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Franck Cammas capsizing during the Trophée Clairefontaine. Copyrignht Jean-Marie Liot - SailingOne (Free of rights)
Thursday 31st August 2006 - The seventeenth Trophée Clairefontaine des Champions de Voile starts today in La Trinité-sur-Mer, whose harbour has become a real sailing stadium. As it is the case each year in this nautical show, the event managers have chosen a line-up of champions among the top of sailing record holders with regards to the most prestigious sailing competitions. They will compete on the spectacular catamarans specially designed for the competition and exclusively used in the Trophée Clairefontaine. Oceanic racing is this year’s feature. Sun, breeze - actually quite strong on Saturday - and blue sky are expected.
Loïck Peyron, titleholder, Michel Desjoyeaux and Franck Cammas are familiar with the event. Eleven victories between them out of sixteen matches: seven for Peyron, three for Desjoyeaux and one for Cammas. Vincent Riou and Pascal Bidégorry have already experienced the Trophée Clairefontaine and are back on track full of understandable ambitions. Mike Sanderson from New Zealand winner of the Volvo Ocean Race monohull team racing, as well as Jérémie Beyou and Jean-Pierre Dick the single-handed monohull specialists, are the "rookies" of the 2006 competition.
Each champions will take part in the competition with two crewmen who will be perched on the wings, far from the hull, trapeze sailing in order to level the catamaran, increase the power and additionally provide even more entertainment. Since the beginning of this uncommon champions competition in 1990, the helmsmen have always chosen to sail alongside other champions in order to form a productive trio with cumulated skills. A genuine weekend of stars!
Regarding the crewmen list, many of the names of the sailors are used to triumphal platforms. Jérémie Beyou, Vincent Riou’s last year crewman is now among the eight skippers line-up and has chosen Charles Caudrelier, former invited champion in 2004 (2nd) and 2005 (5th). Pascal Bidégorry has chosen Jean-François Cuzon, 470 World Champion and two times winner of the Trophée Clairefontaine alongside Michel Desjoyeaux. Franck Cammas has asked Stève Ravussin, his Swiss accomplice, and Pierre Pennec, fourth of the Tornado trial in the Olympic Games in Sidney for France.
Vincent Riou has invited Sébastien Josse to sail with him on the event before boarding together, in the course of winter 2007-08, on the new PRB monohull for the Barcelona World Race, a non-stop double round-the-world race. Jean-Pierre Dick has chosen Billy Besson, Tornado specialist, who already sailed the Trophée Clairefontaine with Francis Joyon.
Regarding Mike "Moose" Sanderson, he obviously could not come to La Trinité without his faithful ABN AMRO I helmsman who won the Volvo Ocean Race with him: Sidney Gavignet who actually is already used to the turbo catamarans of the Trophée Clairefontaine.
Loïck Peyron and Michel Desjoyeaux, the “old soldiers”, chose not to change their winning teams and trust their regular tacticians. Jean-Baptiste Le Vaillant alongside Loïck Peyron and as it was the case for his three victories, Franck Citeau, talented Tornado specialist, alongside Michel Desjoyeaux.
After this afternoon and tomorrow morning’s free training sessions, the eight teams will sail eight warm up legs in the Warm up Rhodia, tomorrow from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. The official legs will start Saturday at 9.30am.
Media centre: Clémentine Chaignaud: +33 297 59 55 71 or 72 or 73
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