| MARSEILLE, FRA-(18-10-2002) A Pro-Am Cup which is keeping its promises ! With a fantastic weather, competitors have today raced not less than 4 rounds in a wind of 12 to 15 knots, and a bad sea state with swell.
Vasco Vascotto, winner of the 2001 edition, is already offering himself the first place of the provisionnal general placing : an Italian team which was especially formed for the Pro-Am Cup and which seems already very competitive, they also came to present a new project for the 2003 “Tour de France à la Voile”, (team Joe Fly with Giovanni Maspero as chairman), that will also be the first time an Italian boat will take part to the “Tour”.
The competition is really tight with Ville d’Antibes NEC at the second place with only 3 points of difference (Julien Farnarier at helm), and K-Challenge 1 just behind, with a local experience for Alain Fedensieu for tactics, (who just won the One Ton Cup with the same job), and Nicolas Charbonnier at helm, who recently took part to the ISAF World Games in Marseilles and to “la Route des Iles”, which gives then a great advantage.
Local participants with Marseille boat and with Dimitri Deruelle at helm finish at the 7th place, just behind Nantes Saint-Nazaire headed by Pierre-Loïc Berthet, with a 6th place. The one who will have the best results in the final general placing will win the French Mumm 30 Champion title, as they are very close at the moment on the circuit.
Asterix, English team with David Evans at helm, are the first non-French in the provisionnal general placing, (9th place), unfortunately because of a 3rd race with a primary start which has costed them a maximum points, and despite their nice 1st place in last race of the day.
Lastly, Kito de Pavant, used to the Figaro Beneteau boat and invited for the competition on K-Yachting 4, finishes # 10. Of course he would have wanted to do something better for his first Pro-Am Cup, nevertheless, he’s very happy of his first day and takes a lot of pleasure in the regatta, which will probably allow him to rock the rest of the week.
On the amateurs side, Jump Event leads the dance in front of the Triga 5 Swiss team, ex-aequo with CSC ESSEC.
3 races are forecasted for tomorrow, with weather conditions again very promising and which will allow the competition to make happy all the guests.
The Pro-Am Cup was created in 1997 by K-Yachting International. This regatta allows amateur skippers to fight equally with the world top sailors. The race gathers the Mumm 30 owners (9m length regatta monotype) and professional skippers especially invited and selected. Loïck Peyron, Franck Cammas, Bertrand Pacé, Jochen Schumann are part of the “stars“ who already came for the challenge.
The Pro-Am Cup shall be governed by the ISAF (International Sailing Federation) sailing rules, as well as the French Mumm 30 Class rules.
2 general placings will be produced : the “Pro-Am Cup” one for all the boats registered in the regatta, and the “Amateur” one for all the boats which has been given this status by K-Yachting International.
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