| Ali Meller, 21 Aug 2009, To: jbd, 505-global After reading the sad news from Jean Baptiste, I have been remembering Marcel... Some of the memories that come to mind are: The 1995 World Championship in Marazion. In one race Pete Colclough and his son were first at the first weather mark, with Marcel Buffet and crew second! I raced almost ten 505 World Championships in a row from 1995 on, and recall that we had better height upwind than most of the fleet in light air in the earlier world championships we raced. This could be a significant advantage in a light air big fleet race, and we could squeeze out one team after another as we climbed our way into a top position at the first weather mark. Except Marcel could point a little bit higher, and at least once in Kingston Ontario and once in Townsville Australia were were climbing our way to windward forcing one boat after another to tack away for clear air, but not quite as fast as Marcel was climbing up to us, and eventually we were forced to tack away by the master himself. I learned enough to not start to weather of Marcel! The surprise 80th birthday party Saturday September 14, 2002 at Cercle de la Voile de Paris where Marcel was the guest of honor, and one by one past crews, past competitors, and other early members of the 505 class walked down the line to congratulate him and shake his hand. But Marcel was standing tall and straight and looked very fit and healthy, still dressed in sailing clothes (he had been racing a vintage 505 only a few minutes earlier), while many of his "contemporaries" were showing their age. I somehow thought that Marcel had "figured out" that staying active (I understand he went swimming every day to stay fit enough to race his 505) and never stopping racing the 505, was a secret way to stay youthful and active forever. Fascinating conversations with Marcel about his early adoption of the compass for tracking wind shifts, and what developments in 505s worked well (and some that did not) over the years. Marcel was a two-time 505 World Champion – with P. Woulff – in 1959 in Cork Ireland, and in 1960 in La Baule, France. He probably raced more 505 World Championships than anyone else. I recall asking him how many, and he came up with the answer by starting with the number of 505 World Championships held to that point, and subtracting the few that he had missed due to other commitments (such as an Olympic FD campaign). Marcel may also hold the record for the most 505s owned and raced. My sympathies go out to his family and his many friends. Ali Meller On Thu, Aug 20, 2009 at 7:04 PM, jbd <[email protected]> wrote: I'm especially sad to tell you all that Marcel
Buffet pass away at midnigth from a severe heart attack. All my thoughts today goes to his friends and family. –––––––––––––––––– What is the Optimum Age for 505 Racing? |
|
|
|
|
Marcel Buffet was already 32 when the Caneton 505 was introduced in 1954. The rapid growth of the 505 attracted many top sailors who contested the world championship starting in 1956. Marcel was one of these sailors, and with crew, P. Wolff, he won the 1959 and 1960 505 World Championship at ages 37 and 38. Buffet even dates the younger Paul Elvstr�m, who won the 1957 & 1958 world titles with P.Poullain. In the 1960s, Marcel occasionally raced 505s in Sweden and Germany. Pelle B�th, long-time Swedish 505 racer and past European 505 Champion, recalls: "When ...[I] first met Marcel at Kiel Week 1965 [Marcel was 43 in '65] no one in Sweden older than 25 years of age
sailed a dinghy. When we first set eyes at 'this old man' we could not believe our eyes - how does he cope.....? I remember a race in the 1995 World Championship in Mounts Bay where Marcel (at age 73) was second, behind Peter Colclough and son, at the first weather mark. I recall Marcel sailing high and fast after gating early in the last race of the 1996 World Championship and forcing many competitors to tack away for clear air. But Marcel is not just remarkable for having won two 505 World Championships or for racing 505s into his 80th year. Marcel is still racing 505s at 80 years of age. What will you be doing at that age? Ali Meller
/ 2002
Marcel Buffet has been involved with the 505 from the earliest days of the class. Racing against Paul Elvstrom and other famous sailors, he won the 1959 and 1960 World Championships. Committed to the 505, he has raced in almost every 505 Worlds ever held, only missing a few while doing an Olympic Campaign in the Flying Dutchman. He raced the heavy air 1992 Santa Cruz 505 Worlds at 71 years of age, raced in the 1995 Mounts Bay Worlds, finishing 24rd, and the 1996 Worlds in Townsville Australia, where he was 10th in the last race. No one has more war stories than Marcel Buffet, the ironman of the class. At 76 years old, Buffet has attended more 505 championships than any man alive or dead. He still crisscrosses Europe sailing his Five-0 more than 130 days a year. His lean, fit body and thick white mane standout like neon in a fleet of younger sailors, and yet at each eventthere's a moment when Buffet makes his presence known. In the penultimate race of the '98 championship, he rounded the first mark in tenth and nabbed three boats at the jibe mark as he nailed a crisp jibe, hopped in the straps and planed over the pack. He figures he's driven 2.5 million kilometers with his boat behind his car, road tripping to the next event. He works out at least three days a week at the health club, swimming or biking for an hour. And each year he ships his boat to the far reaches of the planet for the world championship. Why? When asked, he flashes the smile of a man who delights in the questions of a child and says, "The 505 is the perfect boat."
