The 45 sailors competing on the 41st edition of La Solitaire du Figaro got off today at 14:00 under overcast skies in the bay of Le Havre with 8/9 knots of breeze from varying north-westerly direction.  Bar the two individual recalls given to overeager rookies, Francisco Lobato (ROFF/TEMPO/TEAM) and Louis Maurice Tannyeres (St. Ericsson) the race got off to a clean start.  Eric Peron (Massif 2009), warded off some stiff competition to reach the offset mark some thirty minutes into racing in the lead and continued to ward off attempts by Frederic Duthil (BBox) and Adrien Hardy (AGIR) to grab the coveted Radio France mark lead.

The fleet now face their first night at sea with wind predicted to rise gradually overnight to up to 20 knots from the North, Northwest on the approach to the Cotentin and Barfleur headlands.  The sailors now face multiple difficulties, but one in particular that all unanimously complained of before the start is the seaweed.  “It can stop the boat and even modify your course, especially at night when you don’t see it and you could be sleeping… you can well sail for 20 or 30 minutes without realising and that’s a disaster. It’s a minefield for everybody and I am under the impression that I get more than the others!” Worried Eric Drouglazet (Luisina) competing for the 18th time on the race.

The first part of the leg could be considered as “inshore and very technical” marked by the crossing of the bay of Seine; the skippers will then have to sail past the Cotentin and the Raz Blanchard headlands, well known for the strength of their powerful currents. Aurigny Island must be left to starboard, at the passage of the cape of the Hague, the sailors then head South sailing through the Channel Islands. Guernsey and Herm are official gates, which means that the fleet have to either sail through the narrow passage called the Great Russel on a direct route, or sail a more Southerly course depending on the turning tide times.  This first stage requires careful navigation and strategy to be well positioned for the second stretch along to Brittany headland.

The course between the Four channel and the Raz de Sein is yet another difficult and technical area that will remind the trailing skippers that nothing is yet decided with so many new obstacles to face. The Triagoz isles, île de Batz, île Vierge, Four lighthouse, Molène archipelago, Saint-Mathieu point, the legendary île Tévennec, île de Sein, passage of the Raz de Sein... there will be so many key passages to approach and each requires careful negotiation.  Once these initial 90 miles have been covered, the sailors will head south on the run to Gijón.

Pietro D'Ali (I.NOVA 3) from Italy reached the Radio France buoy in 21st place whilst Francisco Lobato (ROFF/TEMPO/TEAM) from Portugal managed to climb up to 31st place after the upset start and Jonny Malbon (Artemis) from the UK reached in 41st place; but it is early days with a further 511 miles to go to the finish in Asturias.

The stage is set in the Bay of SeineThe 45 sailors competing on the 41st edition of La Solitaire du Figaro got off today at 14:00 under overcast skies in the bay of Le Havre with 8/9 knots of breeze from varying north-westerly direction.  

Bar the two individual recalls given to overeager rookies, Francisco Lobato (ROFF/TEMPO/TEAM) and Louis Maurice Tannyeres (St. Ericsson) the race got off to a clean start.  Eric Peron (Massif 2009), warded off some stiff competition to reach the offset mark some thirty minutes into racing in the lead and continued to ward off attempts by Frederic Duthil (BBox) and Adrien Hardy (AGIR) to grab the coveted Radio France mark lead.The fleet now face their first night at sea with wind predicted to rise gradually overnight to up to 20 knots from the North, Northwest on the approach to the Cotentin and Barfleur headlands.  

The sailors now face multiple difficulties, but one in particular that all unanimously complained of before the start is the seaweed. “It can stop the boat and even modify your course, especially at night when you don’t see it and you could be sleeping… you can well sail for 20 or 30 minutes without realising and that’s a disaster. It’s a minefield for everybody and I am under the impression that I get more than the others!” Worried Eric Drouglazet (Luisina) competing for the 18th time on the race. The first part of the leg could be considered as “inshore and very technical” marked by the crossing of the bay of Seine; the skippers will then have to sail past the Cotentin and the Raz Blanchard headlands, well known for the strength of their powerful currents. Aurigny Island must be left to starboard, at the passage of the cape of the Hague, the sailors then head South sailing through the Channel Islands. Guernsey and Herm are official gates, which means that the fleet have to either sail through the narrow passage called the Great Russel on a direct route, or sail a more Southerly course depending on the turning tide times.  

This first stage requires careful navigation and strategy to be well positioned for the second stretch along to Brittany headland.The course between the Four channel and the Raz de Sein is yet another difficult and technical area that will remind the trailing skippers that nothing is yet decided with so many new obstacles to face. The Triagoz isles, île de Batz, île Vierge, Four lighthouse, Molène archipelago, Saint-Mathieu point, the legendary île Tévennec, île de Sein, passage of the Raz de Sein... there will be so many key passages to approach and each requires careful negotiation.  

Once these initial 90 miles have been covered, the sailors will head south on the run to Gijón.Pietro D'Ali (I.NOVA 3) from Italy reached the Radio France buoy in 21st place whilst Francisco Lobato (ROFF/TEMPO/TEAM) from Portugal managed to climb up to 31st place after the upset start and Jonny Malbon (Artemis) from the UK reached in 41st place; but it is early days with a further 511 miles to go to the finish in Asturias.

Preparing for La Solitaire du Figaro here