Racing Underway In France

Racing at the ISAF Grade 1 Marseille International Match Race gets underway today, with world #2 and #3 Ian WILLIAMS (GBR) and Mathieu RICHARD (FRA) topping the bill in France.

A relaxed training session took place yesterday afternoon in a light sea breeze of 6-8 knots, providing excellent conditions for match racing. Similar weather is forecast over the next two days, which will host the round robin before the top skippers progress through to the knockout stages this weekend.

Seven nationalities are represented in Marseille, with Michel COHEN (FRA) coming in as a late replacement for Johnie BERNTSSON (SWE). Along with WILLIAMS and RICHARD, strong challenges for the title will also come from world #7 Eugeniy NEUGODNIKOV and the four other French skippers in the line up along with RICHARD and COHEN.