STUART RIX WINS FRENCH OPEN & BRUNO JOURDREN IS FRENCH CHAMPION IN LORIENT

The fourth and final day of the Melges 24 French Open National Championship in Larmor Beach saw one final race in which the Rochelais based Jean-Francois Cruette and his crew of Scutum took the honours. Overall winner of the regatta was England's Stuart Rix/Gill with Bruno Jourdren aboard D'Aucy winning the title of French National Champion. Scutum took the third place on the podium.

The 2004 French Nationals finished as they had started, under a grey sky, but fortunately brightened by the colours and shapes of the spinnakers and crews.

A final race on a 1.2m course in wind from the North-West at 6-7 knots saw Stuart Rix/Gill and Bruno Jourdren/D'Aucy facing off for a final duel, but it was Scutum who sneaked in and got a great start and then led the fleet to the finish. Gill finished second followed by Remy Arnaud/Liros Nantes Saint-Nazaire. Fourth Thomas Rouxel/Cotes d'Amrmor-Sail de Mer and fifth Jimmy Pahun/Region Iles de France. There was disappointment for Bruno Jourdren who finished seventh and thus lost all hope of passing Gill for the Open Championship, but who was none the less happy to gain the title of French National Champion.

Denis Infante, President of the French Class and owner of Euro Voiles commented - "We are very satisfied with this French Nationals 2004. The prime objective of the Melges Class is to organise good events of great quality on the water, and in this the race committee of Jean-Gabriel Cleach and the Jury, chaired by Jean-Paul Herio, fulfilled their contract perfectly. In addition, the second objective is to bring to its members pleasure and user-friendliness at the events and this too was perfectly achieved thanks to Maria Colas and her team of the Societe Nautique Larmor Beach.

For French Melgistes the season continues with the next event being the FFV Championship of Frace, which takes place within the frame work of the November a Hyeres Regatta from October 29 to November 1. We look forward to welcoming Melges sailors from across Europe who will not only be working to win the regatta but will also be taking the opportunity to train in the waters of Hyeres in preparation for the 2006 Melges 24 World Championship which will take place there.