Friday, March 11, 2011

COLUMBIA 33 CARIBBEAN

Boat: COLUMBIA 33 CARIBBEAN

Builder: Columbia Yachts

Designer: Wirth Munroe

More: COLUMBIA 33 CARIBBEAN Specifications

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Tour Voile 2000 - St.Cyprien to Sиte Offshore Race


Author: Lisa Walker

Yesterday’s 56-mile offshore race from St. Cyprien to Sete, finally got underway yesterday afternoon when the sea breeze filled in to the give the fleet some 6-7 knots of wind after a windless morning when the fleet covered almost 30 miles under engine.

After a general recall, the start was finally given at 13:56. Barlo Plastics, helmed by Tim Powell got a good, clean start off the line and made their way round the top mark in 4th place behind “Region Ile de France”, “Belvedere”, and British boat “Easy Oars”. After setting their spinnakers, some of the fleet took the option to go low and others went high, but the windward option taken by both Barlo Plastics and “Easy Oars” paid off as the fleet approached the gate at Cap d’Agde and “Easy Oars” led the fleet through, followed by “Belvedere”, “St. Raphael” and Barlo Plastics again towards the front of the fleet in fourth position.

Barlo Plastics’ helmsman, Tim Powell, explained what the team had on their minds. “We were keeping an eye on Marseille 2000 the whole time just to see what they were doing, as obviously they are our closest rivals”

As the fleet passed through the first gate, the wind dropped quite dramatically and the boats were faced with some strange angles as some boats seemed to be doing much better than they actually were. This obviously played on everyone’s nerves, including the team on Barlo Plastics, “it was a nerve racking moment”, confessed Tim Powell.

The breeze filled back in as they got through the gate, and the fleet short gybed along the shore line, until once again the fleet split and some boats went hard left, including “Marseille 2000”, while Barlo Plastics took the right option. Initially, the French boat seemed to have gained the upper hand and looked to be leading at one point, but the breeze disappeared once again to virtually nothing and forced the fleet to swap their spinnakers for jibs. After the sea breeze died and the easterly gradient re-established itself in the form of a small 2 knot breeze coming in from the right hand side, Barlo Plastics found themselves being able to overtake both “Marseille 2000” and “Easy Oars” and cross the line in fourth place after amateur boat “Belvedere”, “Primagaz” and “St. Raphael”. “Marseille 2000” finished in 6th place behind Tony Buckingham’s “Easy Oars” in fifth.

This brings Barlo Plastics’ points total through the 1,000 mark to 1014.75, 42 points ahead of second place “Marseille 2000”. The appeal for redress by Barlo Plastics for their PMS in race 17 was dismissed by the jury, meaning that Barlo Plastics will currently be discarding an 8th place.

Today the race committee has decided on one inshore race only, due to start at 11:00, which will take place in the Etang de Thau, an inland water, which the boats will reach by canal. Following that, the offshore race from Sete to Bandol, a distance of 92 miles is due to start at 20:00 this evening.

Offshore St. Cyprien to Sete (Coefficient 1.25):



Overall Ranking:



1. Barlo Plastics 1014.75
2. Marseille 2000 972.75
3. Region Ile de France 946.75
4. Easy Oars 926.75
5. St. Raphael 896.25
6. St. James 872.25
7. Ville de Geneve 859.25
8. Cotes d’Armor 845.25
9. Nantes-St Nazaire 823
10. Mauguio Carnon 799.25

Route of the Tour de France а la Voile 2000



Jun. 29 – Jul. 2 Dieppe July 16 – 18 Ile de Rй - Ars en Rй
July 3 – 5 Portsmouth July 18 La Rochelle
July 5 – 7 Cherbourg July 18 – 21 Saint-Cyprien
July 8 – 9 Trebeurden July 21 – 22 Sиte
July 9 – 10 Perros-Guirec July 23 – 25 Bandol
July 11 – 13 Le Crouesty-Arzon July 25 – 26 Port Grimaud
July 13 – 14 Saint-Nazaire July 27 – 28 Imperia
July 14 – 15 Nantes July 29 – 31 Calvi

More Information:

  • www.tourvoile.fr

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