Conditions over the last three days have been tough for both the Race Committee and competitors at the Marseille International Match Race. The Principle Race Officer had to go scouring for wind on Marseille’s Outer Harbor for the final day.

Poland's Karol Jablonski overcame both a slow start earlier in the week and the regatta’s hottest skipper Bertrand Pacé, to win his second Marseille International Match Race in a row.

The Polish took the first race quite comfortably, but then watched the French battle back to even the score and force a third and deciding match.

In his semifinal, Jablonski dispatched of his opponent, the Frenchman Luc Pillot, former helmsman for America’s Cup le Défi Areva Challenge, 2-0, to gain momentum heading into his clash with Pacé, who likewise shed his opponent, France’s Matthieu Richard.

In the petit finals, the young French match racer Matthieu Richard defeated his fellow countryman Luc Pillot to finish third. In the sail-off, New Zealand’s Kelvin Harrap swept past native son Dimitri Deruelle to finish fifth.

The next event on the International Tour is the Congressionnal Cup in Long Beach, California, April 19/24.

Results

Finals : Jablonski def. Pacé, 2/1
Petit finals : Richard def. Pillot, 2/0
Semi-finals : Pacé def. Richard, 2/0 - Jablonski def. Pillot, 2/0
Sail-off : Harrap def. Deruelle, 2/0