Tour Voile restart

Boats back in water as Med section begins

Deserted this morning, the quay in St Cyprien is gradually filling up with boats from the Tour de France à la Voile. Back in the water with their masts restepped following their journey from France's Atlantic coast, the fleet is gradually being put back together, boat by boat, in preparation for the recommencement of racing tomorrow.

The crews are eager to get on with this final part of the race. The hulls have been rubbed down again, for the first time since Dunkirk, and certain keels have been repaired. This was the case for Defi Partage Marseille, Theoule Mandelieu, Delft Challenge, Region Ile de France, Brest Grandes Ecoles Ensieta Enst-Bretagne and TEPACAP, keen to improve the profile of their bulb.

Some of the teams have been warming up on the race zone, testing out manoeuvres and working up new crew configurations. The locals on Perpignan Mediterranee, skippered by Australian Paul McKenzie now resident in the region, are particularly motivated by being on home waters.

Initially there will be five courses in the bay, two tomorrow and three on Thursday. The next two days will be important as these five races represent a third of the points available on the Mediterranean leg.

The boats will leave the quay at around 0930 GMT and the start of the first course will be given at 1030 GMT.