Eight skippers compete for sponsorship

A report on the fight by the under 25 years olds keen to win the Crédit Agricole Skipper Challenge

Following the 2004/5 running of the Crédit Agricole Skipper Challenge culminating in Stan Maslard's third place in the Transat 6.50 Charente-Maritime Bahia, the selection process for the 2006/7 skipper has begun in La Rochelle.

The jury has gathered to decide which one of the eight pre-selected skippered will received backing from the French bank for the next two years. In addition to the team from Quay 17 Challenges, the jury comprises Yannick Bestaven, winner of the 2001 Mini Transat, Richard Merigeaux, who finished second in the 2003 Mini Transat, the Federation Francais de la Voile (FFV) director Claire Fountaine, Marc Reine an instructor at the Pole France sailing school in La Rochelle and Dominique Moreau Ferellec, Commercial Director of Crédit Agricole Charente Maritime Deux-Sèvres.

The eight skippers, all less than 25 years old, are undergoing trials over the course aboard their Pogo 1 (production Minis) out of La Rochelle's Port des Minimes. This will include navigation tests (every day), technical questions, meteorology, physical and medical tests and of course individual performance.

Races of varying lengths is also being run over the course of the week between the skippers by the Pôle France sailing school. These courses will be run off La Rochelle between the islands of Ré, Oléron and Aix.

The candidates:

Skipper	Club
Arnaud BIGEX	Cercle de la Voile d’Arcachon (33)
Romain BOUCHET	Centre Nautique de Lorient (56)
Fabien DELAHAYE	SRCO (14)
François DUGUET	Société des Régates Rochelaises (17)
Alexandra GARDIN	Deauville Yacht Club (14)
Pierre LEBOUCHER	ASPTT Nantes (44)
François MOUCHEL	Société des Régates Rochelaises (17)
David MOREAU	Club Nautique Rochefortais (17)