Tour de France à la Voile 2009 - Day 1

First racing day for the 23 Farr 30 competing for the Tour de France à la Voile 2009. They left the Quai des Hollandais, in Dunkerque, at midday and crossed three bridges and one tide gate before to head to the race zone, which was six miles away. A prologue and a triangle were expected. The prologue did not count for the overall ranking but the following inshore race opened the point competition. With a tide coefficient of 97, in front of Bray Dunes, the wind was blowing to 15 to 18 knots, the sea was quite rough and the stream was strong. The weather was rather sporty for a beginning and it actually benefited to the experienced sailors ! Ville de Genève - Carrefour Prévention (26 participations !) won the prologue and so did Elcimaï - Ville de Marseille in the first race. The boat, steered by Morgan Lagravière, a member of the French Olympic Sailing Team, should therefore bear the leader's Honda red spinnaker tomorrow. Experience also benefited to student crews. The first student boat was indeed CSC-HEC-Ecole Navale, leaded by Hervé Gautier, a true character of the Tour de France à la Voile. The first amateur team, Purflo Les Thermes Marins Saint Malo, did a nice job and finished 5th of the leg. Tomorrow, they should also fly the amateur leader's Malongo spinnaker.

On Friday, an inshore race is planned at 10.00 am, with one or several legs to follow.

Prologue

2.50 pm : the teams cross a start line favourable at the buoy. The prologue is a two turns triangle with an upwind buoy, which is 1,3 miles away. Courrier Dunkerque, Elcimaï - Ville de Marseille and Insa Sopra are under an individual recall as they cut the line early. Elcimaï - Ville de Marseille is the only one to repair. Yes, the prologue does not count for the overall ranking ; but the crews are still screaming and fighting at the downwind door ! Some spinnakers got into trouble, especially Courrier Dunkerque's one. Ville de Genève - Carrefour Prévention is first to cut the finish line, followed by Insa Sopra and Manche - Basse Normandie (ranking to correct after jury).

First race

4.15 pm : the first leg to be taken into account for the TFV overall ranking begins. The stream got stronger but the wind is still blowing from force 3 to 4. The trail remains the same, but it is now a three turns triangle. Elcimaï - Ville de Marseille wins the race. Manche - Basse Normandie finishes second and Nouvelle Calédonie is third (ranking to correct after jury).

Day 1 Results:

Prologue Race Results: (before jury)
1) Ville de Genève-Carrefour Prévention ; Skipper : Jérôme Clerc
2) INSA Sopra ; Skipper : Nicolas Andrieu
3) Manche Basse Normandie ; Skipper : Benoit Charon
4) Nouvelle Calédonie (Black Pearl) ; Skippers : Ronan Dreano/Vincent Portugal
5) TU Delft ; Skipper : Bert Schandevyl
6) Ville du Port-Région Réunion ; skippers : Gabriel Jean Albert/Mayeul Dalleau
7) CSC-HEC-Ecole navale ; Skippers : Hervé Gautier/ Félix Pruvot
8) Brest Grandes Ecoles ; Skipper : Loic le Garrec
9) Nantes Saint Nazaire ; skippers : Florian Quenot/Ronan Guerin
10) Val Thorens ; Skipper : Alexis Littoz Barritel

Race 1 Results: (before jury)
1) Elcimaï-Ville de Marseille ; Skipper : Dimitri Deruelle
2) Manche Basse Normandie ; Skipper : Benoit Charon
3) Nouvelle Calédonie (Black Pearl) ; Skippers : Ronan Dreano/Vincent Portugal
4) Toulon Provence Méditerranée COYCH ; Skippers : Fabien Henry
5) Purflo - Les Thermes Marins - Saint Malo ; Skippers ; Pierre Hingant / François Le Bourdais / Quentin Gruau
6) Courrier Dunkerque ; skipper : Daniel Souben
7) Val Thorens ; Skipper : Alexis Littoz Barritel
8) CSC-HEC-Ecole Navale ; skippers : Hervé Gautier/Félix Pruvot
9) Brest Grandes Ecoles ; skippers : Loïc Le Garrec
10) Normale Sup-Lagardère ; skipper : Eric Brezellec

More information on the Tour de France à la Voile website.