La Réunion Pacifique Lagon Voyages, winner on corrected time. Image copyright PatriceMorin.com
by Florence Dhie
It’s with 2 hours advance that La Réunion Pacifique Lagon Voyages wins this second Groupama Race. On board, 5 crew members from Réunion Island – experienced and motivated - and 3 from New Caledonia – used to stand on the podium - in this best crew of this race around New-Caledonia. The skipper François Martin does his training in the Sailing Training Center at La Réunion. He participated at different races around France, La Réunion, Maurice Island. In 2009, for the Tour de France à la Voile, the boat La Réunion finished 3rd in the amateur group and won one leg. The owner of the boat, Philippe Mazard, is well known in the caledonien sailing world. In 2009 for example he was New Caledonia Monohull champion, 1st for the Noumea / Isles of Pines Race, 1st for the Noumea / Vanuatu Race, 1st for the real time Challenge.
For this race, their objective was clear : “1st in corrected time”. Mission accomplished !!
The crew had 2h 22 mn 10s advance of Mumm skipped by Patrick Baldi. Mumm had on board the young and talented Tahitian Yann Rigal. The 3rd , following 3 hours 3 mn 36 seconds is ODM.NC skipped by Cédric Bouchet and real time winner of the race.
The crew of La Réunion Pacifique Lagon Voyage :
François Martin
Laurent Rivière
Grégory Theate
Jérôme Gontier
Philippe Galais
Christophe Gallien
Laurent Tourette
Philippe Mazard
The corrected time :
The 1st place in corrected time rewards the best sailors. The participants are classified as follows : real time multiplied by a coefficient (calculated according to the handicap). The time handicap (x seconds/nautical miles) is affected to each boat depending on her features (size, year, equipment, sails, ...).
The corrected time classification doesn’t reward the boat, but the crew members who did their best to sail the fastest depending on the boat’s equipment.
Line honors go to the fastest boat. In the real time classification Team La Réunion Pacifique Lagon Voyages is at the 6th position arriving 1h 59 mn et 23 seconds after the first.
Provisional corrected time classification :
1 Team La Réunion – Pacifique Lagon Voyages
2 Mumm
3 ODM.NC
4 Ramada Plaza – Team New Zealand
5 Lagoon
6 Province Nord
7 Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes – Team Australia
8 Mange mieux, Bouge plus
8 Nautile
10 Optic 2000
11 or 12 . Trophée des Jeunes Marins or Les eaux du Mont Dore, Geant Casino
The 2 last positions depend on Eaux du Mont Dore Géant Casino’s arrival. Her arrival is expected on Friday afternoon.
Groupama Race
