Mumm 30 pro-am

K-Challenge's event in Marseilles starts today

The 2003 K-Challenge Pro-Am Cup starts tomorrow morning from Marseilles’ old harbour. 23 boats will be gathered for the last regatta of the year in the Mumm 30 calendar.

Seven pro teams will line up against 15 amateur teams who have descended upon Marseilles to race some of the 'stars' of our sport.

There is a great advantage for the locals who know the sailing area very well, and particularly the pro team of Marseille Cap Sport with Dimitri Deruelle at helm. This is the team which won the Tour de France a La Voile last summer.

The talented Pierre-Loic Berthet will be helmsman for Epure by Lierac, and Mathieu Richard will be with him (ranked #4, (and 1st French) on the world Match Racing circuit).

Many international amateur teams are taking part with two Swiss teams ( Triga 5 and Bienne Voile), two teams from the Netherlands ( Aeolus and Silion Theatre Scenery), one Israeli competitor (ISR 1) and one team from Belgium ( Service Interim Bruxelles).

Among the pros will be America's Cup veteran John Cutler and match racer Thierry Peponnet (KC-1 et KC-2) representing the K-Challenge America's Cup team.

Thierry Peponnet has to defend his title in this regatta, while Kiwi John Cutler will he leading his French crew including Benoit Briand and Fabrice Blondel, as well as Nicolas Charbonnier, the young French Olympic sailing hope.

Also taking part in the regatta is this year's Solitaire du Figaro winner Armel Le Cleach sailing on Elvstrom.

Competitors have to be ready by 10:00am tomorrow morning on the water, and the weather forecasts look very promising for the racing : force 4-5, going up to 40 knots!

Entry list:

Pros :
K-Challenge 1 / Thierry Peponnet / France
K-Challenge 2 / John Cutler / France
Marseille Cap Sport / Dimitri Deruelle / France
Elvstrom / Armel Le Cleach / France
Epure by Lierac/ Pierre-Loic Berthet / France
Cote d’Armor / Vincent Biarnes / France
Theoule Mandelieu / Sylvain Chtounder / France

Amateurs :
Region Ile de France / Nicolas Pauchet / France
Chacal / Alexandre Pallu / France
Dinard / Eric Basset / France
Aeolus / Bert Dalmolen / Netherlands
Service Interim Bruxelles / Julien Pilate / Belgium
Silion Theatre Scenery / Robert Pronk / Netherlands
Masizocor / Ruben Holtz / Netherlands
Les Copains A Bord / Vincent Portugal / England
Ville de Bandol / Jean-François Chevalier / France
Ville de Douarnenez-Armor Lux / Loic Le Garrec / France
Triga 5 / Christophe Peclard / Switzerland
Toulon Provence Méditerranée / Fabien Henri / France
Nantes Saint-Nazaire / Laurent Sambron / France
Bienne Voile / Lorenz Muller / Switzerland
Keep Cool / Claude Bauler / France
Isr 1 / Uri Motshtain / Israel
Defi Jean Bart / Christophe Patou / France