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Bertrand Pace Wins His Seventh Tour Voile
The two last race of the Tour de France a la Voile ended in La Seyne sur mer did bring some changes to the overall ranking, but not to the top three. After the penultimate day's cancellation nothing but a miracle could have prevent Bertrand Pace, skipper of Nouvelle Caledonie to win a seventh title.
Bertrand Pace even add some maestria to his domination, winning the very last inshore race of the Tour. The former match race world champion had his grasp on the first place before the fleet left the english channel. And since the fleet sails in the med in never let his major opponent sailing alone.
It was a good day for the two English speaking team of the race. First for the American boat Groovederci who sailed two steady races and secure it's fourth place. "It was really fun today, we love this kind of wind " explained Deneen Demourkas back in La Seyne harbour. Admiting she was a little bit disappointed not to be in the final top three, she said she regrets the lack of winds of this Tour de France. "Maybe our boat which is the newest of the fleet is too rigid and surely our carbon mainsail is. With less than seven knots of wind we had some difficulties getting a good start but when the wind is over eleven knots, we just fly !. I would have loved to do better but being fourth is not a bad result".
he same philosophy was expressed by Rod Greenhalg, the skipper of Oman sail's Renaissance "Being in the five best boat is quite an achievement, assuming we are only three pros onboard and we made no rotation". Oman sail 's Renaissance was very impressive in the spring, winning the Normandy sailing week. But the tour de France is something very special. Because of the mix between the short inshore races and the long offshore legs. And because it lasts a month : "the level was quite high and we were not at ease with the light winds but we will go for the top three next year. Our omani crew will have one more year training and we can improve some things"said Rob Greenhalgh. Oman Sail was sixth this morning and finished fifth because of a poor result for Region Ile de France.
So here is the end of the 20th Tour de France a la Voile , the last one to have been sailed with the Farr 30. The new M34 built by Archambault is the one design selected for the 2011 edition.
Final top ten:
1. Nouvelle - Caledonie, Bertrand Pace, General Classification, FRA
2. Courrier Dunkerque, Daniel Souben, General, FRA
3. Toulon Provence Medit-COYCH, Fabien Henry, General, FRA
4. Groovederci, Deneen Demourkas, General, USA
5. Oman Sail's Renaissance, Rob Greenhalgh, General, OMA
6. Ile de France, Jimmy Pahun, General, FRA
7. Manche-Basse Normandie, Benoit Charon, General, FRA
8. Team SOG-SAFRAN, Julien Villon, Student, FRA
9. Puefio-Thermes Marins-Saint Malo, Pierre Hingant, Amateur, FRA
10. Ville de Geneve Carrefour Prevention, Jerome Barbarin Clerc, Amateur, SUI
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