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A huge crowd at the starting line of the Runs on Saturday 12th 2009 at La Grande Motte. Photo by Jean-Marie Liot / SailingOne
La Grande Motte, Saturday 12 September - After five legs in this 20th Trophée Clairefontaine, raced today at La Grande Motte with a Force-2 to 3 wind and a beautiful sun, Franck Cammas is leading, in front of Michel Desjoyeaux and Nicolas Charbonnier. Yann Eliès gets ahead of Loïck Peyron and Pascal Bidegorry following in his wake. Four regattas are scheduled tomorrow between 2.30pm and 4.00pm on the Sailing Stadium, close to the enthusiastic crowd on La Grande Motte sea wall.
Michel Desjoyeaux was the quickest on the first starting line at 11.00am under a nice breeze, but Franck Cammas rounded the Buoy Quo Vadis leading. The long swift tacks under spinnaker towards the tip of l%u2019Espiguette, which closes the Bay of Aigues-Mortes, allowed Franck Cammas to increase his leadership. Nevertheless, with a falling and very irregular wind direction, his leadership gradually decreased under the hot sun of Languedoc-Roussillon. A threat came from behind with Yann Eliès, but several holes of wind later, Franck Cammas was the first to cross the finish line enter the port of La Grande Motte. He thus confirmed his domination yesterday during the Warm-up Rhodia, the classic training competition of the Trophée Clairefontaine. In those irregular winds, Nicolas Charbonnier, Michel Desjoyeaux and Pascal Bidégorry overtook Yann Eliès at the end of the course.
The second OPEN RACE (coastal race) was raced in a 12-knot wind. Michel Desjoyeaux led the fleet from the first buoy, despite a pretty nice start from German Boris Herrmann. However, since Franck Cammas finished second, Michel Desjoyeaux eventually finished second over all in the Challenge Quo Vadis, which is scored on points gained during the two only coastal OPEN RACES of the Trophée Clairefontaine.
Then, the great show started with the three Runs raced in music. Those specific regattas of the Trophée Clairefontaine are raced only a few metres from the public. As La Grande Motte is a perfect venue for this kind of show, the eight sailing stars invited raced right in front of the massive crowd both on shore on the seawall or at sea on various types of boats: "In twenty editions of the Trophée Clairefontaine, I have never seen such a keen interest for the Saturday regatta ", declared Yvan Griboval, designer and organiser of the event. Nicolas Charbonnier won the first run, followed by Michel Desjoyeaux and Loïck Peyron. Then, Michel Desjoyeaux took hold of the second Run (Leg 4) and at the same time, the leadership in the general ranking. But at the end of the third run (Leg 5), Franck Cammas stole the advantage from Michel Desjoyeaux.
The game is wide open and the winner will be certainly decided on the very last leg.
Provisionnal General Raking after five legs: 1- Franck Cammas, 41 pts (1,2,4,2,1); 2- Michel Desjoyeaux, 36 pts (3,1,2,1,7); 3- Nicolas Charbonnier, 29 pts (2,5,1,3,8); 4- Yann Eliès, 22 pts (5,7,6,4,2); 5- Loïck Peyron, 20 pts (6,6,3,5,5); 6- Pascal Bidégorry, 20 pts (4,4,5,6,6); 7- Fernando Echavarri (Spain); 16 pts (7,3,8,7,4); 8- Boris Herrmann (German); 11 pts (8,8,7,8,3).
Media: Bénédicte Etienne 33(0)6 87 30 12 83 / 33(0)6 03 94 34 44
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