Longtzes head for the Channel

10 examples of the Franco-Chinese sportsboat to race at Deauville International Week

After the Mediterranean and then the Atlantic, the third event in the Longtze European Tour moves on to the English Channel for the first time, with Deauville and the Seine Bay the setting for the third stage of the Longtze European Tour. From 4-7 June, the ten teams involved will compete at Deauville International Week. With the results of the first two regattas of the circuit (the Primo Cup and the Grand Prix de l’Ecole Navale), the scoring board is extremely close: the first four are within four points of each other and first 7 teams are within striking distance of each other.

Nicolas Bérenger and his Kone Maxispace opened the batting winning the first event at the Primo Cup in Monaco, followed by Erwan Tabarly and Athema claiming the Grand Prix de l’Ecole Navale, while Luc Gellusseau ( Lufthansa), Guillaume Florent and Eckhard Kaller have all regularly had their moments at the top marks and Ariane Provost sailed very well during the Grand Prix de l’Ecole Navale regatta…. So, who will take the lead in Deauville?

"Each team is able at any moment to make the difference; it remains in the smallest details. It is amazingly fun and the game will be open to anyone all the way to the end of the circuit!" commented Lufthansa skipper, Luc Gellusseau.

"Longtze is excellent!" adds Ronan Treussart, just joining the circuit as skipper of the Longtze Premier Finistère Course au Large. "It is very lively and well balanced. I had the same feeling as being on a dinghy. The races are very interesting because there is a level playing field and also a high level seen by the talent found on board the Longtze! We can be first or last, the game is the same!"

For Deauville International Week, crew changes have been announced, renewing the Longtze Premier mix. On Athema Erwan Tabarly will welcome Jean Galfione, replacing Gilles Favennec, while Vincent Biarnès remains as tactician. On board Lufthansa, Jean-Charles Scale will replace Christophe Espagnon. Small changes have also been announced onboard Swiss teams.

Deauville International Week Entrants
Andreas BEINZ (Allemagne) – BROKER LINE 2 – SUI 815
Nicolas BERENGER (France) – KONE MONOSPACE – FRA 820
Heiko FALCH (Suisse) – BROKER LINE 3 – SUI 812
Luc GELLUSSEAU (France) – LUFTHANSA – FRA 818
Eckhard KALLER (Suisse) – BROKER LINE 3 – SUI 816
Arthur LEVAILLANT (France) – KONE MAXISPACE – FRA 821
Ariane PROVOST / Stéphane CHRISTIDIS (France) – ECOLE NAVALE – FRA 805
Erwan TABARLY (France) – ATHEMA – FRA 822
Ronan TREUSSART (France) – FINISTERE COURSE AU LARGE – FRA 804
Jacques VAN DEN HEUVEL (Hollande) – ANCRE DE CHINE – NED 808

Points score after two events:

Pos	Skipper - Boat	Primo Cup	GP Ecole Navale	Total
1	Guillaume FLORENT (France) – LONGTZE RACING	9	10	19
2	Luc GELLUSSEAU (France) – LUFTHANSA	11	8	19
3	Erwan TABARLY (France) – ATHEMA	5	12	17
4	Nicolas BERENGER (France) – KONE MONOSPACE	13	4	17
5	Eckhard KALLER (Suisse) – BROKER LINE 3	10	6	16
6	Ariane PROVOST / Stéphane CHRISTIDIS(France) - ECOLE NAVALE	6	9	15
7	Andreas Beinz (Allemagne) – BROKER LINE	8	7	15
8	Arthur LEVAILLANT (France) – KONE MAXISPACE	4	3	7
9	Marc EMIG (France) – LONGTZE RACING	7	0	7
10	Ronan TREUSSART (France) – FINISTERE COURSE AU LARGE	0	5	5
11	Heiko FALCH (Germany) – LA JAUNE	3	0	3
12	Jacques VAN DEN HEUVEL (Hollande) – ANCRE DE CHINE	0	2	2
13	Ivo MARCONI (Monaco) – INCENTIVE CONCEPT	2	0	2