470 European Championship at Yacht Club de Cannes - Overall
by Jean François Cutugno 12 May 2024 19:34 BST
4-12 May 2024
Spain's Jordi Xammar and Nora Brugman win the 470 Europeans at Cannes © Nikos Alevromytis / International 470 Class
A few weeks before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and whose sailing events will be held in Marseille at the beginning of August, this 470 Europeans had a very special flavour in typically Mediterranean weather, and low to moderate thermal breezes.
The event organized by the Yacht Club de Cannes, created in 1860, and which has undergone a makeover this winter, also served as the final selection for the Olympic Games, especially for the German team.
In the presence of Hervé Cornu, grandson of André, the brilliant French architect of the 470 62 years ago, and Francesco Ettore, President of the Italian Sailing Federation, the privileged were able to follow from the terrace of the Yacht Club of Cannes, this Medal Race competed in an erratic wind of sector South and in transparent waters having nothing to envy to the most beautiful lagoons of the planet.
Imperious and leading all the way round, the young Matisse Pacaud and Lucie de Gennes of the Yacht Club de Cannes were caught 150 meters from the finish by the Portuguese Diego Costa and Carolina Joao. The latter pair finished in second place overall, behind the untouchable Jordi Xammar and Nora Brugman, with the French champions Camille Lecointre and Jérémie Mion, finishing third after a disappointing Medal Race, three points ahead of their sparing partners Matisse Pacaud and Lucie de Gennes. Britain's Martin Wrigley and Bettine Harris took fifth place.
For the other two French teams, the 18th European place of Lomane Valade and Julien Bunel does not reflect their beautiful championship. The 2022 Optimist World Champion and her recent French match racing team-mate spent most of the week in the top 10, winning a race, before weakening on the final day. Manon Pennaneac'h and Pierre Williot, 3rd in the World Junior Championship last year, finished 21st.
Once again, the Yacht Club of Cannes, its staff and volunteers around Jean-François Cutugno its president, Jérôme Nutte president of the race committee and Corinne Aubert race director, proved their excellence and know-how.
Full results can be found here.