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12th september : press release

Thierry Chabagny and Alexis Littoz snatch the last race in La Trinité-sur-mer
Eric Drouglazet and Laurent Pellecuer win the seventh Tour de Bretagne à la Voile

Finishing twelfth for the last leg in La Trinité-sur-mer, Eric Drouglazet and Laurent Pellecuer have won the seventh Tour de Bretagne à la voile. They thus follow Nicolas Lunven and Charles Caudrelier, winners two years ago. Rulers of the race since Brest’s two races, Luisina’s crew stand out in front of Fred Duthil and François Lebourdais (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) and Thomas Rouxel and Sébastien Josse (Défi Mousquetaire).

The last leg was ran between Piriac-sur-mer and La Trinité-sur-mer. Propelled by a strong North-easterly wind, the 34Figaro-Bénéteau enrolled in this seventh edition have quickly reached Quiberon Bay and ended by a side-to-side, and sometimes side-on-side regatta. On entering the Bay, 4 boats had set free from the pack. 

Thierry Chabagny and Alexis Littoz (Suzuki) eventually stood out after a last match-racing look-alike regatta. They outpace by a short length Thomas Rouxel and Sébastien Josse (Défi Mousquetaire), and then Nicolas Lunven and Jean Le Cam (CGPI). « We were willing to do good on that leg » comments Thierry Chabagny, thus achieving a second leg victory with Alexis Littoz,a young match-racing expert. «We had to keep hold on our upfront adversaries for not being passed. This made for a quite physical finish until the end! The advantage of having a match-racing specialist as a teammate… is that he really enjoys holding competitors at bay! »

Second for the leg, Thomas Rouxel and Sébastien Josse (Défi Mousquetaire) thus benefit for taking the third seat of the overall ranking finsihing right behind Suzuki and right in front of Nicolas Lunven and Jean Le Cam. Menacing until the very end, they end the leg on port tack, in the very stern of Défi Mousquetaire. Gradually improving, Thomas Rouxel could enjoy this final podium seat on the 2009 Tour. « It ends up pretty tight. It was really hot. We are quite happy. The race could have gone on and on, we were going better and better! »

Finishing twelfth at the end of a side-to-side regatta with Jean-Pierre Nicol and Frédéric Rivet ‘s Gavottes, the overall ranking leaders since Brest’s both regattas have made sure of their final victory. « The goal was keeping in touch with Bbox,which we did. And we even managed to pass a few other boats » analyses Eric Drouglazet, official skipper of Luisina. « We kept our pretender in sight and from there it all went smoothly. There, we are now relieved»  reckons Laurent Pellecuer, his crew for the Tour de Bretagne.

Before leaving Loire-Atlantique, Eric and Laurent were 15 ahead from Fred Duthil and François Lebourdais. They thus win the overall ranking 12 points ahead from Bbox Bouygues Telecom’s crew and can relish this consecration to its right value « Beyond the victory, it’s the feeling of the good job done that prevails. We have done some very good job. We had no weak point. We were good on the starts, we were offensive by the marks, and we sail the last leg as needed be » draws Drouglazet. « It’s a great victory for we gave a lo into it. We’ve scored fine all along» confirms Pellecuer.

Ninth of the seventh leg, the men from Bbox Bouygues Telecom have ensured their second seat on the podium. But the last race almost ended prematurely for them. « We broke a spreader shortly before arriving » explains François Lebourdais showing his damaged spar in La Trinité’s marina. «We have yet succeeded crossing the finish line very slowly. We saved the mast and the second seat overall! » « We pulled through it quite well in spite of a broken spreader on the arrival » reckons Fred Duthil, pointing out that if the incident had happened earlier in the day, they wouldn’t have made it and save their second place.

Right in front of them, young Fabien Delahaye and Paul Meilhatend their first Tour de Bretagne with a new leg victory in rookie category. They thus end 9^th overall, and win the first rookie scoring of the history of the Tour. « Samsung Mobile (Brault et Koch) wins the rookie’s last stage, but we win the overall rookie. The balance is more than positive seen the number of boats and the skill of the competitors » reminds the young man from Caen.  Joseph Brault and Antoine Koch take the second position of this ranking. Antoine Carraz and Johan Barbarin fill in the rest of the podium.

Appointment is being taken for the next issue, in two years time!