Preparing for the Krys Match

Gitana 11 to join the three MOD70s for their first ever regatta

The first regatta for the MOD70 one design trimarans sets sail later this with the Mrys Match taking place over 6-8 October off La Trinité sur Mer. The line-up features some of the top names in French offshore racing including Michel Desjoyeaux, Sébastien Josse, Roland Jourdain, Stève Ravussin, Sidney Gavignet and lots more besides.

The race will feature four boats, three MODs and the 77ft Gitana 11, as Baron Edmond de Rothschild awaits her launch on 25 October this year:

Race for Water (SUI) skippered by Stève Ravussin
Veolia Environnement (FRA) skippered by Roland Jourdain
Foncia (FRA) skippered by Michel Desjoyeaux
Gitana 11 (FRA) skippered by Sébastien Josse

Sidney Gavignet, future skipper of the yet to be launched MOD Oman Sail sailing on Foncia while Yann Guichard, skipper of the MOD Spindrift Racing will be an observer. Each boat will be sailed by a crew of eight.

Though the Krys Match is the inaugural event of the Multi One Championship, the real launch will take place in July 2012 with the Krys Ocean Race, a crewed transatlantic race for the MOD70s which will start from New York bound for Brest in northwest France. So this week's racing in La Trinité will serve as a trial run for those MOD70s already launched.

According to Franck David, the Executive Director of the Multi One Design there are several target objectives. To create top quality live audiovisual content in order to promote the circuit, to try out new race formats.

- The technical ‘race’ courses, with a reaching start (sound familiar?)
- Speed matches – 10 minute runs, two boats at a time
- longer courses more reminiscent of a coastal course

As David explains: “Putting the pedal to the metal in the ‘speed matches’ and exploiting the potential of the crews during the coastal courses around the Baie de Quiberon, are great opportunities to demonstrate to all the potential of these one-design, ultra-sophisticated machines. Together with Jean Maurel, our Race Director, we've scheduled in three types of courses and each of them has its own unique features. The aim of the Krys Match is that we’re going to propose them to the skippers so that, together, we can try out these formats with the prospect of using them for the whole of the Multi One Championship circuit over 2012-2014.”

The fleet will be moored at La Trinite-sur-Mer's Loïc Caradec dock, behind the harbour master’s office from Wednesday 5 October 1200 hours.