Foto copyright Mike Jones
Fuente info Scuttlebutt
Class 40 World Championship
Competitors for the inaugural Class 40 World Championship arrived to blue skies and fair winds on Monday 17th August. The crews enjoyed a day of exploration, mainly of the local Hamble hostelries, before registration, scrutineering and the practice race kicked off today.
15 teams in total will be contesting the Championship title from Great Britain, France, Belgium, Germany and Chile, including Tanguy de Lamotte fresh from winning his class in the Fastnet Race on his Initiatives Saveurs - Novedia Group.
De Lamotte and his team asserted their intentions by winning the practice race. Winning or indeed finishing the practice race is often seen as a bad omen, many of the competitors chose not to finish by passing the committee boat on the wrong side. Denis Lazat on Jumpa Lagi made it a French 1-2 with Felipe Cubillos on Desafio Cabo de Hornos from Chile in 3rd.
The British competitors have an advantage from knowing the area but there will be good competition from a number within the fleet.
Championship racing commences tomorrow with two long inshore races starting at 1030hrs. On Thursday the competitors will enjoy a Round the Isle of Wight Race and on Friday they will be challenged with a series of short, sharp windward-leeward style races. -- Lucy Barn
www.royal-southern.co.uk
