Golden Oldies Trophy 2013
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70-75 Golden Oldies-US_MM160_essai 11/07/13 15:28 Page70 HERITAGE GOLDEN OLDIES TROPHY 2013 1 1 merry band of enthu- Asiasts for racing multi- hulls from the 70s/ They're back! 80s met up in Sète. The aim: to celebrate, show off some superb restorations, THEY REFUSE PLANNED flame burning. Their names are Marc and meet up with a few nice OBSOLESCENCE! Fazilleau, Charlie Capelle, Craig Alexander, Jim Rubin-stein, Jacques surprises... Hurricane Jeanne (September 2004), Lehn, Alain Small-Etienne, Stuart which involved the loss of a dozen Rogerson, Stephen Marcoe, Philippe By Philippe ECHELLE precious racing boats in Saint- Laperche… Their initiatives have pro- Domingue, crystallized the exaspera- tected the race from extinction! We tion of lovers of this fragile heritage, owe the multihull to a few pioneers: reduced to a few dozen experimental the Frenchman, Eric de Bisschop, platforms. The founding initiative hat- with the Kaimiloa expedition just ched under a fertile compost, cultiva- before the second world war, then ted by a few isolated enthusiasts. By the Hawaiian group CSK, Arthur Piver saving certain famous examples in California in the 50s and 60s, and (Royal, Télégramme de Brest, A finally the leader of the American Capella, Moxie, Aile Bleu, Hydrofolie…), creative explosion: Dick Newick. the handful of curators have kept the James Wharram was the first to 70 70-75 Golden Oldies-US_MM160_essai 11/07/13 15:28 Page71 any lasting relationship in spite of appea- rances, and are all original, non-reproduci- ble one-offs. They would therefore have no chance, faced with the steam roller of consumerism, without the intervention of attentive watchkeepers, and the recogni- tion of their heritage value. Just like the treasures of Ettore Bugatti or the violins by Stradivarius and Guarnerius, inven- tions such as Cheers, A Capella, Rogue Wave, Godiva, or VSD must be entrusted to posterity; the message they convey is important. 2 7 REHEARSALS FOR 3 A SINGLE CONCERT! noclastic process remained tinged with Convinced of their extraordinary interest, vestiges of Puritanism. Small is beautiful! the crazy lovers of these legendary multi- Cheers and the Vals are transparent hulls meet, share, open their treasure examples of this moderation, their cou- chests, and have been having a good rage and the relevance of their ideas. blow-out once a year in the spring in the Back in the old continent, the ill-assorted Mediterranean since 2005: this is the group of young European ‘novices’ (C. famous Golden Oldies Trophy. The Capelle, J.F. de Prémorel, M Van Atlantic hasn’t been forgotten, as on Peteghem, N. Irens, M. Lombard,…) got Lalou Roucayrol’s invitation, a Golden to work and smashed the framework. class has been integrated into the 3 edi- What followed is well-known. The ‘French tions of the Estuary Challenge at Port frenzy’ (Phil Weld’s expression), fed by Medoc. The island of Houat welcomed cross the North Atlantic sponsoring, opened the doors to ‘folly’, the 2012 gathering, and the 2013 edition aboard a catamaran he had built himself: and invented very high speed on the should see more than a dozen boats... Rongo; Kelsall then developed the foam water, with the Formula 40s, Orma 60s The Trophies are precious opportunities sandwich with well-known success and the Class G maxis. The whole of this for demonstrations, but are above all, (Three Legs of Mann I, II and III and many saga rests on just two hundred or so pro- meetings for the owners, during which, others). By having Eric Tabarly test Toria, totypes, fewer than half of which still above and beyond the pleasure of the he opened the way for the Allègre-des- exist. confrontation, the enthusiasts exchange igned Pen Duick IV. The taste for speed on the water was launched by a tiny tribe of THE URGENCY OF A HERITAGE diehards, for whom life began at 20 knots! Their followers were racers brea- Just like these fast boats, the story of king away from the stiff measurement modern multihull ocean racing has been 4 rules of the time, architects who felt written in less than 50 years! From Nigel cramped in the decrepit designs of the Tetley’s Victress in the Golden Globe, to Southampton school and a few trend-dis- the proa Cheers (3rd in the 1968 Ostar) to covering journalists. They were the ‘pil- Groupama III or Banque Populaire V, this grims’ of a new research for the absolute. universal saga has been constructed by Coming from France and England, they just a few hundred builders and racers. landed on the American coasts to assimi- How has a modest adventure been able late the visionary shapes and techniques to create such strong links with the of the wizard of Martha's Vineyard, the public? The surviving machines bear wit- Gougeon brothers, Walter Greene and ness to an exceptional technical, sporting Damian MacLauglin. These Maine druids’ and architectural heritage, and must be quest merged with the spirit of Blondie passed on to future generations. They will Hasler’s transat; their inventive and ico- never be rebuilt, will not necessarily have 1 : Different sizes, periods and stories don't stop the game of racing together... 