In the bag for Monaco

Coupe de France team racing in St Tropez draws to a close

The final day of racing on the Golfe de Saint Tropez saw lively conditions with a 20 knot Mistral wind blowing and beautiful sunshine. The Coupe de France of the Yacht Club de France saw a new champion - the Team Yacht Club de Monaco 2. This comprised Peter de Ridder on Mean Machine (Mumm 30), Philippe Bundle on Direct Flor (Melges 24) and of Arnold Tas on the second Mean Machine (Dragon). They're will be the latest name to be engraved on the plate of this prestigious trophy created in 1891, following Ile de France - SR Douarnenez, the 2003 winner.

"The competition in St Tropez this year was of an excellent level," declared President, Pierre-Paul Heckly. 165 team members representing 11 countries took part in this 54th edition. "The sea conditions and the reception that we received once again in St Tropez means that we will once again open the season of regattas in St Tropez next year."

This sentiment was shared by all the competitors at the end of this historic event. "It is this team spirit which entices us here," says Thierry Leret, Sporting Director of the Monaco teams. "By gathering these various types of boats and competitors it ensures that for us the 'Club' spirit is maintained."

The Monaco team, which finished second in 2003, were keen to win this year and entered two very competitive teams. 'Yacht Club of Monaco 2', the eventual winners, looked most impressive on paper prior to the start. Led by its Mumm 30, Mean Machine, owned by Dutchman Peter de Ridder with former illbruck crewman Ray Davies calling tactics, this is the latest in a long line of successes. Most recently in their Farr 40 they have won in Key West Week and the SORC in Miami. Philippe Bundle on the Melges 24 Flor Direct, took second in the series with three victories, and Arnold Tas on the Dragon Mean Machine finished with a second in the last race, consolidating the victory of their team.

In second place was the team Yacht Club of France. This comprised: Maxime Lebessou and Coal Nicolas on Challenge Shared (Mumm), second on equal points with the winner, Henri Samuel on Guy Zag (Melges 24) was fifth and Jean Breger on Ulysses (Dragon) was seventh. Despite good results they could not stop the victorious run of the Monaco team.

The final place on the podium goes to the Really Random team including Dutchman Fezi Khaleghi Yazdi on his Mumm 30 Triple P, the winning Melges 24 crew Quentin Strass’s Gill from the UK and Irish skipper Don O' Donoghue on the Dragon Sea Bird, third in class .

In the Dragon fleet there was a considerable battle between Jean-Sebastien Ponce on Pistou and Gerard Blanc on Tsuica who finished first and second respectively on points. This October will see the Dragons return to the Golfe de St Tropez to celebrate the class' 75th birthday. More than 250 boats in Saint-Tropez

The organisers would like to acknowledge the French National Navy team which finished sixth, supported personally by Admiral Van Huffel and the patrol craft Grebe which was berthed in St Tropez during the regatta.

Final results after seven races

1 - Yacht Club de Monaco 2 69 pts : Peter de Ridder - Holl (Mean Machine, Mumm), Philippe Ligot - Fra (Flor Direct Melges), Arnold Tas - Holl (Mean Machine Dragon)

2 - Yacht Club de France 81 pts : Maxime Lebessou - Fra (Défi Partagé Mumm), Henri Samuel - Fra (Zig Zag Melges), Jean Breger - Fra (Ulysse Dragon)

3 - The Really Random Team 82 pts : Fezi Khaleghi Yazdi - Holl (Triple P Mumm), Quentin Strauss - UK (Gill Melges), Don O'Donoghue (Martin Payne) - Irl (Sea Bird Dragon)

4 - Toulon Provence Méditerranée 89 pts : Pierre-Laurent Garnero - Fra (Magy Mumm), Christophe Barrue - Fra (Denis Infante) (Euro Voiles Melges), Gérard Blanc - Fra (Tsuica Dragon)

5 - Yacht Club de Monaco 1 95 pts : Claude Rodelato - Fra, (Toroscatenato Mumm), Benjamin Cohen - Fra (Sogeti Melges), Christian Boillot - Fra (Tamm ha Tamm Dragon)

6 - Marine Nationale 99 pts : Nicolas Pauchet - Fra (Ile de France Mumm), Jean-Paul Douchy - Fra (J'gaulo Melges), Didier Cuny - Fra (Gwaien Dragon)

7 - Suisse Allemand 100 pts : Thomas Studer - Sui (Bienne Voile Mumm), Eddy Eich - All (Vamp Melges), Michael Schatten - All (CHI Dragon)

