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Transat 650

Sensational start for the minis in La Rochelle

Rogues and Sanchis home to port early • Bad buoy for many skippers

Sunday 13 September 2009Information Transat 650

All the versions of this article: [English] [français]

Weather conditions were ideal. A hot sun had warmed the atmosphere. A wind of 15 knots established northeast blew allowing skippers to take in large majority a reef in the mainsail. The sea was relatively flat, slightly hummocky. Almost perfect. But still some should have read the instructions of race carefully.

Yes there were many people on the water. Small and large boats wanting to be the closest to the sailors even if they had act in accordance with with the instructions of the race committee. Certainly, too, there was the capsizing of a catamaran, rescued by other boats, which added to the confusion. But still...

At the gun it was the rush of "sprinters" with a reef in the mainsail. But in the first action in the wake of Pierre Brasseur ("Region Nord Pas de Calais Ripolin"), some took a corner buoy of the starting area for the turning mark buoy close located 1.6 miles from the starting line.

Around one third of the fleet, like a fleet of followers, went behind the wake of Brasseur before he, and then the others, realized their mistake. They lost in the mishap an hour. To Bahia the road will be long. Needless to write that there will be other and probably more complex incidents, but it is unfortunate to provide oneself an easily avoidable difficulty. Because of negligence?

The main fault of this belongs to? Pierre Brasseur? Not only, Thomas Ruyant (Faber France), Remi Auburn (AT Children’s Project "), Henri-Paul Schipman ("Maison de l’Avenir Urbatys") Bertrand Delesne (" Entreprendre Durablement") all favourites of the race.

In this crowd, Juan Carlos Sanchis (Somni-Gaes) that had so many hopes for his 3rd participation, returned to the port. Sebastien Rogues ("Eole Generation-GDF-Suez") collided with Jean-Christophe Lagrange (Zoukati). He also made a half turn with a hole in the hull. But he announced: "I’m leaving at 8 pm."

And while the stunned were looking for their way, others rushed to the "real" buoy in front of La Maison de la Charente-Maritime. Nicolas Boidevezi (Defi GDE) was turning in the head. He preceded Fabien Despres (Soitec), Laurent Bourgues (Prim Soins), Anna Corbella (Gaes 385 ’) and Stephane Le Diraizon (Cultisol). For the series, Davy Beaudart ("Port a Sec Guy Beaudart ") was the fastest.


View online : Photos Guillaume Grange / audialog.com



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