Blu Moon Wins Hyeres Cup Pre-Worlds

Sadly the second day of racing at the Hyeres Cup, the Melges 24 Pre-Worlds Regatta in Hyere, France, had to be cancelled due to strong Mistral winds, leaving the fleet with just yesterday's two races to count. Fortunately yesterday's racing conditions were almost perfect at a steady 22-25 knots giving the boats plenty of high speed planing opportunities as well as some entertaining broaches for the spectators to enjoy.

This fleet is full of Olympians, World Champions and America's Cup sailors and despite the fact that not all of the crews were ready to compete in this Pre-Worlds event the crews gave notice that competition will be incredibly close.

Franco Rossini's Blu Moon of Switzerland, helmed by Olympic 470 and 49er sailor Chris Rast, posted two impressive first placed to take the overall title comfortably. The Blu Moon team, with previous helm Flavio Favini, won the Melges 24 Worlds in 2001 and clearly have their sights set on a second victory. Second place went to Britain's John Pollard aboard Excellent with four time British National Melges 24 Champion Rob Smith calling tactics. Pollard has been an consistent performer in the class on both sides of the Atlantic for several years but has yet to get his name on a major trophy and is clearly hoping that this year will bring a change in fortunes.

First French boat and third place overall was claimed by Benoit Charon aboard Galinette. Charon hails from Granville and his best result in an international Melges 24 regatta to date has been third place in the Corinthian (all amateur crew) division at the 2005 European Championship.

The crews have a final registration and measurement day tomorrow and, provided the Mistral abates, championship racing will commence on Sunday 27 August. The fleet will initially be split into four groups to sail 6 round robin races to decide the Gold and Silver fleets. Once the fleets are split a further six races will be sailed to complete the championship.

