Pahun leads to home waters

Racing finally underway again after prolonged motor in the Tour Voile

The day finally began for those competitors in the Tour de France à la Voile at midnight, with seven hours of motoring. In an attempt to make up for lost time and get back on schedule after an extended pitstop in Cherbourg, the organisation took the decision yesterday to move the fleet on last night in delivery mode and set them off at daybreak. The rules state that race starts cannot be given at night.

Just off the rocky zone West of the île de Batz, the Race Committee were able to give the start to the next leg from Perros-Guirec to Locmiquelic at 0459 GMT. They had to wait for the whole fleet to be clear of a particularly rocky zone and regroup after they had become rather spread out on leaving Perros-Guirec. Espoirs Aquitains was not able to cross the line until 20 minutes after the frontrunner, due to engine failure.

The fleet began by tacking the pink rocks of northern Brittany so as to benefit from the weaker current inshore. Solely the course marks, often further offshore, made them dart out from their hiding places away from the counter current to make the obligatory roundings.

Once at the Four lighthouse, the head spinnaker could be sent up to sail the close reach, a highly technical point of sail where the boat handling and the coordination between the spinnaker trimmer and the helmsman are key. It wasn’t until some miles later at the Valbelle mark though, that the fleet were able to steam along under large spinnaker making around 10 knots. One hour separated the leaders from the back of the fleet but at the head of the game things were really tight and there was everything to play for.

The Raz de Sein, rounded with a weak current running with the fleet, was not a bit like the rounding of its Norman cousin Blanchard some days earlier. The scene was considerably more tranquil, even if they were making good speeds as the crews passed the traditional vessels on show for the Brest 2004.

Defi Partage - Marseille seized first place from AGF challenge at the mark, but gave it away some hours later to Region Ile de France. Theoule Mandelieu seems to be racing the whole regatta in third place ahead of Bouygues Telecom, but their battle for the top of the table in the general ranking is unlikely to keep them out of the action at the finish, estimated at the start of the night.

Another thing for sure is that Jimmy Pahun, on Region Ile de France, will be doggedly defending his place as stage leader. This particular leg will lead the crew back home to Locmiquelic, where Pahun's father was re-elected mayor three times. Needless to say that all eyes will be on them at 1030 GMT tomorrow for two courses planned in the team’s home waters in the bay of Morbihan...

A last positioning was made at Les Plates today, just 60 miles from the finish in a 15 to 20 knot north-westerly and a now counter current.


Positions:
1 REGION ILE DE FRANCE
2 DEFI PARTAGE - MARSEILLE
3 THEOULE MANDELIEU
4 BOUYGUES TELECOM
5 PERPIGNAN MEDITERRANEE
6 TOULON PROVENCE MEDITERRANEE COYCH
7 CSC - ESSEC
8 GROOVEDERCI
9 VILLE DU PORT BRED LA REUNION
10 DEFI GRANDES ECOLES TOTAL INSA
11 VILLE DE GENEVE CARREFOUR PREVENTION
12 COTES D’ARMOR
13 T SERVICE INTERIM REGION DE BRUXELLES CAPITALE / BRUSSELS
HOOFDSTEDELIJK GEWEST
14 BREST GRANDES ECOLES ENSIETA ENST-BRETAGNE
15 BELVEDERE - FORCE EDC & LES COPAINS A BORD
16 DIEPPE SEINE MARITIME
17 PSA PEUGEOT CITROËN
18 BIENNE-VOILE
19 MARSEILLE UNIVERSITES VILLE DE BANDOL
20 DOUARNENEZ - VOILE MAGAZINE
21 NANTES SAINT NAZAIRE
22 DEFI JEAN BART
23 PORT DE COMMERCE LA ROCHELLE ESTUDINES.COM
24 DEFI SCLEROSE EN PLAQUES - LEONARD DE VINCI
25 DELFT CHALLENGE TU DELFT
26 DEFI DON DU SANG ALLIBERT HEC-ESC GRENOBLE-X
TEPACAP
ALFA LAVAL
EIGSI LA ROCHELLE CHARENTE-MARITIME
ESPOIRS AQUITAINS

The 3 boats currently leading the Challenge AGF are :
1. GROOVERDERCI
2. BOUYGUES TELECOM
3. THEOULE MANDELIEU