2 : The parade of the Golden Oldies fleet in the town of Sète. 3 : An old gaffer’s meeting? Not really! We find some wonders on the water, which only want one thing: to race! 4 : I designed Godiva for racing, but it is perfect for cruising two-up! (D. Newick) 70-75 Golden Oldies-US_MM160_essai 11/07/13 15:28 Page72 information, compare the qualities of their boats and get the energy for future restoration challenges, as the final goal HERITAGE often takes several work sequences. Emulation is contagious and affects cer- tain observers, who one day find them- selves at the helm of their own boat. Since the first Trophy in Canet-in- Roussillon, close links have been woven with the FFV clubs. In 2005, ‘the organi- zation’ (limited to the choice of a date and a few phone calls) was surprised by the success of the operation; the reactivity of the Catalan port’s 2 clubs turned these improvised regattas into an incandescent festival, with a buoyant future. The tone was set! The editions at Port Saint-Louis, Mèze, Balaruc, Canet again, and Port- 5 Camargue followed, before the invitation of the revived Sète YC, which wanted to celebrate its 150th anniversary ‘in the town’. THE WIZARD OF MARTHA'S VINEYARD’ ON THE QUAI THE TASTE FOR SPEED ON THE WATER WAS DE LA MARINE LAUNCHED BY A TINY TRIBE OF DIEHARDS, The story of this exceptional meeting began during the reconstruction of FOR WHOM LIFE BEGAN AT 20 KNOTS! Fleury Michon IV in the Sète-based boa- tyard, Rive Sud. Thierry Péponnet (gold medallist in the 470 at the Seoul Olympics, he has settled in this port in the Languedoc) had been observing the ture, production of catamarans… PETITION TO SAIL UNDER SÈTE’S HILL activity of the tribe for a certain length of Today the nursery is still active and time, with the intuition that the exhibition The Thau lagoon and the port of Sète several restoration specialists can now of these machines could provide a spec- have for a long time been a melting take on multihull refits. Sète, a cosmo- tacle in keeping with the perfect setting pot for the blossoming of various nau- politan town of memories and tradi- of Sète’s quays. Having come to the tical cultures. André Allègre based his tion, should one day amalgamate with annual general meetings at the Paris boatyard at La Plagette; he was the the Golden Oldies fleet. A symbol of Boat Show as an observer in 2011 and first to put two of his creations (Pen this openness, carried with respect for Duick IV/Eric Tabarly and Cap 33/Jean- the activities of fishing and trade: the Marie Vidal) on the podium of the 1972 250m of the Quai de la Marine, in the Ostar! The passion for multihulls conti- heart of the harbour town were put at nued to express itself around this little the disposal of the Golden Oldies 7 sea; amateur construction, architec- Trophy and the 30 machines present. 6 72 70-75 Golden Oldies-US_MM160_essai 11/07/13 15:28 Page73 2012, with the president, Marie- danger of withdrawal or dilu- Hélène Leclerc, then to the tion. Sometimes it works, and 2012 Port Camargue edition, the everything grows, to become a decision was taken, along with sort of festival; osmosis sets in the fishermen who are at home between a site, an event; the here, to open up the town to public, and the players in the the multihulls of the ocean festivities. This was the case in racing heritage during the Whit Sète! The show’s scenario saw weekend. Carried along by their its intense moments and respi- momentum, the owners of ration; the heart of the activities Newick-designed boats (whose pulsated on water, in the reconstructions and restora- taverns and on the quays. The tions are continuing at a good Friday parade was a success 8 rhythm) decided to pay homage (high risk activity, given the to their guru, by presenting constraints: passing under the THEY WERE THERE Moxie : 50 ' D. Newick trimaran, winner 1980 Ostar Fine Mouche: 45’ Newick trimaran, ex-Fleury Michon IV Région Picardie : 60’ Morelli/A. Petit Etienne cat, Tour de l’Europe, mile record Pléioné : F40 trimaran, formerly Michel Desjoyeaux’s Biscuit Cantreau Aile Bleue : 42’ Newick trimaran, ex-Gigi, 1982 Rout du Rhum Gulfstreamer : 60’ Newick trimaran, capsized in the middle of the Atlantic in 1972 Lady Godiva : 31’ D.