Radii wins out

18 foot Skiff European Circuit at Carnac reports Christophe Favreau

Very light NE winds (4/5 knots) made the organizers shorten the morning banana course on the final day of the 18 foot Skiff European Grand Prix in Carnac, Fance. It was once again dominated by the usual English crews… among which there was a noteworthy absent. Hermes, leader of the provisional ranking Saturday evening, attempted this 8th race with several handicaps (lost by the helmsman of contact lenses the day before, broken toe…) to which were added some tactical mistakes fraught with consequences at that level of competition.

In the beginning of the afternoon, the 13 European crews took off at 12.51 for a coastal course of about 15 miles. The wind rapidly settled west with a light 10 knots thermal that quickly reinforced at 15 during the whole race. Gone south of the Yacht Club de Carnac, the European fleet headed SE towards the Méaban buoy before making for Quiberon and sailing along the peninsula to come back to the club. Andy Richards’s crew, took the first place in the long distance race – after 1 h 49’ – and in the final ranking.



Therefore this last day put an end to the tenuous duel that opposed the two English crews Hermes and Radii, the latter finishing with a total of 11 points only. The number of races run (10, that is 8 rounds and a coastal raid counting double and that couldn’t be taken off the point count) indeed enabled to withdraw the two worst races of each crew. The Hermes crew finally mounted the podium second, the Swiss crew on Exel mounting third, just in front of the third English crew Barron and Smithers and the solid Danish on GP Covers, only crew to have raced the whole championship with the large rig.

Sefico, first French crew, took the fourth place in the morning race and the eighth one in the final ranking.

The prize giving ceremony was also the occasion to thank the unfailing organization of the Yacht Club de Carnac, very enthusiastic at the idea of seeing the tour coming back in 2006, the Banque Populaire Atlantique, the Carnac town council, the volunteers and the Sailing Channel, that will broadcast a 26 minutes programme with full of spectacular images and competitors’ interviews.

Most crews present will meet in Sardinia in less than a month (June 5th – 10th). This event, also on the agenda of a world championship that counts an event on each continent, will be an opportunity to take on the highest level and to exchange advices and equipment. No doubt that after these 9 races run in Carnac they will arrive very sharpened!

1 RADII (GBR)- Richards, Fairley, Richards - (11 points).
2 HERMES (GBR) - Browne, Tait, Torrance - (15 points).
3 EXEL (Suitzerland) - Rueger, Marti, Fuchs - (26 points).
4 BARRON & SMITHERS (GBR) - Barton, Borett, Turnbull _ (29 points)
5 GP COVERS (Danemark) - Clausen, Elber, Friedrichsen - (37 points)
6 VELAMARE SKIFF (Italy) - Colombi, Pellegrini, Visconti - (47 points)
7 BASE 1 (GBR) - Dulson, Constable, Morgan - (53 points)
8 SEFICO (France) - Orion, Caiveau, Vallée - (55 points)
9 SAIL ADDICTION - Lagi, Bonzio, Ferrari - (56 points)
10 4 US - Chanez, Gesseney, Freymond - (82 points)
11 RSG-SBM - Monzin, Florean, Cambiaghi - (92 points)
12 PROPULSION - Lamotte, Aubrun, Ducouedic - (133 points)
13 BLUE POINT CARNAC - Modai, Mary, Gahinet - (133 points)