| France. Professional, amateur and student sailors to compete in the Tour de France à la Voile |
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| Friday, 24 March 2006 | |
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Event media: Firstly, being on the start line of the Tour de France à la Voile that‘s competing in a mythical event. This competition remains the big French and international sailing event where we can find many famous offshore sailors in quest of new adventure and talented young crew members. Everyone is waiting for this regatta with impatience to know which crew will be the MVP of the year. The race is going to be faithful to the last years, long, stressful and tiring. To be the winner and getting the trophy, crews will need to struggle until the last mile and at this moment only we will know the cluster of crew members who will become kings and receive everyone’s respect. Before thinking of climbing up on the podium and being part of the Tour de France à la Voile winners circle, there are a lot of traps to avoid, basically 37 races, 27 inshore and 10 offshore. Crews need to be very versatile to expect a victory on this regatta; in fact it’s an essential quality. The competition is made of a manner which doesn’t give any chance to a specialist of only one kind of race. But this year, they are a whole lot of teams able to win, for our greatest pleasure. In effect, 35 crews (14 professionals, 10 teams in the Amateur ranking and 11 student crews) are set for the start of this 29th edition of the Tour de France à la Voile in Dunkerque, the first playground of this adventure. Since 1978, over 20 000 sailors have taken part in the TFV, being recognized as a model this kind of competition. The Tour de France à la Voile is the sole regatta which put together inshore races and offshore races around the French coast and always very difficult to sail. Off course, we expect last year’s winner Toulon Provence Mediterranean CoycHyères to be a top contender for the coming up edition. But the defender isn’t alone, Defi Partage - Marseille on the second step two years in a row want to be the first this season and the world champion Pierre-Loïc Berthet as well with only a third place in 2005. We can certainly count on the great come back of the Italian boat Joe Fly, 7th in 2003 and Ile de France helmed by Jean-Pierre Nicol who take over the helm from Jimmy Pahun still manager of this team and glad to see the new generation at the top. Not to forget, Dieppe Seine-Maritime, Courrier Dunkerque and La Rochelle Jeunes managed by Serge Madec well-known on the Tour de France à la Voile. The number one challenger remains without any doubt Nouvelle Caledonie managed and helmed by Vincent Portugal and his army of big guys as Bernard Mallaret or Damien Hiel. Cotes D’Armor, Entreprises et Collectivites Manche et Basse Normandie, Ebsco and Espoirs Aquitains could respond present on some stages. The Kiny Parade girls band “Elles en Mer” comes back this year powerful and sure of their strength after the victory on the last one offshore race last year. On the Amateur ranking, we have got 2 Mumm 30 from Switzerland, Bienne-Voile and Ville de Genève. Sailors from Geneva could be next winners on this ranking just ahead Ville du Port Bred La Reunion and Perpignan Mediterranee helmed by Paul McKenzie the Australian guy who lives next door to Perpignan. T-Service Interim Region de Bruxelles Capitale is competing in its 14th Tour de France à la Voile while we are welcoming Val Thorens for the first time and men from Entpe-Securite Routiere who are attempting a come back. On the other side, Espoir Ile de France and Nantes Saint-Nazaire are testing a new generation of skippers on each one boat. The last one on this ranking is Y’a du talent a 50 ans “still talented at 50 years old” which sounds still good for us. 11 student crews are also on the starting line to overtake Port Autonome La Rochelle, first one last year. Alfa Laval and Groupe HEC – Op Search could be on the racing to win this time after their victory in a offshore race last year’s in front of the professional crews. The competition between all the engineering schools will be fascinating as well, we are thinking about Centrale Paris, Centrale Nantes, L’Eogsi Charente-Maritime, Mer-Montagne – Les Saisies – INSA, Brest Grandes Ecoles Ensieta ESC – Brest and X – Ensam. The Dutchmen from vanUden TUDelft will bring up in this ranking the orange colour well-known in this country and Deft Sclerose en Plaques “Multiple sclerosis team” once more will use the sport and human adventure to communicate about this disease. Concerning the regatta, TFV has got a new development about the environmental code of conduct from The Blue Flag organization. Basically, for the first time in an international regatta, this code is annexed in the notice of race showing the desire of crews and organization to protect the sea. The new website will be in both French and in English, pay us a visit at www.tourvoile.fr |
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 24 March 2006 ) |
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