Tour of Glory the log for summer 2013

I want to introduce the first blog entry in another language other than castellano.

Franck Cammas set out to conquest the seas this summer, competing for the first time in the Tour de France à la Voile, the sailing counterpart to the notorious Tour de France. First try, first triumph! True to his philosophy of life and personal values, the adventurer from Lorient led his crew to victory for this year’s challenge. Never leaving Cammas’ wrist his JEANRICHARD watch: the colour of his Aquascope is tantamount to the reflection of the waves on the Blue Spinnaker given to the competition’s winners. A personal diary of his route to triumph…

 Summer has barely started and it surely has not yet taken hold of Dunkirk, where the 36th edition of the sailing Tour de France is about to begin. Greenish seas mirror the greying skies. On the "prologue" day, the boats and their crews warm up with a regatta that will have no impact on rankings. The winner: Groupama 34. Indicative of Franck Cammas’ spirit, winning a race regardless of the effect it would have on the final position, it makes the victory all the more sweeter. The green vessel sails swiftly, navigating into Basque waters and then up the Alabaster Coast, driven by strong winds, with bold tacks, racing ecstatically. Those  familiar with the sport have rarely seen a crew dominate an event in this manner.  Nevertheless, the competition is not stale and the victories are at times clinched by a bow's length. The skipper is confident, but not overly so: "This race isn't won yet."  His Aquascope says it's the 5th of July…. One week has swiftly sailed by.

This is the heart of the race and these waters have seen it all; Franck Cammas and his men have often crisscrossed the swell and the spindrift when coming out of Lorient, the home base of the Groupama sailing team. It was also their port of call and stage of a great victory during the Round-the-World race for crews. The men made it to the top of the podium on their own turf after a tough struggle in the surf, using all the tactical and strategic tricks of their trade and working their boat with, well, clockwork precision. The southern coast of Brittany is bathed in sunlight and the wind has fallen. Groix Island is beyond reach of the Tour. Onto the Vendée with anchors up at dawn, followed by fifteen hours at sea, at the end of which the team is a few breaths away from the line with an energetic competitor leading by a few lengths.  With its spinnaker full blown, Groupama 34 manages to seize the number one spot. The Tour the France à la Voile has never seen such a successful leader. "It's time to head due south," says Franck Cammas. And his Aquascope says it’s 6.21 in the evening. "There is still a long way to go," the sailor adds.

This is where it all began about thirty years ago. His first maritime experience, his first junket aboard the Optimist from the sailing school in Marseille.The Aix-en-Provence native dreamed of adventures on the Seven Seas, all the while sailing not far from the jetty of Roucas Blanc beach. And the unflinching focus of their captain’s on making all the event's rankings. Not content with maintaining its fine position, the green boat continues to insatiably leave the nautical miles behind, collecting one victory after another, right up until the last destination, Marseille. Groupama 34 triumphed in more than half the races on this Tour and Franck Cammas earned these accolades for the first time. "We worked hard, had a top team, and the results are there," he says. "But believe me, it was not easy." The blue of the great spinnaker blends with the sky over Marseilles, just like the blue of the Aquascope on the winner's wrist.

The story of the JEANRICHARD “manufacture” is one of passion, of challenge and of special encounters. For over three centuries, the Swiss watch maker has enjoyed legendary status as a pioneer in timekeeping, breaking with conventions and rejecting all compromise when it comes to design or performance. As for Franck Cammas, he was nicknamed the "little Mozart of sailing" after his first promising “steps” in the water, and he continues to prove it. He has since won some of the most prestigious regattas, races that demand resilience, authenticity and above all, precision. JEANRICHARD has exclusive high-end watches in its portfolio, ones made for individuals with an independent spirit and a love for adventure. Individuals like Franck Cammas, a JEANRICHARD ambassador since 2011.

Franck Cammas keeps going. Next stop: Rio and the 2016 Olympic Games. This time, he'll sail on a small catamaran, like the ones that ply the waters off the beaches in summer. Training has already begun with his teammate, Sophie de Turckheim. Franck will also be at La Rochelle in early October to compete in one of the most sensational disciplines, the "Little America Cup". He'll be sailing a catamaran that can fly over the crest of the waves.   This, and more, while waiting to get in on the most ancient sporting event…The Americas Cup.

Link to the official website                        

www.jeanrichard.com