8 - Voiles sans frontières Suisse 124 pts : Julien Di Biase - Sui (Ville de Genève Carrefour Prevention Mumm), Gilles Guyon - Fra (Nova Melges), Jean-Sébastien Ponce - Fra (Pistou Dragon)

9 - Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez 165 pts : Jean-Albert Gabriel - Fra (Bred Reunion Mumm), Thibaut Garnotel (Nicolas Novara) - Fra (Ville de Saint-Tropez Melges), Julien Desmet - Fra (Tara Dragon)

10 - Team X 169 pts : Vincent Portugal, Marc Pajot - Fra (Belvedere pour Téva Mumm), Silvio Santoni - Ita (Devotissimo Melges), Enric Carreras - Esp (Tico Dragon)

Mumm 30
1- Mean Machine Peter de Ridder - Holl (8, 1, 1, 3, 5, 2, 1, 2) 15 pts,
2 - Défi Partagé Maxime Lebessou - Fra (1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 7, 2, 4) 15 pts,
3 - Toulon Provence Méditerranée P-Laurent Garnero - Fra (4, 8, 3, 1, 1, 1, 3, DSQ) 21 pts,
4- Ile de France- Marine Nationale Nicolas Pauchet - Fra (3, 3, 6, DNC, 6, 3, 4, 3) 28 pts,
5- Toroscatenato Claude Rodelato - Fra (2, 9, 9, 7, 3, 4, 10, 1) 35 pts,
6- Ville de Genève Carrefour Prevention Julien Di Biase - Sui (5, 6, 8, 4, 7, 10, 5, 6) 42 pts,
7- Belvedere pour Téva Vincent Portugal, Marc Pajot - Fra (7, 4, 7, 6, 8, 5, 7, 5) 42 pts,
8- Triple P Fezi Khaleghi Yazdi - Holl (6, 5, 4, 9, 9, 6, 6, 7) 44 pts,
9- Bienne Voile Thomas Studer - Sui (9, 10, 5, 5, 10, 8, 5, 9, 8) 55 pts,
10- Bred Reunion Jean-Albert Gabriel - Fra (10, 7, 10, 8, 4, 9, 8, 9) 56 pts,

Melges 24
1 - Gill Quentin Strauss - UK (2, 2, 1, 2, 3, 2, 2, 2) 13 pts,
2- Flor Direct Philippe Ligot - Fra (1, 5, 4, 4, 1, 3, 1, 8) 19 pts,
3- Vamp Eddy Eich - All (5, 1, 2, 3, 8, 1, 5, 3) 20 pts,
4- J'gaulo Jean-Paul Douchy - Fra (4, 4, 3, 1, 2, 6, 7, 6) 26 pts,
5- Zig Zag 15 Henri Samuel - Fra (3, 3, 5, 9, 6, 4, 3, 4) 28 pts,
6 - Sogeti Benjamin Cohen - Fra (6, 6, 7, 5, 5, 9, 4, 1) 34 pts,
7- Ville de Saint-Tropez Thibaut Garnotel - Fra (Nicolas Novara) (9, 7, 8, 7, 4, 5, 8, 5) 44 pts,
8 - Euro Voiles Christophe Barrue - Fra (Denis Infante) (7, 8, 6, 6, 7, 7, 6, 7) 46 pts,
9- Nova Gilles Guyon - Fra (8, 9, 9, 8, 9, 8, 9, 9) 60 pts,
DNC - Devotissimo Silvio Santoni - Ita (DNC) 77 pts,

Dragon
1- Pistou Jean-Sébastien Ponce - Fra (7, 1, 2, 3, 8, 4, 2, 3) 22 pts,
2 - Tsuica Gérard Blanc - Fra (5, 4, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 7) 22 pts,
3 - Sea Bird Don O'Donoghue - Irl (Martin Payne) (2, 2, 6, 6, 7, 7, 1, 1) 25 pts,
4 - CHI Michael Schatten - All (8, 5, 1, 1, 4, 5, 4, 5) 25 pts,
5- Tamm ha Tamm Franck Erisken - Christian Boillot - Fra (1, 6, OCS, 5, 2, 1, 7, 4) 26 pts,
6 - Mean Machine Arnold Tas - Holl (6, 3, 4, 8, 6, 6, 8, 2) 35 pts,
7- Ulysse Jean Breger - Fra (3, 7, 5, 9, 5, 3, 9, 6) 38 pts,
8- Gwaien Didier Cuny - Fra (4, 9, 7, 2, 9, 9, 5, 10) 45 pts,
9 - Tico Enric Carreras - Esp (9, 8, 8, 7, 3, 10, 6, 9) 50 pts,
10 - Tara Julien Desmet - Fra (10, 10, 9, 10, 10, 8, 10, 8) 65 pts,