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Guadeloupe

Although Many Worry About the Economy the 2009 Round Guadeloupe Regatta is a Big Success
By
May 29, 2009, 10:47 PST
Photography by www.AntillesPhotos.com

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The organizers of the Round Guadeloupe Regatta thought long and hard before launching the 2009 edition. Due to the economic crisis, sponsors were reticent to invest and up to only a few weeks before, there was the possibility that the event could fail. In the end, it was the Guadeloupe nautical community that decided failure was not an option and supported the event such that 2009 was even more successful than 2008. Four classes with a total of forty nine boats, two more than in 2008, were on the start line, Wednesday May 20, in front of Gosier islet under a beautiful sun and 15 knots of wind. The event which circumnavigates Guadeloupe is completed in five days with a party in a different local each day after racing.

The stopover at St Louis of Marie Galante, like, Port Louis, Deshaies, Les Saintes, was festive and friendly. Competitors, friends and relatives were present, answering TRISKELL President Jean Michel Marziou's call, "To demonstrate, if needed, that the conviviality on the Tour is almost as important as the competition itself."

For the second year, cumulative elapsed time was used in scoring. This system offers an interesting competition between smaller boats, more comfortable medium strength winds, and the larger boats. The overall winner was the lowest rated boat in the fleet, BATTI+BAGGHI. With Luc Duponteil at the helm and without any leg victory but consistency, he managed whip up on all the big boys.

On Sunday, May 24, after five days racing, a large, physically spent but jovial crowd came to the prize giving ceremony at Marina Bas du Fort of Pointe à Pitre. A few major players were part of the crowd, Victor Jean Noel, Luc Coquelin, Claude Thelier, Willy Bicente and Christine Montouis and are a sign that the Triskell Cup is becoming a major Caribbean event.

Grasping the economic impact of the event for Guadeloupe, the CTIG, Comite du Tourisme des Iles de Guadeloupe (Tourism Office of Guadeloupe) and Nouvelles Antilles  invited journalists from France. Unfortunately, technical issues kept the major local TV channel from providing coverage.

Given the large number of CSA boats that were registered, a second class is planned for the 2010 edition. The next Triskell Cup event is October 30 - Novmember 1, 2009 and the next Round Guadeloupe Regatta is set for April 1 - 5, 2010.

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