Final Results Of The Hyeres Cup Pre-Worlds Regatta

1: Blu Moon - Rossini Franco (2 pts) Suisse. (Détail courses : 1,1)
2: Excellent - Pollard John (6 pts) Grande-Bretagne. (Détail courses : 4,2)
3: Galinette - Charon Benoit (14 pts) Y C de Granville (Détail courses : 5,9)
4: Poizon Rouge - Monnard Jean Marc (17 pts) Suisse. (Détail courses : 11,6)
5: Big Ship Quantum - Paul Maxime (19 pts) Y C de la Pointe Rouge (Détail courses : 9,10)
6: Give Me Five - Follin Adrien (25 pts) Cercle Org Yachting Competition Hyerois (Détail courses : 18,7)
7: Euro Voiles - Infante Denis (26 pts) Cercle Org Yachting Competition Hyerois (Détail courses : 7,19)
8: Cotes D'armar - An Port Blanc - le Goic Gaetan (26 pts) A E V de Port Blanc (Détail courses : 12,14)
9: Nantes St Nazaire - Arnaud Remy (28 pts) A P C C Nantes (Détail courses : 17,11)
10: Fr Environnement Nautique - Jourdren Bruno (29 pts) Club Nautique Carantec (Détail courses : 21,8)
11: Cotes D'armor Peros Guirec - Albaret Antoine (33 pts) S R Perros Guirec (Détail courses : 20,13)
12: Mojito - Quinton Miles (39 pts) Grande-Bretagne. (Détail courses : 27,12)
13: Mas Amantes 608 - Vallivero Renato (39 pts) Italie. (Détail courses : 22,17)
14: White Rabbit - Henning Simon (41 pts) Grande-Bretagne. (Détail courses : 26,15)
15: Taboo - Pugh Stephen (46 pts) Etats Unis D'Amerique. (Détail courses : 28,18)
16: DRP Partner-Partners - Ligot Philippe (56 pts) Ste des Regates Rochelaises (Détail courses : 2,OCS)
17: Cus Lecce - Rametta Rocco (56 pts) Italie. (Détail courses : 36,20)
18: Runa - Martegiani Marco (57 pts) Italie. (Détail courses : DNF ,3,)
19: Mad Max - Brachet Michelle (57 pts) Grande-Bretagne. (Détail courses : 3,DNF)
20: Full Throttle - Porter Brian (58 pts) Etats Unis D'Amerique. (Détail courses : DNF ,4)
21: Lek - Geir Dahl (59 pts) Norvege. (Détail courses : OCS ,5)
22: Alina - Helly Hansen" Abba Maurizio (60 pts) Italie. (Détail courses : 6,OCS)
23: Sherekhan - Cardascio M (62 pts) Italie. (Détail courses : 8,DNF)
24: Ue Ue - Brighenti Valerio (64 pts) Italie. (Détail courses : 10,DNF)
25: Wild Thing - O'Nolan Eamonn (67 pts) Grande-Bretagne. (Détail courses : 13,DNF)
26: Sogeti - Frickey Antoine (68 pts) Yacht Club de Monaco (Détail courses : 14,DNF)
27: Encore - de Kervanoel Cedric (69 pts) France. (Détail courses : 15,DNF)
28: Bohema Express II - Vopta Richard (70 pts) Republique Tcheque. (Détail courses : DNF ,16)
29: Flor Direct - Becquemie Tugdual (70 pts) Cercle Org Yachting Competition Hyerois (Détail courses : 16,DNF)
30: Zig Zag - Samuel Henri (73 pts) Y C de Dinard (Détail courses : 19,DNF)
31: ZeroTwo - Good Lichael (77 pts) Suisse. (Détail courses : 23,DNF)
32: St Germain Audit.Com - Nebout Emmanuel (78 pts) Yacht Club de la Grande Motte (Détail courses : 24,D+DS)
33: Lenny - Toniste Tonu (79 pts) Estonie. (Détail courses : 25,DNF)
34: Marchingenio - Marchi Giorgio (83 pts) Italie. (Détail courses : 29,OCS)
35: Gill - Strauss Quentin (84 pts) Grande-Bretagne. (Détail courses : 30,DNF)
36: Owner - Rowen David (85 pts) Grande-Bretagne. (Détail courses : 31,DNF)
37: Diabolo - Desarnaud Michel (86 pts) Cercle Org Yachting Competition Hyerois (Détail courses : 32,DNF)
38: Cotes D'armor 2 - Geron Mathilde (87 pts) Centre Nautique de Plerin (Détail courses : 33,DNF)
39: Manamana - Kaske Johannes (88 pts) Allemagne. (Détail courses : 34,DNF)
40: Tape That - Vroon Carlo (89 pts) Hollande. (Détail courses : 35,DNF)
---: Zuxu - Vhsemann Andres (108 pts) Estonie. (Détail courses : DNF ,OCS)
---: Docteur Jigolo - Douchy Jean Paul (108 pts) Cercle Org Yachting Competition Hyerois (Détail courses : DNF ,DNF)
---: Blondes On Top - Ashworth Ann (108 pts) Grande-Bretagne. (Détail courses : DNF ,DNF)
---: Team Gill - Strauss Simon (108 pts) Grande-Bretagne. (Détail courses : OCS ,DNF)
---: Non Dire Mai - Pisu Elena (108 pts) Italie. (Détail courses : D+DS,DNF)
---: Bette - Amadori Ezio (108 pts) Italie. (Détail courses : DNF ,DNF)
---: Party Girl - A.Wathne Jens (108 pts) Norvege. (Détail courses : DNF ,DNF)
---: Paraloc - Hansmartin Amrein (108 pts) Suisse. (Détail courses : DNF ,DNF)
---: Acqua - Tribo Marco (108 pts) Suisse. (Détail courses : DNF ,DNF)
---: Pegusus - David Ullman (108 pts) Etats Unis D'Amerique. (Détail courses : DNF ,OCS)
---: Touring Junior - Follman Patrick (108 pts) Allemagne. (Détail courses : DNF ,DNF)
---: Marella V - Nordenstrum Nils (108 pts) Norvege. (Détail courses : DNF ,DNF)
---: Gebl - Montefuseo Sandro (108 pts) Italie. (Détail courses : DNF ,DNF)