (Beno?t Charon, C?dric Ch?teau) caught up boat after boat in these strong conditions.
A tight start
The competitors were decided not to leave it to chance! After a first general recall, the M 30s did not calm down and three boats started too early again. VanUden TU Delft VanOord (S. Leinders, M. Vandermeulen) directly made up for this infraction by coming back under the departure line, but Ile de France and Courrier Dunkerque waited until the race committee called them on the radio to do so, one minute after the departure.
As in the old days. Toulon Provence M?diterran?e - COYCHy?res in the lead
Fabien Henry's crew did a very good performance: only fifth at the first buoy, they finished the race more than a hundred meters ahead of the second, Val Thorens. The skipper details this victory: 'the departure was quite risky due to the strong current and we decided to be safe. For that reason, we didn't take a very good departure, but little by little, we sailed our way to the top! Everything was fine onboard. for such results, it was a condition!'
A few impressive results!
Saint-Malo Purflo Team SNBSM (Fran?ois Lebourdet) finished third with only their smaller spinnaker. 'We've had a collision with Brest Grandes Ecoles ENSIETA / ESC (Lo?c Le Garrec) during the prologue, so we've had to cut the halyard of our spinnaker, and didn't have the time to repair before the race started' explains tactician J?r?me Vaudelt.
Dimitri Deruelle on his side (Elcima? - Ville de Marseille) finished fourth after rounding the windward buoy in fifteenth position!
Fabien Henry and his crew certainly have a psychological advantage now, but there are twenty-three days of race left for the competitors to oppose in various weather conditions. Tomorrow, the twenty-seven crews will be sailing in light winds, before they take the departure of the offshore leg bound to Dieppe at 9pm.
tourvoile.fr/
by Anatole Lucet 
Ormiston, QLD
