Brit boat to defend Ado's title

38 Mumm 30s will be lining up this Saturday in Le Havre for the 23rd Tour Voile

As the BT Global Challenge yachts arrive in Southampton after nine months of close competition, local sailor Simon Shaw will be starting his bid to win the student division of the 23rd Tour Voile, due to start from Le Havre on 29 June. This year is set to have the second largest entry ever with 38 boats in three divisions.

The Tour will consist of 10 offshore races and 24 inshore races, finishing on 31 July in Mandelieu La Napoule. With each leg individually weighted depending on length, level overall positions are rarely secure until the final stage has been completed in the south of France. Originally perceived as an offshore regatta, this year's Tour has attracted many types and levels of sailors. Around 600 competitors will be up against the likes of 2001 Vendee Globe winner Michel Desjoyeaux and 2000 America's Cup winners Team New Zealand.

As the only UK entry this year the British University Sailing Team, skippered by Simon Shaw, will be looking to follow in the footsteps of Ado Stead, who skippered last year's winning boat Barlo Plastics (pictured above). They are also the first foreign student team to enter the Tour Voile. Although the campaign was only launched a month ago the crew profile contains many of the UK's top student sailors, including Dom Johnson and Owen Modral. With the assistance of match racer Ian Williams, top navigator Mike Broughton who has both Whitbread and Admiral's Cup experience, and Mark Nichols the team are certainly in with a chance of topping their division.

Team New Zealand, 1999 runners-up return as one of the favourites to take the title, after a break last year taken to defend the America's Cup. Skippered by Hamish Pepper. Team NZ is composed of a wealth of talent in particular top match racers Dean Barker and Bertrand Pace, winner of the 1997 Tour Voile.

Among the main French challengers for a podium finish are Marc Thiercelin, Jimmy Pahun, and Alain Fedensieu. Thiercelin, one of the world's best singlehanded sailors and who can now boast two top four finishes in the Vendee Globe, will be competing with a crew more famous for their acting talent in the French cinema than their nautical achievements. However Thiercelin, sailing Kenzo, should still be considered a threat as the remaining crew slots are filled by sailing legend Titouan Lamazou, winner of the first ever Vendee Globe, and four professional crew including past 470 World Champion, Christine Briand.

Fedensieu, skipper of Marseille TBS, also has plans to scupper Team NZ's claim for the top spot. With victories in many top keelboat championships, which include the Kenwood Cup and the 1994 Tour Voile, Fedensieu will be looking to improve on last year's second place.

Pahun, an experienced Tour competitor with seven past entries in the event, will be joined by 2000 Figaro winner Pascal Bidegorry and round the world singlehander Isabelle Autissier.

The entry list is not restricted to top keelboat sailors as this year it also features many past and present Olympic sailors: Gildas Philippe, 1998 470 World Champion and competitor in the Sydney 2000 Games, will be skippering the Dieppe entry - likely to be one of the top French entries. Philippe has several top helms enlisted, including 2000 ORMA Champion Franck Cammas, to help him achieve his goal of a top three finish.

With some of the biggest names in sailing competing for the top spot, this year's Tour Voile again looks set to provide the tight racing it has become know for. For more information on the event see the official website, www.tourvoile.fr.