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Class 40

Jörg Riechers and Pierre Brasseur took the Normandy Channel Race

Thursday 18 April 2013Redaction SSS [Source RP]

All the versions of this article: [English] [français]

Jörg Riechers and Pierre Brasseur, aboard the Class 40 “Mare”, secure victory in the fourth edition of the Normandy Channel Race. From Germany and France’s Picardy region, the duo crossed the finish line at 22 hours 57 minutes and 30 seconds UTC on Wednesday 17 April, in a time of three days, seven hours, 57 minutes and 30 seconds at an average speed Speed #speedsailing of 8.08 knots.

They were 56 minutes and 20 seconds ahead of “Made in Normandie”, skippered by local sailors Nicolas Jossier from Granville and Alexandre Toulorge from Cherbourg. “Campagne de France” skippered by Briton Miranda Merron and local Halvard Mabire, bagged the third step of the podium, just one minute and three seconds behind second place! “Geodis” skippered by Fabrice Amedeo and Armel Tripon, finished fourth followed by “Al Bucq” skippered by Briton Ned Collier–Wakefield and Brieuc Maisonneuve, who made a great comeback, “Red” skippered by Mathias Blumencron and Boris Herrmann and “Groupe Picoty” helmed by Jean-Christophe Caso and Aymeric Chappellier, “Momentum Ocean Racing” and “Phoenix Europe – Carac”. The finishers arrived in quick succession into Ouistreham, testament to the growing uniformity of the Class 40 line-up.

Jorg Riechers: “It’s great to win the Normandy Channel Race after three participations and especially after dismasting just before the race. It’s a really hard, technical race. Sailing in the Celtic Sea was chaotic. We never let up. Despite a tough passage at Barfleur on the outward leg, we gradually moved up through the fleet through our speed Speed #speedsailing and sheer determination.”

Pierre Brasseur: “What a race! It was intense from beginning to end. Jorg and I got on really well, him often carrying out the manoeuvres and focusing on the boat’s performance and me doing the navigation”.

Alexandre Toulorge: “We’re happy with our performance in this Normandy Channel Race, which was a first for us. We’ve got the measure of the Class 40. Over a short course like this, we spend a great deal of time making sail changes so it’s incredibly physical.”

Nicolas Jossier: “Mare” was going faster on a reach and the crew made good their escape at Raz Blanchard. We were working on the weather for the first part of the race and that bore fruit.”

Halvard Mabire: “We came back from nowhere. It’s a fine third place. A few more miles and we’d have secured second place. We took a minute too long.”

Fabrice Amedeo: “What fun! Geodis goes well. We checked her performance once again in the Normandy Channel Race. We made a few mistakes, but we caught up as we headed down the coast of Cornwall. “Campagne de France” extended its lead over us during the passage around Guernsey. At that point we were sure of fourth place but very soon it was our rivals behind who were breathing down our necks. We finished the race with a sprint. We’re all-in.”


View online : Info presse TB Press / www.normandy-race.com



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