Fauroux on top

Phil Crebbin reports from the 8 metre Worlds in Quibernon

The third day saw better winds from the northwest of 10 to 15 kts for the third race and then up to 18 kts for the fourth race. The modern boats had very close racing both times and although Fleur de Lys won both as expected, she had to work very hard before breaking clear.

At the first mark of the third race Yquem was in the lead followed by Mystery, Gefion and Fleur de Lys, all very close. Mystery lost out by gybing off early on the run and Fleur de Lys pulled up to second ahead of Gefion at the leeward mark. By the end of the next beat Fleur de Lys had taken the lead followed by Yquem with Lafayette doing well to get up to third. Lafayette closed on Yquem down the run and up the last beat, but Yquem held her off to the finish after a close tacking duel. Mystery was fourth and Aluette pipped Gefion on the finish line.
 
Results race 3:

1. Fleur de Lys (Jacques Fauroux, France)
2. Yquem (Jean Fabre, Switzerland)
3. Lafayette (Jos Fruytier / Philip Crebbin, Holland)
4. Mystery (Ron Palm, Canada)
5. Aluette (Peter Groh, Switzerland)
6. Gefion (Benoit de Gorski / Pierre Bonjour, Switzerland)

The fourth race saw Gefion and Fleur de Lys get the best starts on the left side where more wind and a favourable shift up the first leg gave them a useful advantage. They were followed at the first mark by Yquem, Mystery, Aluette and then Lafayette, the latter two coming in more from the right side. Fleur de Lys soon took the lead, eventually winning by a two minute margin, but the main fight was between Mystery and Aluette, resulting in a protest at the first mark, and later with Lafayette catching them to join the battle during the second round, at one time crossing ahead of Aluette but not being able to hold it.

At the last leeward mark they were still bow to stern in that order and then Lafayette had the misfortune to get a runner caught round the spreader and the spreader broke. She was forced to retire and later it was also learnt that Yquem was OCS, along with a number of other boats further back in the fleet. Aluette's protest against Mystery was later dismissed.

Avia Willment was also forced to retire through having both spreaders broken on one side when a boat to weather was too close when Amorevita came upright when her wind was taken. Fortunately she did not lose her mast.

The Sira Cup for the pre-1960 boats, but allowed modern rigs and sails, is now a close fight between Cutty Tou, Vision, Bona and Sposa II after Vision's good result in race four with both Cutty Tou and Bona OCS. The Coupe Cartier for the pre-1960 vintage boats restricted to wooden masts and Dacron sails is comfortably led by Bona.

Results race 4:

1. Fleur de Lys (Jacques Fauroux, France)
2. Gefion (Benoit de Gorski / Pierre Bonjour, Switzerland)
3. Mystery (Ron Palm, Canada)
4. Aluette (Peter Groh, Switzerland)
5. Gaulois (Jean-Pierre Gourio, France)
6. Vision (Tan Raffray, France)

Overall after four races (with one discard):
1. Fleur de Lys 3 pts
2. Lafayette 8 pts
3. Yquem 12 pts
4. Mystery 12 pts
5. Aluette 13 pts
6. Gefion 14 pts

Sira Cup (Classic and Vintage combined):
1. Cutty Tou (G & A Minos, France) 18 pts
2. Vision 20 pts
3. Bona (Giovanni Mogna, Italy) 21 pts
4. Sposa II (Josef Martin, Germany) 22 pts

Coupe Cartier (Vintage only):
1. Bona 3 pts
2. Catina VI (Fred Meyer, Switzerland) 6 pts
3. Amorevita (Avia Willment, Great Britain) 9 pts