(La Rochelle, France)- There was a lot of celebration taking place at the French Naval Academy (Courrier Ecole Navale) after this past weekend’s results at the French J/80 National Championship. The Societe Regates Rochelaises hosted the event from November 1st to 3rd for forty-eight J/80 teams from across France and Spain. The regatta was abbreviated on Sunday morning due to gale force winds. Taking three bullets on the first day, Pierre Laouenan skippered the COURRIER ECOLE NAVALE Team to victory.
On Saturday, the fleet enjoyed very strong 15-25 kts winds, huge seas, along with very heavy showers flying across the Bay of Biscay. Then, Sunday dawned with full gale conditions. The SSR PRO had to fly the N over A flags in the harbor; the winds were varying from 32 to 42 kts, with gusts into the low 50’s!
As a result, Laouenan’s team on COURRIER ECOLE NAVALE won the regatta with a 5-1-1-1-7 tally for 8 pts net. Second was determined by a tie-breaker/ countback on 10 pts each. Taking that scenario was the Spanish team of Iker Almandoz on GARATU with a 1-2-3-48-4 record, over Simon Moriceau’s ARMEN HABITAT with a 13-3-2-3-2 tally.
The outcome of the regatta had little effect on the J/80 Coupe de France Series, which say 103 J/80 teams participate over the course of the summer from all regions of France. Winning the overall classification was Pierre Laouenan’s COURRIER ECOLE NAVALE. Second was Franck Lavenant’s GIGA SAINT-MALO and third was Patrick Bot’s TETHYS, yet another member of the ECOLE NAVALE- BREST, like Laouenan’s team.
The top women’s skipper awards went to Anne Phelipon’s NAVIGATLANTIQUE, followed by Claire Bochereau on JUMPER taking the silver, then awarded the bronze was Theau Guilcher’s GEOLAN.
Winning the all-women’s team classification was Laura Hue’s SAINT MALO 2. Following her in second was Lotz Munoz from the Spanish team on DECO EXSA in second, and Isabelle Maggiar’s FRA 1081 in third place.
The Masters Division (three or more crew over 46 years old) was won by none other than Patrick Bot’s TETHYS from Ecole Navale CG29. Second was Eric Basset’s CN ST JACUT and third was Jacques Hubert’s EOS.
The Youth Division (four or more crew under 26 years old) was won by Franck Lavenant and his team on GIGA SAINT-MALO. Second was Nicolas Salaun’s MARINTE BREST 2 and third place went to Theau Guilcher’s GEOLAN.
Finally, in the Clubs Division, it was the sailing teams from CN SAINT-CAST that took the overall title, with ECOLE NAVALE- MARINE BREST in the silver, and YC CROUESTY taking the bronze. For more French J/80 Class sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.
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