Fight for first

Stuart Rix and Bruno Jourdren slog it out at the Melges 24 French Open Nationals in Lorient

Quentin Strauss's Team Gill, helmed by Stuart Rix, routed the home French teams with a double first on day one of the French Melges 24 Open National Championships which got underway at Larmor Plage, Lorient today. Hot on his heels is the Breton crew of Bruno Jourdren aboard D'aucy and the Rochelais team of Jean-Francois Cruette sailing Scutum.

It was under grey skies that racing got underway and it was with wonder that the southerners, who did such a lot of mileage coming from the Mediterranean, commented on what an incredible variety of grey was to be found on the French North Coast. Race one started impecably in 20 knots from 280 degrees on a perfect course set by PRO Jean-Gabriel Cleac'h and his Race Committee. The start was the occasion of a beautiful duel between Gill (Stuart Rix) and D'aucy (Bruno Jourdren), but it is Gill that takes the advantage and heads the fleet from the windward mark to the finish.

For the start of the second race the wind was up to 25 knots from the west but then it dropped off again during the race. The fleet was obviously full of good intentions on this opening day and achieved a second irreproachable start. The same scenario unrolled for Gill with the same outcome. The locals, inspite of the knowledge of the waters, do not manage to worry the English.

Racing continues until 26th September.

Results:

Pos	Sail no	Boat	Skipper	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Tot	Net
1	GBR 431	GILL	STUART RIX	ROYAL CORK YACHT CLUB	1	1	2	2	2	1	9	7
2	FRA 472	D'AUCY	JOURDREN BRUNO	CLUB NAUTIQUE CARANTEC	2	2	1	3	1	3	12	9
3	FRA 461	EURO VOILES	INFANTE DENIS	CERCLE ORG YACHTING COMPETITION HYEROIS	5	4	11	5	3	5	33	22
4	FRA 321	SCUTUM	DE KERVENOAEL CEDRIC/ CRUETTE J-F	YACHT CLUB DE FRANCE	4	3	10	9	5	2	33	23
5	FRA 470	COTES D'ARMOR SAIL DE MER	ROUXEL THOMAS	FRANCE	10	5	5	1	6	BFD	48	27
6	FRA 193	GUY HOQUET IMMOBILIER	TREUSSART RONAN	SPORT NAUTIQUE DE SAINT QUAY PORTRIEUX	3	7	7	4	10	8	39	29
7	FRA 386	REGION ILE DE FRANCE	EUDE THIERRY / PAHUN JIMMY	STE NAUTIQUE DE LARMOR PLAGE	7	8	4	12	7	4	42	30
8	FRA 422	LIROS NANTES SAINT NAZAIRE	ARNAUD REMY	A P C C NANTES	6	6	9	6	8	7	42	33
9	GBR 334	EASY TIGER	COLLINS TIMOTHY	R O R C	11	11	3	8	15	13	61	46
10	FRA 252	J GAULO	DOUCHY JEAN PAUL	CERCLE ORG YACHTING COMPETITION HYEROIS	13	10	17	11	4	9	64	47
11	FRA 392	BOCH'ANIG	LE CALVEZ JEAN MARIE	S R PERROS GUIREC	8	9	6	13	14	11	61	47
12	GBR 368	THE DOGS	BROWN ALLEN	SAINT HELIER YACHT CLUB	9	13	8	15	11	10	66	51
13	FRA 322	DIAZO COPY	BASSARD DIDIER	S N BAIE DE ST MALO	14	14	12	10	9	BFD	80	59
14	FRA 383	GROUPE COUPECHOUX	SPARFEL JEAN MARC	STE NAUTIQUE DE LARMOR PLAGE	12	12	14	19	16	6	79	60
15	FRA 211	OVERONE	LABOISSE ROMAIN	CLUB NAUTIQUE VOILE AIX LES BAINS	17	16	19	7	12	14	85	66
16	FRA 317	SNL PLASTIMO	LEGLATIN TANGUY	STE NAUTIQUE DE LARMOR PLAGE	15	15	13	14	19	BFD	97	76
17	FRA 22	MAD COW	MATHERON GASPARD	S R R	DNF	DNC	15	18	13	12	100	79
18	FRA 473	GYBE SET	GELLEZ OLIVIER	ARMENTIERES CLL	16	17	16	16	20	17	102	82
19	GBR 435	WILD THING	FRANKS DAVID	ROYAL MALTS YACHT CLUB	DNF	18	20	17	17	16	109	88
20	GBR 536	THE BEES	MYATT DAVID	SAINT HELIER YACHT CLUB	DNF	DNC	18	20	18	15	113	92