Koch to the fore

As Peyron and le Cam do battle in Oppies at the Grand Prix Petit Navire

In the first races for the Dragons at the Grand Prix Petit Navire, Peter Koch, aboard Montana is in the lead of the international line-up, while French crews seem to be finding it hard, such as Bruno Peyron who got disqualified for being OCS. However the Orange II skipper made up for its by later racing an Optimist against Bonduelle Open 60/trimaran skipper Jean le Cam.

While the Dragon class were out racing in the bay of Douarnenez so the three schools finallists in the Grand Prix Petit Navire Optimist met again off the Birou embankment: Mr Noury's class from the Laënnec school, Mrs Balcon's from the Marie-Curie school and Mrs Messager's from the Jules-Verne school, the defending champions.

While half the group were racing, the others were being tested on their maritime knowledge, before the two groups swapped. The winners, once again from the Jules Verne school proved the winners on the water and in the classroom and were presented with their prize by Jean le Cam. “ When the manager of the Centre Nautique de Tréboul, Jean-Pierre Laïlic, invited me, I couldn't say no," said the Vendee Globe runner-up. "The children followed the Vendée Globe and they are the best ambassadors of this sport." Of his race against Bruno Peyron le Cam added: "I have to admit that I am a novice as far as Optimist is concerned. I must have tried it no more than three times in all my life.”
Results:

Grand Prix Petit Navire Optimist :

1st Jules Verne school
2nd Laennec school
3rd Marie Curie school

Grand Prix Petit Navire Dragon :

Race 1
1st Rigmarole (John Ross-Murphy) (Ireland)
2nd African Queen (Jorgen Schonherr) (Denmark)
3rd Danish Blue (Pol-Richard Hoj-Jensen) (Denmark)

Race 2
1st Hll Gaudium (Ulli Libor) (Switzerland)
2nd Alaturca (Arda Baykal) (Turkey)
3rd Kin (Simon Brien) (Ireland)

Overall (before protests)
1st Montana (Peter Koch) (German)
2nd Rigmarole (John Ross-Murphy)
3rd Alaturca (Arda Baykal)