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La Solitaire du Figaro - Les Sables
zur Übersicht
Betreff: SOLITAIRE: SKANDIA IS READY TO RACE, START AT 15H00...
Absender: "Offshore Challenges"
Datum: 30. Jul 2003 14:12
Skandia is a leading international long term savings company and title sponsor to Sam Davies' Figaro campaign
http://www.samdavies.com/skandia
FIGARO SOLO LEG 1 : Les Sables d'Olonne (France) to Bilboa-Gexto
Duration: 449 miles
ETA Bilbao-Gexto Saturday, 2nd August
Forecast: WNW 17-18 knots forecast to decrease late Thursday as fleet negotiate ridge of high pressure and light winds
IN BRIEF:
* Sam Davies racing SKANDIA gears up for the start of Leg 1 at 15h00 local time today from the starting port of Les Sables d'Olonne: "The adrenalin is pumping...I feel excited and a bit nervous too but can't wait to get going." Davies is only one of two females competing and is the first UK female entry for 25 years since Clare Francis competed in 1976...
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* 42 skippers will cross the start line on the 449 mile leg to Bilbao-Gexto in Spain heading north first to a race mark off Lorient before turning south for the offshore sprint to the Leg 1 finishing port... "Just the start will be challenging with 42 boats fighting for the line...I want to have a good but clean start and try and race my own race."
* The big names will be fighting too – Vendée winners Alain Gautier and Michel Desjoyeaux, as well as multihull champion Loick Peyron will be lining up against the younger starts of the Figaro circuit.
* Ten Rookies (Bizuths in French) amongst the 42 boat fleet...Sam will be aiming to finish on the Rookie podium for this event against some top class newcomer competition including Tour Voile expert Marc Emig and fellow Mini Transat sailor Yves Le Blevec: "Right now, there are lots of unknown factors and you don't find these out until you have raced against the other Rookies..."
* The crowds amassing on the pontoons of Les Sables d'Olonne may not match the numbers at the Vendée Globe finish but the atmosphere is just the same: "Thousands of people have passed to see the boats and hoping to catch a glimpse of the solo sailors...it is an amazing atmosphere and something totally new for me...". The French Minister for Sport also passed by this morning to wish Sam 'merde' (French for 'break a leg!).
Visit http://www.samdavies.com/skandia later today to read about the start...and check out the photos.
Listen to Sam's latest audio visit http://www.samdavies.com/skandia and click on the Audio button or download from:
http://www.ocftp.com/audio/sd280703a_uk.mp3
SAM COMMENTS:
ON THE START: "I am just downloading some final weather information from our weather router, Meeno Schrader. I have been getting these in fax form over the last few days to get me used to reading the information in this way as that is all we will get during each leg along with the daily weather update transmitted by the organisers via VHF. No assistance from the shore is allowed in any way, and the boats have no satellite communication equipment at all.
"The forecast is for WNW 17-18 knots for the first 24 hours maybe going more NW and set to decrease late tomorrow. This means we will start with some downwind or broadreaching on the course out of the bay of Les Sables d'Olonne before an upwind stretch towards the race mark off Lorient. With this wind direction we shouldn't be forced that close inshore - so no rock hopping I hope - but will be a case of playing the wind shifts. It's going to be hard as the fleet will be very close going up to Lorient so I can see the chances of any sleep will be limited. Off Lorient we go round the islands of Belle Illes before heading south towards the finishing port in Spain about 270 miles away.
"For me at the start of any big race it is a big relief to leave the dock, you know you can't do anymore preparation and all you can do now is just go out there and race. The adrenalin is pumping...I feel excited and a bit nervous too. I have spoken to my parents and my aunt and uncle our here in their boat to support me...it means a lot to have the support of everyone close to you and also from the general public who have shown up here.
ROOKIE COMPETITION:
"Once you have done the first leg it gives you a better idea to know how to approach the rest of race... Right now, there are lots of unknown factors and you don't find these out until you have raced against the other Rookies... Some will struggle and you will see others getting right into it - I hope I am one of those that can shine early on.
THE COURSE:
Prologue:
Monday, 28 July
Les Sables d'Olonne
Leg 1: Les Sables d'Olonne (France) to Bilbao-Getxo (Spain)
449 miles
Depart Les Sables d'Olonne, Wednesday 30 July
Arrive Bilbao-Getxo, Saturday 2 August
Leg 2 : Bilbao-Getxo (Spain) to La Rochelle (France)
494 miles
Depart Bilbao-Getxo, Tuesday 5th August
Arrive La Rochelle, Friday 8th August
Leg 3 : La Rochelle (France) to Dingle (Ireland)
536 miles
Depart La Rochelle, Monday 11th August
Arrive Dingle, Friday 15th August
Leg 4 : Dingle (Ireland) to Saint Nazaire (France)
500 miles
Depart Dingle, Monday 18th August
Arrive St Nazaire, Thursday 21st August
INTERESTING SOLITAIRE FACT:
2003 is the 34th edition of the race and has the longest course of 1,979 over four legs.
PERFORMANCE PARTNER OF THE DAY: McMurdo
Official supplier of safety equipment to the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team
http://www.offshorechallenges.com/mcmurdo
ENDS
For further details on Sam and her Skandia Figaro campaign, please see http://www.samdavies.com/skandia and for further information on the Solitaire du Figaro, please click on Race Info to read about the history, interesting facts, the course and competitors.
For latest images please contact Josie at Offshore Challenges +44 (0)1983 282 797 email josie@offshorechallenges.com or contact DPPI for latest start/race images +33 1 41 49 00 20 email Christophe Baudry at cbaudry@dppi.net
NOTES
Skandia is the title sponsor to Sam Davies' 2003 Figaro Campaign
Skandia Set Sail: making sailing more accessible; growing the sport's reach; enriching people's lives.
Skandia Cowes Week is the oldest and largest sailing regatta in the world with up to 1000 boats racing in the Solent. Skandia Cowes Week 2003 takes place between 2nd and 9th August.
Skandia is a leading international long term savings company.
http://www.skandia.com
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