Banque Populaire wins the Challenge Julius Baer. Image copyright Chris Schmid/Eyemage Media.
by Paco Latorre
Unlike the rest of the 2010 Challenge Julius Baer championship season, the Grand Prix Corum was blessed with wind! The race committee managed to run five races during the two day event and Alinghi, helmed by Ernesto Bertarelli, revelled in the stronger conditions and won its third event of the season. Pascal Bidégorry's Banque Populaire team came second and Philippe Cardis' Julius Baer, third.
In contrast to the seven preceding events, the Grand Prix Corum was less about winning for the top ranking teams and more about consolidating or, in some cases, improving overall championship ranking. Alinghi proved its mettle in the heavier airs and maximised on Banque Populaire and Foncia's mutual preoccupation to win the event with eight points in hand. This moved the team from third place overall at the start of the event to second on the season championship podium, just two points behind the unrivalled champion of the season, Pascal Bidégorry.
Bidégorry and his Banque Populaire crew mates were presented with the championship trophy at a prize giving event on Saturday evening and the Basque sailor was crowned 'King of the Lake 2010'. This was the team's second season in the fleet and Bidégorry was delighted with the victory: “To win it we had to work. We worked well. I am very proud of my team and would like to thank them. We still have some progress to make for the future and we are keeping a very close eye on a certain black and red boat!”
Alinghi wins the Grand Prix Corum. Image copyright Chris Schmid/Eyemage Media.
The black and red boat in question, Ernesto Bertarelli's Alinghi, has had an excellent second half of the season; after a slow start the team bounced back to win the last three Grand Prix events. As Tanguy Cariou, tactician onboard, pointed out at the prize giving, Alinghi profited from the match race between Banque Populaire and Foncia on Saturday and optimised on it. Ernesto Bertarelli was happy with the outcome: “We notice that as soon as the breeze builds and stabilises we come into our own; our mode of sailing is more suited to these slightly stronger conditions. We suffered at the two Lake 'classics' at the beginning of the season, but have had a strong comeback at the end of the season with three victories!”
Alain Gautier's Foncia finished third overall and were somewhat disappointed with the result: “We are disappointed with our performance today (the team finished 10th). The sport is made up of a number of parameters and everything needs to go right at the right moment. One has to accept not always being on top. The level on the circuit is such that had we always been leading, we would have been extremely strong, but this is not the case.”
Erik Maris and the Zoulou crew came fourth, an impressive result for a first-timer on Lake Geneva. Maris was quick to find his stride finishing second on the podium at the Geneva-Rolle-Geneva regatta, a Lake classic that usually favours the veterans.
In fifth, the amateur team from Nyon, led by Fred Moura, created quite a surprise. With a difficult 2009 season behind them, the Nickel crew started well coming second at the GP Beau-Rivage. They carried this momentum forward throughout the season and fought hard for fourth overall. It was not to be this year. The team finished six points behind closest rival Maris.
Loïck Peyron helmed Nicolas Grange's Okalys-Corum to sixth place overall and notched up yet another Geneva-Rolle-Geneva victory earlier in the season. Philippe Cardis' Julius Baer managed a third at the GP Corum which moved the team ahead of Ylliam and into seventh place on the championship leaderboard. As such, Perre-Yves Firmenich's Ylliam ranked eighth. The newcomer showed its potential at the Open de Versoix, where the team finished second, and was looking dangerously quick this weekend in steadier conditions.
Dona Bertarelli's Ladycat finished ninth overall and can be proud of becoming the first majority female team to win the Bol d'Or Mirabaud. The pink team also came fourth at the Open de Crans. Guy de Picciotto's Zen Too finished tenth overall and started the season as it finished it: Picciotto came fourth at the Realstone Cup and bagged a third in the final round of the last race of the season. Marco Simeoni's Veltigroup finished eleventh after a difficult season and the youngest team on the circuit, led by Loïc Forestier, brought up the rear onboard Zebra 7.
Alinghi competing in the Grand Prix Corum. Image copyright Chris Schmid/Eyemage Media.
To celebrate the final stage of the Challenge Julius Baer, Sunday - today - is dedicated to exhibition racing. The 12 D35s have been split into two teams: the Europeans versus the Swiss. Don't miss the action! You can watch the racing from the Société Nautique de Genève.
Alinghi
Challenge Julius Baer
