Circuit rookie Franck Cammas and his team Groupama took an early lead after the first day of racing in home waters at the iShares Cup, Marseille. With four races completed on the first day of the three-day series, in a variable and shifty 5-10 knots, the French team topped the leaderboard with only a few hours practice in the high-performance Extreme 40. Romping to pole position the team filed a near perfect scorecard with a 1,3,1,1, proving that their seamless teamwork, usually practiced on the larger 105-foot Groupama 3, can lead them to success in the smaller catamaran class.
Cammas was excited after his team's positive result following their first full day in the Extreme 40. Nearest rival Basilica trail the French leaders by three points and remain close contenders in this regatta, scoring top three finishes all day. Third on the podium is BT, the former Offshore Challenges Sailing Team, skippered by Nick Moloney and with guest sailor Seb Josse, hailing from the south of France, calling tactics.
