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2008/07/10 - 19h36
High tension
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| F18 Worlds - from 5th to 11th July in Nigrán (Pontevedra) - Spain |
| A crazy day today in the bay of Nigran where the top crews selected after three days' racing, meet for the first time! |
For each of the three races contested in considerably steadier winds of 12 to 20 knots, the starts were pretty lively to say
the least. Neck and neck, wind on the nose, less than a metre from the start line, the top specialist in the series controlled
their game perfectly.
Systematically opting to head to windward, close to the committee boat, the crew of Groupama
got three excellent starts. A key moment in the race, it was not enough nonetheless. As such, in the first race, Franck and
Jérémie opted for the right hand side of the race zone. The wind blowing down off the hills surrounding the bay were incredibly
shifty and gusty.
The crew of Groupama didn't have much luck as the wind shifted across to the left, there where
a certain Mitch Booth had opted to go. Technically very at ease whilst others headed the wrong way, the world champion in
the speciality won the race, while Franck and Jérémie increased their handicap to the point where the trusty crew failed to
attach the wire correctly and slipped into the water as they changed course... prior to crossing the finish line in a rather
mediocre 27th position.
Rapidly, the race committee launched race No.2. Once again the author of a very good start,
the crew of Groupama made progress but were unable to get up with the leaders. Rounding the first mark in 17th position, Franck
and Jérémie scraped back a few places to finish 10th.
For the third and final race of the day, the SSW'ly wind filled
in a little more. Still with the committee boat, the Groupama boys set off very well on a long starboard tack. Sixth at the
windward mark, very close to the leader, already winner of race no.2, Franck and Jérémie were smoking along. On the leeward
float, Jérémie on the wire behind Franck, their Nacra was really kicking up its heels. With some impeccable manoeuvres and
fine trajectories, they headed the race fleetingly. However, still in a very shifty wind, a very good British crew won the
second race in a row just ahead of Groupama.
Exhausted but happy to have finished, our two men were a little sad
about their mediocre performance in the first race: "It's a shame as we've lost a few precious points. However we can
still win" smiled Franck. Jérémie went on to add: "We are ideally placed. We've got nothing to lose and everything
to gain. It's the others that are under pressure, not us".
Fourth in the provisional general ranking, 1 point
behind second place but 26 points behind the Dutch leader, Groupama will be able to remove its worst race of the finals if
at least one race is run tomorrow. This consists of one race of 27th or 27 points, whilst the leader's worst is 8th. The virtual
differential between them is just 7 points.
The pretenders to victory are still numerous then as, mathematically,
there are six crews still in the running (we note the worst day of one of the favourites, Dutch sailor Misha). Everything
will now depend on the weather, which doesn't seem very favourable with very light winds for Friday and the end of this world
championship. Light winds really suit the crew of Groupama...
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Provisional general ranking of the top 6:1/ de Koning - van Leeuwen (NED) : 23 points - 2 / 2 / 8
2/ Mouniac - Citeau (FRA) : 48 points - 15 / 4 / 7
3/ Moana
- Petit (FRA) : 48 points - 11 / 6 / 9
4/ Cammas - Lagarrigue (FRA) : 49 points - 27 / 10 / 2
5/ Booth - Bernier
(NED) : 53 points - 1 / 3 / 3
6/ Styles - Piggott (GBR): 56 points - 28 / 1 / 1
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