Seychelles Regatta 2011-Third Seychelles Regatta starts tomorrow |20 May 2011

And the question on the mind of mostly all of the skippers and their crew is will Hyundai retain the title in the absence of French skipper Yann Eliès who led them to victory last year?

Hyundai succeeded Michel Desjoyeaux’s Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte as champions last year to win, on top of the revolving trophy, a week for four or six persons at the Villa de Charme du Domaine de l’Orangerie, a jeroboam Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, a magnum Château Perenne Grand Vin de Bordeaux and a magnum Chablis.

Other than Eliès and wife Olivia Guichard, the other Hyundai crew members were Paul Hodoul, Mervyn Cafrine, André Hoareau, Neville Humphrey, Cedric D’Offay, André D’Offay, Dianne D’Offay, Yann D’Offay Mancienne and Perry Mancienne. They finished the regatta with 10 points – the least in the nine-boat flotilla.

This year’s event will spread over nine days – from May 21-29 – and the official opening ceremony is set for tomorrow night at 6pm at the Eden Island. But before that, there will be a briefing with all the skippers and crew members of the seven boats at 11am followed by a press conference at 12 noon.

The first race is on Sunday May 22 from the Eden Island to Anse à La Mouche. The next day (Monday May 23), the sailors will sail from Anse à La Mouche to Beau Vallon and on Tuesday they will head to the Anse Lazio beach on Praslin.

On Wednesday May 25, the race will be from Anse Lazio to Baie Ste Anne, followed by the one from Baie Ste Anne to La Digue on Thursday May 26.

The sixth race on Friday May 27 is from La Digue to Ile Chauve Souris and to conclude the seven days of sailing the teams will race from Praslin to the Eden Island and they have to reach the finish line before 1pm on Saturday May 28.  The closing ceremony is set for 7pm the same day at the Konoba Restaurant.

Among the world-class skippers expected on show here are: Frenchman Michel Desjoyeaux, who will only arrive on Sunday; English woman Samantha Davies, who will skipper the all-female Heineken team with Servane Escoffier; popular French skipper Loïck Peyron who will sail the Maia boat after winning the Barcelona double-handed round-the-world race on April 4; French rising star François Gabart winner of the Solo offshore sailing in 2010; Armel Le Cléac’h, Jérémie Beyou, and Romain Attanasio.

The following is the list of seven boats with their skippers:

Team 1 Hyundai – skippered by Jeremie Beyou

Team 2 Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte – skippered by Michel Desjoyeaux

Team 3 Tercognita – skippered by Romain Attanasio 

Team 4 Maia – skippered by Loïck Peyron

Team 5 Bruno Aubriet Bâtiment – skippered by Armel Le Cléac’h

Team 6 Heineken – skippered Samantha Davies & Servane Escoffier

Team 7 Fondéole Allianz – skippered by François Gabart

G. G.