Marseilles Grand Prix kicks off

Light and fickle winds for Open 60s on opening day

Third from the right - right face, wrong oilskins

The first day of racing at the Open 60 Grand Prix in Marseilles kicked off at 1200 on Thursday in very variable weather conditions ranging from 0-15 knots and alternating rain an sun.

Taking part in the regatta are five boats - Roland Jourdain's all conquering Sill Plein Fruit with Ellen MacArthur sailing as special guest for the day, Bernard Stamm's Bobst Group Armor Lux, Jean-Pierre Dick's Virbac (now with broken mast track repaired), Dominique Wavre on Temenos and Joe Seeten's Arcelor (formerly Somewhere of Marc Thiercelin).

In race one Jean-Pierre Dick's former Vendee Globe inner Virbac was first to the top mark, but then had to carry out a 360deg penalty turn after an infringement during a port-starboard incident with Bernard Stamm's Bobst Group-Armor Lux. However it was once again Sill who pulled throguh

Results:
1. SILL PLEIN FRUIT
2. BOBST GROUP ARMOR LUX
3. VIRBAC
4. TEMENOS
5. ARCELOR