|
|
2010/07/30-17h22
On the eve of Act 2
|
| Extreme Sailing Series 2010 |
| The second event of the Extreme Sailing Series 2010 circuit is taking place in the UK. Indeed from Saturday 31st July to Thursday
5th August, the town of Cowes on the Isle of Wight is playing host to nine Extreme 40 crews. Fifth in Sète, Franck Cammas
and his three crew members, Tanguy Cariou, Christophe Espagnon and Benoît Briand, are keen to improve on their overall ranking.
|
Preparation in capricious watersGroupama 40 arrived in the Isle of Wight, southern England, at the start of the week, after delivery in a container from her
base in Lorient. Yoann Bibbeau and Michel Letty assembled and then launched the catamaran to enable the crew to begin their
training in the capricious waters of the Solent the minute they arrived on site on Wednesday afternoon.
Franck Cammas:
"After a two month break, it's been necessary to get our bearings aboard Groupama 40 again, whilst protecting ourselves
from the competition. The results have been positive. We've quickly found our automatic reflexes again, especially as we're
having to integrate newcomer Benoit Briand, who is replacing Devan Le Bihan."
In addition to this change
of face, the crew of Groupama 40 will have to get a good handle on the difficulties linked to the playing field. The current
is a tidal one, which varies rapidly due to the configuration of the coast and the river flow. There can be some strong veins
of local and temporary current, which switches direction according to the tide and spreads out along the Solent.
|
|
Nine competitors competing in CowesFrom eight in Sète, the number of competitors has risen to nine in Cowes. Breton sailor Roland Jourdain and his team have
come along to boost the ranks of this top level fleet, among which we can list no less than 61 world champion titles, 37
European Champion titles, 6 Olympic medallists, 20 round the world sailors and 20 participations in the America's Cup...
|
|
 Media day in the guise of a warm-up lapThe three races this Friday were devoted to the media and won't count towards the ranking, which is a novelty of this British
event. To the great delight of the journalists in Cowes, the position of fifth man enabled them to be right in the thick of
the action, even though they were only there as privileged spectators. The consensus of those lucky enough to be out on the
water seemed to be one of sheer pleasure!
|
|
An event within an eventFor the second year running, the fleet of one design catamarans will be battling for supremacy in the Isle of Wight at the
same time as Cowes Week, which can pride itself on being the oldest yacht race in the world. Indeed it was created some 184
years ago, back in 1826 to be precise, at the instigation of the King of England, Georges V, a professed yachting enthusiast.
1,200 craft of all types have gathered for racing in front of the balconies of the Royal Yacht Squadron, the oldest club in
the United Kingdom, founded back in 1815.
In a sublime setting, with a spectacle to take your breath away, the programme
for the coming week promises to be both festive and colourful!
|
|
|
|
|
