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Strong heat and no wind on the packed parking of the Yacht Club de Carnac for this first day of competition. The 30 crews didn’t have the opportunity to confront one another in the bay of Quiberon and it’s really a pity! The teams brought together for this new competition which is to promote the 18 foot skiffs around the world is indeed rather exceptional. Among the helmsmen, there are no less than 4 winners of the JJ Giltinan International Championship, ran each mid-February in the bay of Sydney and considered as the equivalent of the world championship for this sport and nearly as much among the crewmen.
The Australian Trevor Barnabas, the most titled of them, has brought together with his family team two generations of champions on 24Hr Road Service. It’s his son Trent “the weapon” Barnabas, current titleholder, who is the front crewman. Daniel Philips completes this formidable crew. On the side of the Australians, among the five other boats another family is to be pointed out: the Winnings. John, the father (Yandoo), tireless veteran and generous sponsor of this amateur class and John junior (Appliancesonline), the son who has won several races during the last “JJ”, will be for sure two serious candidate for victory. If the winds are light, we should keep an eye on Grant Rollerson (Slam) and its team (Mike Coxon, double winner of the JJ on Fiat in 2006 and 2007). The three proud New Zealand crews who have come to Carnac should also give the Europeans a hard time.
Hopefully, the large number of boats from the English class have good arguments such as Robert Greenhalgh (Benny), only just disembarked from the VOR 70 Puma in the Volvo Ocean Race and winner in 2004 of the JJ. He has taken the most of this day to refine some very thin settings he has the knack of finding. The crew of Pindar, skipped by Andy Richards, actual European champions, those from Pica (Jamie Mears), Ronstan (Iain Turnbull), Investec Private Bank (Mason Woodworth), TMF Group (Jarrod Simpson) but also Gill/Wild Graphics (Ed Brown) are capable of winning a race and should be taken into account. The American Howard Hamlin (Macquarie), double holder of the precious trophy, coming at the last moment to defend the colours of the Stars and Stripes and the Danish Flemming Clausen, hardwearing competitor capable with his solid crew of astounding speeds as soon as the wind raises.
2 Hungarian teams, 3 French, 3 German and a Swiss complete the list which promises tight starts and very very hot buoy crossings! GPS have been embarked on the boats for a live broadcasting of the race on the website of the organizing club : www.yccarnac.com. Organized from the 28th June to the 4th July, this confrontation should find tomorrow enough wind to offer a real and virtual impressive show!
The photos are all provided by Christophe Favreau:
They Have YouTube Channel Up As Well!
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