The 40 Mumm 30’s participating in the 25th Tour de France à la Voile have lined up today at the start line of the « prologue », a non point scoring race. Rob Greenhalgh’s Panther : Team GBR have won this tune up race that took place off Dunkerque in force four strength winds, of 15 to at times 20 knots, was blessed by constant sunshine.
After a long postponement the race got off to a clear start, the fleet that generally started to the pin end (left end of the line) split into two with Panther : Team GBR taking the clean air and going right up the beat. At the windward mark the fleet was tightly packed with Panther : Team GBR being quickly followed by Jimmy Pahun’s Region Ile de France. The first run proved particularly dramatic with Sylvain Chtounder’s Theoule Mandelieu getting their spinnaker caught on a spectator boat and on the second run CSC Essec skippered by Hervé Gautier crashed gybing and taking out several other boats in the process. After the round up of the third buoy the top positions for the race were well established, and Panther : Team Panther went on to take victory. Their strong lead established caused French spectators to liken Panther : Team GBR’s style and flare for sailing to that of Adrian Stead’s winning Barlo Plastics in 2000.
"We’re pleased with the boat speed and the way things went. We’re looking forward to doing some proper racing tomorrow", said Rob Greenhalgh once back on the dock. The top ten held places for three other foreign boats but also heralded surprises in the form of the student boat Ensam HEC who finished second overall. The latter is skippered by Marc Emig, a professional sailor, who has participated many times in this event. Royal Thames, the other English boat, skippered by Owen Modral, had a successful race as they finished third in the amateur division. Although none of these places count for points, the British teams are demonstrating that they mean business and intent to reach their goals.
The test will now be consistency and achieving a string of solid results, which are essential in order to win the Tour de France à la Voile. This first days racing sets a precedence for close racing and just goes to show that you never will know what will happen with the Tour de France à la Voile.
Isabelle Musy
Prologue results – 1. Panther : Team GBR / Rob Greenhalgh
– 2. ENSAM-HEC /Marc Emig
– 3. Nantes –St-Nazaire / Pierre Loïc Berthet
– 4. Région Ile de France / Jimmy Pahun
– 5. Ville d’Antibes-NEC / Julien Farnarier
Saturday June 29th : two inshore races (Race 1 and Race 2)
On the 52 SUPER SERIES’ return to the Mediterranean after two regattas in the Atlantic, 2025 circuit leaders American Magic Quantum Racing scored a resounding victory today on the Bay of Palma, Mallorca, lifting the top prize at Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week.
After leaving Mondello, just north of Palermo, at midday on Tuesday, competition in the Maxi class, part of the 41 boat fleet in the annual Palermo-Montecarlo, was decided on Thursday. The IRC corrected time victory went to a first time winner, while one of the race’s most frequent competitors was again both first home and set a new race (…)
In a stunning weekend comeback, the France SailGP Team claimed their first event win of the 2025 Season – bouncing back from near-disaster in practice to beat the BONDS Flying Roos and Emirates GBR in an action-packed winner-takes-all Final.
The Defender of the America’s Cup, The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, represented by Team New Zealand, and the Challenger of Record, The Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd, represented by Athena Racing, have signed the Protocol for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup set to take place in Naples, in the summer of 2027. The Protocol introduces a (…)
Alexis Loison and Jean-Pierre Kelbert’s JPK 1050 Léon has been crowned overall winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race. No other boat still racing on the 695 nautical mile course can catch the French doublehanded duo for overall honours in this, the 51st edition of the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s offshore classic.
The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) is delighted to announce the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM) as the winner of the 2025 Admiral’s Cup. After an intense battle during the RORC Channel Race, six inshore races in the Solent and the prestigious finale, the Rolex Fastnet Race, the Yacht Club de Monaco team is victorious. Runner-up for the Admiral’s Cup (…)
Grant Dalton doit maudire la rafale de 45 nœuds qui a couché Amer Sports One la veille de son arrivée à Sydney. Projeté à l’intérieur du bateau dans une chute magistrale, alors qu’il était entrain de cuisiner (fait exceptionnel), Dalton souffre de deux côtes cassées ainsi que de plusieurs fractures aux vertèbres qui pourraient l’empêcher de (…)
Les régates au couteau dans la rivière de la Trinité Sur Mer en 2001 lors du XIIe Trophée des Champions. Photo : Ch.Guigueno
Cela faisait plus de deux ans qu’Yvan Griboval, ancien journaliste, organisateur du Trophée Clairefontaine des Champions, tentait de développer son idée de régate vers un circuit professionnel. Lors du salon nautique de Paris, il a présenté le programme et le budget d’un circuit qui tient à la fois des circuits Tornado ou Formule 40 et bien-sûr (…)
Après le règne des Américains et l’actuelle domination des navigateurs de l’hémisphère Sud, on pouvait imaginer que le retour de l’aiguière d’argent en Europe se ferait par le succès d’un pays latin. Les Italiens n’ont-ils pas réussi les meilleures performances en remportant la Louis Vuitton Cup et se qualifiant pour l’America’s Cup en 1992 et (…)
Pierre Rolland, architecte du Pogo et de nombreux prototypes 650, répond à son tour, par mail, sur la question des mâts en carbone. Il répond aussi sur les bout-dehors dont il est plus probable que la commission de jauge autorise cette modification chez les Séries.
Lors de l’assemblée générale de la Classe Mini qui s’est tenue samedi dernier, les membres de la classe (les coureurs) ont choisi de voter sur la possibilité d’autoriser les mâts en carbone en mini. Ils ont voté majoritairement en faveur de ce changement éventuel. Mais cela n’implique pas encore de modification dans la jauge. Le débat est (…)
Yannick Bestaven au départ de la Transat 650 2001. Photo : Ch.Guigueno
La Classe Mini a présenté lors du salon nautique une liste de courses auxquelles pourront participer les 650 en 2002. A ce programme s’ajoute des épreuves ouvertes à différentes catégories de voiliers dont les minis.
Yves Le Blévec wears SailSafety’s helmet. Photo : Ch.Guigueno
2001 was the year of the first edition of the Trophée SeaSailSurf.com des Minis, a ranking by points over the year for the skippers of Open 650 mini yachts. This Saturday took place on the Amiot place at the Paris Boat Show the price giving.
Yves Le Blévec essaye le casque SailSafety. Photo : Ch.Guigueno
2001 était la première édition du Trophée SeaSailSurf.com des Minis, un classement sur l’année des épreuves auxquelles ont participé les voiliers de la jauge 650. Ce matin à 11h00, s’est tenue sur le stand Amiot au salon nautique la remise des prix.
L’organisateur de The Race face au détenteur du Trophée Jules Verne ! Un match exceptionnel se prépare donc entre Peyron et De Kersauson. Si les deux hommes parviennent à s’entendre pour prendre le départ en même temps de leurs tours du monde, le duel sera impitoyable.
Sunset Beach, Hawaii (Thursday, December 6) CJ Hobgood (USA) today clinched the 2001 ASP World Championship (WCT) crown on the sand at Sunset Beach. Despite being eliminated during round two this morning, all eight (8) other world title contenders also failed to advance through the day’s competition carnage, creating an unbeatable advantage for (…)