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Tour de France à la voile

Marseille claims victory in the last offshore race

samedi 27 juillet 2002 – Information Tour Voile

Today’s results in the last offshore race from Hyères to Nice have confirmed that the top three positions remain the same.


Marseille, skippered by Dimitri Deruelle, came home in first after a 40-miles race sailed in light air that increased throughout the day, although the wind around Nice was patchy. "We had a good start at the pin end which was the favoured side. Then we went further offshore which paid after a while when the wind shifted. We had a hard time staying in front of Région Ile de France that was faster than us downwind. But we managed to control her", commented Dimitri Deruelle.

Jimmy Pahun’s Région Ile de France finished in second position and therefore creeps ever upwards towards the first, boat Pierre-Loïc Berthet Nantes-St-Nazaire, who came in 4th. "The race was decided at the beginning. We decided to sail towards the shore in order to get the land breeze, which allowed us to come in front, but later on we had some speed problem while tight reaching. So unfortunately, Marseille and Région Ile de France passed us", said the skipper Nantes-St-Nazaire.

Third boat overall, Ville de Genève Carrefour Prévention, skippered by Etienne David, lost a few more points on the top two as they finished in 10th : "The next three races will be most intense as the top three boats will definitely start a war. It’s true that the Swiss have lost a few points but I wouldn’t burry them as they will fight back and in Nice’s conditions anything can happen. We’ll have to try and managed our lead as best as possible", added Pierre Loïc Berthet of Nantes-St-Nazaire.

Rob Greenhalgh’s Panther Team GBR scored a 7th position which should confirm their 4th place overall. "We started a beat then the sea breeze came in and shifted to the right the whole day. So we had two tacks and a long run. We were in fifth but lost two places coming here in the Bay", commented Rob Greenhalgh.

The 40 Mumm’s 30 left the docks in Hyères this morning at 06:00 and motored for 4 and a half hours. The race committee set up the start line off Pampelonne and the gun fired at 10:42. The boats started by beating into the north easterly wind. As the wind shifted they proceeded to sail all the points of sailing by reaching and then running into the finish.

Student leading boat Force EDC, skippered by Australia’s Simon Sutherland finished in 17th. Sam Stephens, the British navigator onboard Force EDC commented this morning on his expectations for this race : "It’s probably not a day to try and win but to make sure to not get stuck out in a limb. It’s an easy day to do well and then still come last". Amateur British boat Royal Thames skippered by Owen Modral came home in 29th.

Tomorrow, the fleet will sail two inshore races outside Nice.

Isabelle Musy

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