TRANSAT AG2R CONCARNEAU / ST BARTH - on 2008 / SIGNATURE of the agreement ENTERS THE VARIOUS PARTNERS
(Reprinted from articles appearing in Le Journal de Saint-Barth & St Barth News)

On Wednesday, December 5, 2007, Saint Barth's delegation, made up Arnaud Grandclerc and Didier Greaux, owners of TOP-LOC, Michel Magras, the representative of the Collectivité of Saint Barthélemy , and Miguel Danet, our national skipper, flew away to Europe for the presentation of the crew Concarneau / St . Barth.

On Thursday morning, after the journey and a break at the hotel, this delegation went to the Boat show on the stand of the ‘Ocean race’ to attend the press conference.

At 11:30 am an interview of the elect members from both communities as well as the organizer of the Ocean race, was realized by LCI on the stand ‘Ouest France’, so revealing the constitution of a team associating two cities and two skippers working in the same direction …. to get upward humanely.

Finally, the heart of both skippers thrills as approach the time of official presentation of the team Concarneau - Saint Barth.

In a speech by Gilbert LeBris, Mayor of Concarneau, he shaed his happiness to welcome for the second time the departure of Transat AG2R because it urges the city to open towards the multi-activity: ocean race, sailing and fishing, " the port is in the city and the city is in sync with the port ". He invited Eric Peron, Concarnois, 26 years, one crossing AG2R to his credit, to introduce himself. Michel Magras then presented his island "we are used to be the terminal point of this Transat race, which arouses a real popular craze ". Then, finally Miguel's turn to appear- Miguel, age 22, of Saint Barth, skipper of Wayayaï at TOPLOC. Miguel announced the main subject of this race: youth and Sport, " We want to make the schools of Concarneau and Saint Barth participate in this project by nourishing their envy to sail'.

After the official announcement, the skippers presented themselves for photos and interviews for the various available magazines as “Ocean Race" and the newspapers of the coast Finistère.

A Parisian apéro (without G 27) gathered everybody to the famous table where the agreement AG2R was able to be signed by the various partners, TOPLOC, the Communities of Saint Barth and Concarneau and the AUREMAT company, the supplier of the boat. All this small world then met itself around a friendly meal in the premises of the boat show.

On January 19th Eric and Miguel will launch their boat in the port of Concarneau and it is later, that the operation "commando group" will begin with them. Attendance in the training center of the Pole Finistère Ocean Race in Port-la-Forêt where an extensive program awaits for them: finished the quiet ballads on Wayayaï, strong apéros, the unforeseen and lively evenings, the fresh sea breezes of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Saint Barth's delegation is anxious to take advantage of the occasion to thank deeply St Barth Evasion for the organization of this journey.