They all set foot on solid ground. Leaving last Sunday, the skippers entered in the Drheam Cup reached Cherbourg-en-Cotentin and La Trinité-sur-Mer in just a few days. As the prizes for each category are handed out this Sunday, July 24, discover the classification of Channel navigators.
No title, but three second places
No Manchois finish at the top of their category. But three crews climbed to second place: Brieuc-Maisonneuve in the Rum Multis category; Louis-Marie Dussere, with his teammate Bruno James, in IRC doubles; and Clara Fortincrew member on the boat of Caennais Jean-François Lilti, in Multi 2000.
Note the podium of Charlotte YvenBreton but half of her family is from Cherbourg, who finished third in the Figaro 3, being the only one to have raced solo in this category.
Martin Louchart, a promising skipper in Class 40
The two Granvillais engaged in Class 40 finish neck and neck. Marc Lepesqueux finishes in 17th place out of the 37 boats, ahead of the youngest in the race, Martin Louchart, 18th. A good course for the skipper of only 20 years old. “I got off to a quiet start. Arrived in England, I was at the forefront of the race and I managed, until Ireland, to be between second and sixth place. I’m very happy, I was playing against very good boats that I’m not used to playing against”he says.
It is between Ireland and the Rochebonne buoy, off Les Sables-d’Olonne, that Martin Louchart lost places in the standings. “There was really a lot of wind, I didn’t dare hoist the mainsails, but I should have. It’s true that I thought maybe I was doing better given the start of the race that I did, but I’m very happy. I tested everything I wanted to test, I know what I have to work on before the Route du Rhum. Only good things for the future.”he smiles.
Louis Duc not classified because of a “louiserie”
Louis Dukethe only one entered in an Imoca, finished the race well, but was not classified. He did not respect a mark of the course between England and the Fastnet. “A novelty”as he calls this error. “I can only blame myself. It’s a shame because I miss the scratch on the 1,000 mile course. But we’re going to miss that! I had a lot of fun , that’s what I’m going to keep!”he confides on arrival.
In the crewed IRC category, Emmanuel Bunel ranks 13th, Manuel Da Rocha 18th, just ahead of Guillaume Ferey, 19th. In double IRC, Olivier Bahon finished 4th, Maxime Mesnil 8th and Pascal Tuffier 13th. Hervé Jacqueline had to retire in the race due to a problem with the sails and Olivier Nemsguern is not classified.