Foncia Leads

Alain Gautier sailing Fonciahas taken over first postion in the provisional overall ranking at the end of the fifth race

Gautier is only one point ahead of Franck Cammas (Groupama), who has himself only one point over Jean-Luc NZlias (Belgacom). It is hard to say who will win this second event of the 9 TELECOM Championship. Races on Sunday will be especially decisive, as the new boats are getting better and now seem capable of competing at the same level as the leaders.

Jean-Luc Nelias seems particularly dangerous. Winner of the inshore race after a tactical coup, he concedes his first position in the overall ranking because of a penalty in the second race of the day for touching a buoy. Franck Cammas, who had a hard time warming up in the beginning of the Grand Prix, sails Groupama once more at her full potential, in the numerous wind shifts and lows of the sailing area in Cap d’Agde. Alain Gautier always performs well in these conditions in which he is more at ease and will have to battle hard to keep the lead.

Match Racing

After 40 miles of racing, the last few hundred meters before the finish were decisive. At the last mark, Alain Gautier and his crew, after a nice downwind leg, were only 16 seconds behind Groupama. The last few tacks were sailed in a match racing fashion between the two opponents, a discipline fully mastered by Marc Bou’t, tactician aboard Goupama, and also by Mick Kermarec aboard Foncia. The two sisterships performed a series of tacks (more than 10 in the last upbeat leg) without worrying too much about the other boats. Big mistake. Their duel ends up in the favour of Jean-Luc NZlias (Belgacom) whoÊis the first to cross the line. Groupama looses in a few minutes not only the first place, but also the second one. Foncia finishes second, right on the line.

Yvan Bourgnon, taking a terrific start and sailing a magnificent first leg in the second race of the day remarquably compensates his lack of speed by an audacious tactical decision, enabling him to take the third position, preceded by Jean Le Cam, who now starts to master his Bonduelle and joins with the leaders. Lo•ck Peyron, on his side, has a harder time tuning his boat and using the many innovations he implemented on Fujifilm.

Banque Populaire was unlucky today: a problem on the solent furler during the inshore race and then a hit one the ground in the second race forced her to sail back to the marina and repair.

Soldini gives up : a few minutes before the start of the first race, Fila tears up her mainsail coming out of a gybe, and will not be able to finish this Grand Prix.

Overall provisional ranking after 5 races
1 – Foncia (Alain Gautier) 11 pts
2 – Groupama (Franck Cammas) 12 pts
3 – Belgacom (Jean Luc NZlias) 13 pts
4- Bonduelle (Jean Le Cam) 18 pts
5- Bayer (Yvan Bourgnon) 29 pts
6- Fujifilm (Lo•ck Peyron) 31 pts
7- Banque Populaire (Lalou Roucayrol) 32 pts
8- Fila (Giovanni Soldini) 42 pts