I have a handful of names who are intending to go, but it would be good to see a few more.  If you have not done so already, please let me know if you intend going.

Mark Waterhouse the Parkstone Class Rep has connections with M. Robert Huon the owner of the Best Western Celtique, a smart hotel very convenient to the club.  He has arranged special terms for MR people - twin or double E140, triple or quad E160, breakfast E13. 

If interested call +33 29 75 214 15 asap (precede this with two zeros if dialling from UK) or Google their website.

Dan Alsop

By coincidence, or more probably because it's the first of the month, I had a mail this morning from the organisers, wondering why there are no UK Merlins registered for the event. Come on, guys, good chance to escape gloom & doom GB. We will be camping.

Here is a link to the hotel and if you decide to call them, the reference to get the discount is 'Merlin Rocket'. The prices quoted above already include 25% discount.  It is peak season so book early.

If you are interested in camping in the club grounds, EUR7.50/head and possibility of breakfast EUR4 in the club, you need to contact Gwen Le Fur at [email protected], and ask for a camping reservation form. As of today, there are still places available.

We have just been in France and took the scenic route south, via Quiberon. Very jealous of those planning to sail Merlins in that lovely bay. Blue sky, white sand and what looks like a magnificent patch of clear blue sea, Salcombe by the sea?

Caroline wants to go next year - could we make this into a Merlin "foreign" Salcombe Week?

Here's a link to the page on the organisers web site where the forms can be dowmloaded from, under the heading
Documents à télécharger ou à consulter

NOR (Avis de course)
Entry Form (Bulletin d'inscription)
Accomodation form (Inscription hebergement

We found the Chunnel to be very reasonable even adding £150 for the extra driven miles, although Norfolk line seem cheap for a Dover/Calais crossing. We favoured Pat's tip for using Tesco vouchers in lieu of cash - excellent value.

Here's another which appears to be from the society who organises the regattas in the area - the live links under 'Actualities du club' take you back to the NOR and accomodation/entry forms

So easy it would be a shame not to go!

The event is co-hosted by the SRSP(Société des Régates de Saint Pierre Quiberon) www.srsp.fr and the ENVSN (Ecole Nationale de Voile & Sports Nautiques), with the support of the FFV(Fédération Francaise de Voile) www.ffvoile.org. All three sites have information about the Open, which moves location every two years; this is the first year at Quiberon, which, as Andy says, is a magnificent sailing location. See you there!

And Tf1 (the French version of ITV?) have been over filming Salcombe & Merlin Week to show the Bretons what they are missing...............

Apparently it will be shown on their equilivant of the six o,clock news this Friday and hopefully they will send me a DVD of it - here's hoping!

We would watch it, but have not owned a TV for well over 30 years.

Just to remind everyone that entry fee EUR55/head goes up to EUR75/head on the 15th July.

The TF1 report is on this link: http://videos.tf1.fr/jt-13h/salcombe-une-station-anglaise-tres-prisee-5922091.html
but they don't show much of the Merlins... The conclusion of the reporter is "C'est notre St Tropez qui est le plus joli"... Sorry of such an assertion, I can't agree with him.

Adrian the Frenchy

I not it says how expensice Salcombe is.

Update - There are still opportunities to book crossings to France for the event, and spaces in the sailing school for rooms, or camping at the sailing school right next to the launch area.
The organisers are willing to accept payment for accomodation and registration on arrival to make things even simpler. The registration fee rises by 25 euros in three days, so book now and save.

Dan, you said in opening this thread that you had a handful of names; so far I only know of Kieron in addition to us. Are there any more of you out there?

bump?

Hello
can you say how many crews go to QUIBERON
and which day you arrived

Thank you

Hi, news from Quiberon is that the sun is shining, the wind is blowing from mid 20s earlier in the week back to around 15 yesterday,and what is apparently an 'aggressive chop'(their words!) particular to this bay, but the combination of blue skies, clear water under the boat (and often in it) is irresistable, French support crews on station around the fairly large triangle sausage course and plenty of interesting craft to view in the qieter moments ashore.  Two Merlins here with Rod doing well with Foreign Affair.
Hopefully photos and maybe even video to follow.  As might be expected,alot of curiosity about these strange British boats!

Any results ?

Here are internet links with results and photos

http://www.ffvoile.fr/ffv/web/evenement/2010/OpenDeFrance/resultats//D%C3%A9riveurs%20Doubles.htm
http://www.ffvoile.fr/ffv/web/evenement/2010/OpenDeFrance/photos/home.asp?dir=6aout

Even

I don’t know from where Kieren gets the idea we were doing OK. Our inexperience on water with lumps in it had us falling all over the place, a wonky knee each meant we were delicate on corners, and sailing off 1005! didn’t help.  R1 we spent most of the time swimming round the bay, and dropped the last day's races altogether after a close encounter removed a 3ft section of our port gunwale, which we did eventually locate. There was a good breeze, particularly early in the week, and all in all a very enjoyable event, which we will jointly write up for the mag. There was some excellent video footage of 2988 which was much admired in the bar, and which they said would be made available on the site, but seems not to be there as yet. Basically the boats got a lot of attention but we miserably failed to represent the class in skill;- we blame the rest of you. Same place next year.