|
|
In the small 5o5 World, Marcel Buffet is a legend. World Champion in 1959 and 1960, he is about to race the 36th World at the age of 76. With his white hair and his face drawn by the sea itself, he does not look like a beginner. And so he is not since he finished 5th overall of the French Open Championship in Morgat at the age of 75 and he is looking forward to race the next World in Denmark. Famous sailor in the dinghy world he is the oldest sailor racing the event. He is well respected by his peers. "I started sailing the 5o5 in 1957. My helm did not like light breeze and one day he let me steer the boat thinking that I would keep quieter and do better than him. He was just about right". This is the way he became World champion (in 59) - title he managed to keep in 1960 - after Jacques Lebrun and Paul Elvstrom. "To become World champion, one must not only pick the right boat and the right set of sails, in addition one must bring something new. Beyond the fact that I was out sailing every day, whatever the weather conditions, I was first to use a compass on a dinghy. At the beginning, everyone was laughing at me and thought I did not know where I was on the course". These raillery did not last for long since it was so efficient ; and soon after the other competitors used it as well. Since most dinghies are using a compass.
Olympic games on the Flying Dutchman Following his titles won on the 5o5, Marcel decided to race the Flying Dutchman. He raced this boat for three years and he was selected for the Olympic games in 1964 in Tokyo (finishing 4th overall on a broken boat). But soon after he came back to its beloved 5o5. "The 5o5 is a versatile boat which allows to sail in different sorts of windshifts. It turns out to be very tactical and it gives great feelings and fun". Since then he is faithful to this dinghy and he is about to race the 36th World championship. "I am no longer a top competitor, and per say far from the top, I am sailing in the middle of the pack. Competition keeps me young and fit though." The only thing this old "Loup de mer" (experienced sailorman) regrets about the 5o5 is that this boat is not regarded as well as she should be in France. Where she is sailed in the UK, the USA, Australia and in more than ten other countries, the 5o5 does not get a similar success among the french. The 5o5 is currently one of the best dinghy despite she was designed in 1954 by the English architect John Westell. To the happy few... Marcel Buffet. A 5o5 fan. Dans le petit monde du 505, Marcel Buffet est une figure pour le moins l�gendaire. Champion en 1959 et 1960, il s'appr�te, � 75 ans, � participer au 36e championnat du monde. Portrait d'un vieux loup de mer. Cheveux blancs, le visage dessin� par la mer, Marcel Buffet n'a pas le profil d'un d�butant. Et pour cause, � 75 ans, le regard tourn� vers le large, il s'est class� cinqui�me (!) au championnat international de France de 505 � Morgat, en attendant les championnats du monde qui se d�rouleront mi-ao�t au Danemark. Figure l�gendaire du d�riveur, il reste le doyen de la comp�tition, respect� par ses pairs. �J'ai d�but� le 505 en 1957. Mon barreur d�testait le petit temps, et un jour il m'a donn� la barre, pensant que je resterais plus calme que lui. Il avait raison�. Et c'est ainsi que deux ans plus tard, il devint champion du monde -un titre qu'il conserva en 1960- succ�dant alors au palmar�s � Jacques Le Brun et Paul Elvstrom. �Pour devenir champion du monde, il faut tout d'abord bien choisir son bateau et ses voiles, mais il faut surtout apporter quelque chose de nouveau. Hormis le fait que je m'entra�nais tous les jours, quel que soit le temps, j'ai surtout �t� le premier � utiliser un compas de route en d�riveur. Au d�but, on m'a pris pour quelqu'un qui ne savait pas o� il �tait, et on se moquait de moi�. Des moqueries qui ne dur�rent qu'un temps, car devant son incontestable sup�riorit�, les autres concurrents l'imit�rent quelques ann�es plus tard. Depuis, les d�riveurs sont �quip�s de compas. Les JO de Tokyo en Flying DutchmanSuite � ces titres remport�s en 505, il d�cide de se consacrer au Flying Dutchman. Durant trois ans, il naviguera sur ce type de bateau, et sera m�me s�lectionn� pour les JO de Tokyo en 1964. Mais il reviendra rapidement � ses premi�res amours. �Le 505 est un bateau �volutif qui permet de jouer avec les diff�rents courants de vent. C'est un v�ritable jeu tactique, procurant des sensations formidables�. Depuis, il reste fid�le au d�riveur, et s'appr�te � participer � ces 36e championnats du monde. �Je ne suis plus au top niveau, loin de l�, mais je suis d�sormais au milieu du classement mondial. La comp�tition me permet de rester jeune et de garder la forme�. Seule ombre au tableau du 505, d'apr�s ce vieux loup de mer, le d�sint�r�t dont il fait l'objet dans l'hexagone. En effet, pratiqu� en Angleterre, en Australie, aux �tats-Unis, et dans une dizaine d'autres pays, le 505 ne conna�t pas le m�me engouement chez les Fran�ais. Il est pourtant consid�r� comme l'un des meilleurs d�riveurs � l'heure actuelle, et ce malgr� son �ge (il a �t� cr�� en 1954 par l'architecte anglais John Westell). Alors, avis aux amateurs. Marcel Buffet : un passionn� du 505 |
|
— Sv.505 F�rbundet — Uppdaterad 2023-03-13 |
