Midnight finisher

The Tour Voile boats arrived in Cherbourg in the early hours

Jimmy Pahun's Région Ile de France snatched victory in the Tour Voile's first 187-mile offshore race from Dunkerque to Cherbourg. His boat crossed the finish line at 24:02:40 only two minutes ahead of Nantes-St-Nazaire, skippered by Pierre Loïc Berthet.

British boat Panther Team GBR of Rob Greenhalgh came home in third but for the moment this result is not being counted as they failed to pass a mark 'Antifer'. There is jury hearing scheduled for tomorrow at 1:00. Until this is resolved Marseille skippered by Dimitri Deruelle, who came in forth, is provisionally third.

Student boat Force EDC skippered by Australia¹s Simon Sutherland had a very good race and managed to finish in sixth. Owen Modral¹s Royal Thames came 22nd. After such a long and demanding first offshore leg it was remarkable that the fleet managed to finish in such a tight pack.

Race 5 results before jury: offshore race from Dunkerque to Cherbourg
1. Région Ile de France / Jimmy Pahun
2. Nantes-St-Nazaire / Pierre Loïc Berthet
3. Marseille / Dimitri Deruelle
4. Ville de Genève Carrfour Prévention / Etienne David
5. Kenzo / Marc Thiercelin
6. Force EDC / Simon Sutherland
7. Cassis Maugio Carnon Bernard Mallaret
22nd. Royal Thames / Owen Modral

See page two for an interview with Simon Sutherland the Australian skipper of Force EDS...