(Nantes, France)- Host for this year’s French J/22 Nationals was Societe
Nautique Nantes for the nearly dozen boats that participated. Unusual
for this type of event, the SNON and J/22 class permitted two toss races
in just seven races, counting just five! As a result, the fleet was
more than a bit confused as to “who’s zooming who” as they went around
the race-track, particularly for the top five boats.Other than the winner, German sailor Reiner Brockerhoff (skippering JAZZY with a French crew of Christophe Declerq and Charles Michaux), none of the other boats could match their steady top five finishes. JAZZY simply sailed conservatively and kept themselves out of trouble most races, only winning three races but never finishing worse than 4th. Their 3-1-2-4-1-4-1 record for 8 pts net gave them a clear-cut victory!
As for the next four places in the top five, the results were never clear-cut until the very last race, especially with two races to discard! After the dust cleared on the fields of battle, it was the BEASTIE BOYS led by Jean Queveau and sailing with Damien Bourbigot and Francois Rongere that “snatched victory from the jaws of defeat!” They nearly lost it all with a 6-4-1-6 string in the last four races, nevertheless winning the tie-breaker for second place over the Andre family team aboard MAJIC team (with skipper Bernard Andre and crew Pascale Andre, Remi Nobileau and Thomas Andre).
Unfortunately, the MAJIC team simply didn’t have it together in the last few races, posting a 3-7-7 to lose what seemed their firm grip on the silver position. Keeping a close eye on the top of the podium all regatta long was Patrick Huet on EUROPEAN HOMES (with crew Pierre Royne and Cecil Keriel); but an early blow-up in race 1 with a 9th place and a closing 8th in the last race simply erased all chances for at least a third, instead having to settle for fourth overall. Rounding out the top five was the German JADORLO team skippered by Imke Brockerhoff with crew Gabriele Brockerhoff and Mathias Weidenbach. For more French J/22 Nationals sailing information
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