The moment he arrived at the club the other day, French 49er crew Stephane Christidis was off down the slipway with his fishing rod. There isn't much time for fishing on a 49er (unless things go pear-shaped at the leeward mark) and Steph is keen to try out the local waters, making me promise to take him out in the bay when they're training here next week.
Steph and helm Manu Dyen managed a perfect medal race in the tough conditions in Portland harbour on Saturday, leading from the start line and dominating downwind with their new tricolour kite. The success of Australians Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen in gaining fourth place meant they kept gold while Manu and Steph took the silver medal, as did compatriots Julien Bontemps (RSX) and Claire Leroy, Elodie Bertrand and Marie Riou (Match Racing), shown here muffled up waiting in the chilly breeze for the start of racing.
We look forward to welcoming French, New Zealand and British competitors to the club over the next few weeks, which are going to be very busy ones in the yard (which the French team congratulated us on clearing so effectively!)
Steve Fraser
Submitted on 10th June 2012