One hands show experience

At the conclusion of the Tour de Bretagne, the first race for the new Beneteau Figaro

The Figaro class' recent two handed Tour de Bretagne proved to some degree that those with previous experience in the singlehanded offshore one design class seem to be benefitting more than was originally thought following the introduction of the new Marc Lombard-designed Beneteau-built one design this year.

However results in the Tour de Bretagne indicate that those at the upper echelons of the fleet are a more eclectic bunch.

The winners Cercle Vert was sailed by Gildas Morvan, who has never won the Solitaire du Figaro, but is rarely out of the top five whenever he races in this class. But he was joined by Bertrand Pace, now back from Auckland following his tenure at Team New Zealand.

In second place was another seasoned Figaro sailor, Jérémie Beyou, last year's class champion sailing with top meteorologist and Figaro sailor Gilles Chiorri. Meanwhile in third were two Olympic sailors, Benoit Petit and Tangi Mahé. The fight for second place went to the wire and eventually went a draw, going to Beyou and Chiorri on the basis of their earlier results.

Elsewhere in the fleet there was other formidable talent, not normally associated with the Figaro. This included Loick Peyron, who has recently teamed up with Pace for another French challenger to the America's Cup. There is also Yves Pajot, brother of America's Cup skipper Marc. Former Whitbread skipper Hans Bouscholte and numerous former Mini sailors such as Jeanne Gregoire, Arnaud Boissieres, Sander Bakker and Yannick Bestaven.

Pos		R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Tot
1	CERCLE VERT, MORVAN Gildas, PACE Bertrand	11	1	2	1	1	1	10	27
2	DELTA DORE, BEYOU Jeremie, CHIORRI Gilles	4	4	7	6	2	6	3	32
3	DEFI SANTE VOILE, PETIT Benoit, MAHE Tangi	3	6	5	7	4	2	5	32
4	BOSTIK FINDLEY, CAUDRELIER BENAC Charles, BIDEGORRY Pascal	6	2	3	4	5	10	8	38
5	THALES, TABARLY Erwan, VICARIOT Philippe	1	8	8	3	10	4	6	40
6	GENERALI ASSURANCES, ELIES Yann, PEYRON Loick	5	7	6	10	6	8	4	46
7	PETIT NAVIRE,LE BON GOUT DU LARGE, CHABAGNY Thierry, DOUGUET Corentin	7	5	11	5	11	7	2	48
8	CREALINE, LE CLEAC'H Armel, TROUSSEL Nicolas	16	10	1	8	7	5	7	54
9	DAVID OLIVIER, DROUGLAZET Eric, BOUSCHOLTE Hans	10	3	10	2	8	11	16	60
10	SOLETANCHE BACHY, GRIMONT Damien, VITTET Dominique	15	9	20	9	3	3	1	60
11	D'AUCY, JOURDREN Bruno, DAURIS Jean-Marie	9	12	9	11	9	13	21	84
12	CAMUS IMMOBILIER, GUERIN Ronan, PAJOT Yves	2	19	4	15	16	18	20	94
13	CREPES WHAOU!, ESCOFFIER Franck Yves, SIMON Yannick	13	16	14	14	19	12	9	97
14	BERMUDES, THIERCELIN Marc, ROGNON Cyrille	8	15	16	18	18	9	15	99
15	CREDIT MUTUEL VILLE DE CHERBOURG, TOULORGE Alexandre, JAMES Bruno	17	11	13	16	14	16	12	99
16	REVE DE GRAND - ACTUAL INTERIM, LE BLEVEC Yves, BESTAVEN Yannick	20	13	12	13	15	15	13	101
17	ESPOIR CREDIT AGRICOLE, RIOU Gwenael, LE CLEAC'H Gael	22	14	18	12	13	14	17	110
18	SKANDIA, DAVIES Sam, WESTMACOTT Emma	21	25	23	22	12	17	11	131
19	SKIPPER AG2R, GREGOIRE Jeanne, BOISSIERES Arnaud	18	17	15	17	25	22	22	136
20	FUTUR, BOS Christian, GRANCHER Julien	23	22	19	24	20	20	14	142
21	UNILOG, BOUGARD Patrice, GESLIN Stephane	24	21	21	19	22	19	18	144
22	ING REAL ESTATE, BAKKER Sander, RINGERS Mater Jan	12	24	22	20	21	25	23	147
23	TETRAKTYS, DESMARETS Pascal, VOSS David	14	DNF	25	23	17	23	24	153
24	SOR TMC, BOUVET Christophe, PERAUD Alexandre	25	20	24	21	23	21	19	153
25	PORT TREBEURDEN, JOSSE SEBASTIEN, AUNETTE Gaetan	19	18	17	DNC	DNC	DNC	27	162
26	CYP, LEBRETON Eric, BALOGH Francois	26	23	26	25	24	24	25	173