Tour des Ports race underway as Guernsey prepares to welcome the fleet tomorrow

Monday 08 July 2024

A fleet of 70 yachts are battling it out this week in the Tour des Ports de La Manche.

The race began in Jersey yesterday and the fleet will arrive in Guernsey tomorrow evening.

The first stage saw boats sailing directly to Chausey in a southerly wind of 18 knots.

The small boats had a direct course downwind.

The winners of Group 1, the youth team coached by Benoit Charon, were delighted.

“They got off to a good start, sent the spinnaker five times. There was a little breakage but nothing serious. The young people are very happy because they realise that they are competitive, even with a boat from the 70s, Le Pied D'Allouette.” 

The big boats had a more complicated, longer route, ending at the tack north of Chausey. 

For Oscar Lenoel, skipper of the Cléobulle, also winner of their category, it was “a very dynamic, rhythmic course with a lot of sail changes, which is a change from what we are used to on the tour.”

RESULTS OF THE FIRST STAGE JERSEY > GRANVILLE 

Group 1

1. Larkspur – Benoit CHARON (Granville)

2. Molène – Arnaud DAVAL (Granville)

3. Ysland – Laurent MACE (Carteret)

Group 2 

1.  Adapted Sailing Challenge – Thierry FORTIN (Cherbourg)

2. Temptress – Nigel PIPE (Eastbourne)

3. Ferme de Sous la Ville – Yann PLUSQUELLEC (Loguivy)

Group 3

1. Callisto – Antoine GUERIN (Granville)

2. Karibario-Kunkel Pallets – Jan LEGALLET (Granville)

3. Eskil AMR Services – Juliette ToutAIN (Cherbourg)

Group 4

1. Cleobulle – Oscar LENOEL (Carteret)

2. Crédit Mutuel – Vincent BUNEL (Granville)

3. Puma – Jérôme DESVAUX (Granville)

The remaining stages

Monday:  Granville > Barneville-Carteret

Tuesday:  Barneville-Carteret > Guernsey

Wednesday:  Guernsey >  Port-Diélette

Thursday  Port-Diélette > Cherbourg

Friday:  Cherbourg > Saint-Vaast La Hougue