Yachting-Live

Comeback
Clearly the teams working on Groupama aren’t hanging about. Three weeks after its capsize off New Zealand on 18th February 2008, Groupama 3 has been loaded onto the Eglantiersgracht, a Dutch cargo ship measuring 140 metres, which is transporting fruit and vegetables to Europe.

Under the expert eye of Jean-Marc Normant and Olivier Mainguy, the crew has craned the maxi-trimaran aboard, along with the pieces of mast and the float. Strapped down firmly to the deck, Groupama 3 will take about five weeks to get to France, where it will be unloaded around its home port of Lorient or in Quiberon bay in Brittany, depending on which yard is chosen for the reassembly.

During this crossing, construction of a new mast will begin at Lorima, along with the construction of a new float at Multiplast in Vannes.

However, conclusions still need to be drawn by the two teams working together to determine the cause of the damage suffered in the Pacific Ocean. These conclusions will enable the structure of the new float to be altered and the relevant modifications to be made to the starboard float, which was spared.

Whilst the shore crew managed by Stephane Guilbaud prepares for getting Groupama 3 back into shape, Franck Cammas is sailing. Attending the winter training sessions in La Trinite sur Mer aboard an Open 7.50 in the colours of Groupama, Franck is getting ready to defend his title in the infamous Spi Ouest France, which he won in this same series last year.

www.cammas-groupama.com

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008 at 7:50 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.