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Close climax set for Fecamp GP

Bayer scored a victory at Fecamp and is in third place overall

FECAMP, France -- Three different winners on the second day of the Grand Prix de Fécamp set the stage for a close finish to the final event of the ORMA 9 Telecom Grand Prix circuit.

Belgacom, Fujifilm and Bayer each won a race -- two round the buoys events and one 40-mile coastal race.

The grand prix is the last chance to assess the form of the 18.28m (60ft) trimarans before the start of the all-important singlehanded Route du Rhum transatlantic race on November 10 from St Malo to Guadeloupe.

During the three races on day two 15 to 25 knot winds had the Formula One machines of ocean racing flying at speeds of up to 35 knots.

Jean Luc Nélias in Belgacom was unable to dominate the racing as he did on Friday when he won both races, although he still managed the maintain the overall lead by winning the first race of the day.

Nelias seems to finally have overcome the disappointment of a dismasting which put him out of the first two grand prix of the season and is showing good potential for the Route du Rhum.

The second race saw the first win of the season for Fred Le Peutrec on his new Nigel Irens-designed Bayer en France.

As expected the closest challenge for the overall result still came from Loick Peyron in Fujicolor, the current leader of the GP circuit with wins in the last two events.

Peyron chased Nelias hard finally winning the coastal race to maintain second place overall, eight points behind Nelias.

Grand Prix de Fecamp results after five races

1- Jean-Luc Nélias (Belgacom) 1+1+1+2+2 = 7 points

2- Loïck Peyron (Fujifilm) 2+2+6+4+1 = 15 points

3- Frédéric Le Peutrec (Bayer CropScience) 5+8 (DNF)+2+1+3 = 19 points

4- Marc Guillemot (Biscuits La Trinitaine-Ethypharm) 3+3+3+5+8 (DNS) = 22

points

5- Karine Fauconnier (Sergio Tacchini) 4+3+4+7+4 = 22 points

6- Philippe Monnet (Sopra Group) 6+5+5+3+5 = 24 points

7- Bertrand de Broc (Banque Covefi) 7+6+8 (DNF)+6+6 = 33 points