Desjoyeaux sets the tone

Racing stars compete in the Trophee Clairefontaine in La Trinite

Beautiful summer sun and a light breeze made for a perfect beginning this afternoon to the 15th Trophée Clairefontaine, where top skippers in all disciplines pitch their skills in one design catamarans.

Eight short races were run today in the Rhodia Warm-up. This is a stand-alone prologue event which does not count in the final results of the Clairefontaine Trophy which continues through until Sunday afternoon when nine races will be staged.

The eight guest teams were sailing in the harbour of French sailing mecca La Trinité-sur-Mer, which has been transformed into a sailing stadium for the weekend. In a force 2 wind today, the identical 7.65 metre catamarans had to rely on brief puffs of wind to make gains.

At the outset of today's races in the Rhodia Warm-Up, it was Michel Desjoyeaux who made a strong opening reminding his rivals that he is not the holder of the title for nothing. He won the first race ahead of American John Lovell and Groupama skipper Franck Cammas. With the Vendee/Route du Rhum and Transat winner taking the first race, Loïck Peyron, a multiple winner of this event in the past, made his come back. Subsequent races were then won by Olivier Backes, recovering from his recent exploits in Athens, and once again Michel Desjoyeaux.

Just back from Athens too were the Americans John Lovell and Charly Ogletree, the newly crowned Tornado silver medallists, supported by Mitch Booth, their Australian colleague. They helped Olivier Backes show the supremacy of the Olympic champions by winning the fifth race ahead of Loïck Peyron and the sixth ahead of Solitaire du Figaro winner Charles Caudrelier.

Showing that singlehanded non-stop round the world record holder can cut it too, it was Francis Joyon who won the seventh race, ahead of Michel Desjoyeaux and Karine Fauconnier. The eighth and final regatta saw Michel Desjoyeau reach the finish line first to take his third victory of the day, winning the Rhodia Warm-up 2004.

So the tone has been set: Michel Desjoyeaux is the man to beat this year. With this in mind the competition in the Clairefontaine Trophy itself gets underway tomorrow at 9:30, when the eight champion teams head for Ile de Houat. The forecast is for sun and breeze.

Results:

Pos		Name	Nat	Tot
1	Michel	Desjoyeaux	FRA	57 pts
2	Loïck	Peyron	FRA	48 pts
3	Olivier	Backes	FRA	43 pts
4	John	Lovell	USA	43 pts
5	Karine	Fauconnier	FRA	31 pts
6	Charles	Caudrelier	FRA	30 pts
7	Franck	Cammas	FRA	29 pts
8	Francis	Joyon	FRA	27 pts

More photos on the following pages...