News Around the World
The Tour Voile may have lost its offshore element but the switch to Diam 24 trimarans racing on coastal and inshore courses gave crews plenty to think about. The Tour is now a very different beast, but the draw of fast multihulls and smaller (cheaper) shore teams has reversed a continuing decline in entries. No more sailing around France in the dark may also encourage more overseas sailors…
FRANCE The happy postman – Géry Trentesaux
Géry Trentesaux, 56, first wore oilskins on his father’s boat many years ago competing in RORC races, after which he moved to single - handed competitions including the Figaro and then, in 2006, racing the Route du Rhum on a Pogo 40. But Trentesaux’s real preference remains racing with a full crew, a discipline he practises with both brilliance and consistency.
In 1999 Géry entered the Fastnet on his X-332 Courrier Sud: a name inspired by his readings of Saint-Exupéry. Since then the moniker Courrier has appeared on a succession of boats… and a succession of famous trophies.
Today Géry still has the same passion, but now also invests time and money supporting up-and-coming younger sailors. And 2015 is proving a particularly busy season for this ‘patron’ of our sport with no fewer than three Courriers to campaign. No1 is the J/80 Courrier Nord on which Géry raced the last Spi Ouest-France but which is usually skippered – rather well – by Eric Brezellec. At the Spi Courrier Nord finished second in a fleet of 72 boats. For once Géry was not at the helm but trimming the jib. No2 is Courrier du Léon. This is the JPK 10.80 of builder Jean- Pierre Kelbert who was originally from the Léon region in Brittany. Géry and Jean-Pierre made a deal: the boat is lent for free while Géry pays all expenses and buys a new set of sails each year (since 2005 and a Bénéteau First 45, Trentesaux has not owned any of the IRC boats he races). With its faithful crew so far Courrier du Léonhas had a good season, winning three RORC races overall in three months. Géry was also one of the favourites for the Rolex Fastnet, though being carried over the startline early by a strong tide did not get his team off to the best of starts… We shall see. Nevertheless, Team Courrier already has an impressive offshore pedigree, three times being named RORC Yacht of the Year. No3 is Courrier Choc. Géry was one of the first people to purchase the new Diam 24 trimaran. He was intending to race her on various ‘raids’ with his old friend François Lamiot, but when he heard that the fast little tris were to be used for the Tour de France à la Voile, Géry decided to entrust his new multihull to Antoine Carpentier,
14 SEAHORSE
one of the Courrier team who has now become a successful skipper in his own right.
The original name of the boat was Courrier Chocbut it became Le Souffle du Nord– the same name as the Vendée Globe project of Thomas Ruyant, all backed by a group of industrial companies from the area that Géry hails from. Once again Trentesaux is supporting a young and talented skipper.
Géry recently told his wife Isabelle that his 13th Fastnet will be his last… Then again he just told me that Jean-Pierre Kelbert has proposed a new deal for the next JPK to come, a 40-footer. Since the beginning Géry has never really altered his Corinthian approach to racing… the only change being a steady diminution in comfort. There is no longer any Grand Cru Classé onboard and only a single tube of toothpaste for the whole crew. However… the Courrier skipper also let slip to me that if he were younger he would really much prefer to be sailing on flying machines like the GC32.
On the recount
The Spindrift top guns were rewarded for their efforts as they sealed victory in the 2015 Tour de France à la Voile in Nice. Dona Bertarelli and Yann Guichard’s team clinched the race after a month of exciting competition aboard the Diam 24 trimaran Spindrift, led by co- skippers Xavier Revil and François Morvan, who also alternated as helmsmen. Xavier Revil said: ‘In the Tour you have to keep the right mindset and competitive spirit going for three long weeks! Spindrift Racing did just that – the whole team were extremely professional, working as a unit as they prepared for each race day.’ After a beautiful victory in the coastal raid of Nice the day before the final inshore stage, Spindrift was tied with previous leader Groupamawho ended the stage in a poor 14th place. The final day was supposed to be D-Day between the two rivals, but sadly racing was cancelled because of a mistral. Finally, Spindrifttook the title on ‘goal average’: the two boats won an equal number of legs but the trimaran of Dona Bertarelli finished second more often than Groupama. Spindrifttook over the race lead at the right time… at the end. But for the five team-members of Groupama 24who had
JM LIOT/DPPI
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