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La Solitaire du Figaro 2008 - Start 25.07.2008
www.lasolitaire.com - Regatta Europa 2008
Press Release, 29 November 2007
La Solitaire du Figaro 2008:
Three stages and even more miles
La Solitaire du Figaro 2008 returns to the original format: the 39th edition of the race, like the original Course de l'Aurore, it will be made up of three stages, one less yet with even more miles and a new host stop over port. There will be record 1,880 miles to cover over the course of the race between France and Spain and through the Irish and Celtic Seas.
Just a year away from the 40th edition of the race, the sporting and human adventure of La Solitaire du Figaro looks forward to many further editions of the race in the years to come.
La Rochelle will play host to the fleet for La Solitaire from the 19th to 25th of July and will start the 39th edition of the race. This will be the 7th time La Rochelle hosts the event. The excellent facilities the basin can offer together with the professional nature of all nautical events hosted here, has resulted in the race organisers returning.
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18 years later.Back to Vigo
On the 25th of July the race will set off from La Rochelle and head for Vigo in Spain. The 465 mile leg is a classic Figaro course that will see the fleet cross the Bay of Biscay, round Cape Finisterre - which will no doubt throw up some surprises, and the Cies Isles, the final course mark before the finish in Vigo. The Spanish stopover is always both eagerly awaited and appreciated by the competitors. Vigo hosts the race stop for the third time as the event returns after 18 years.
The run north to Normandy.
On the 31st of July it will be time to leave for Cherbourg-Octeville, 590 miles of racing punctuated with strategic passage points: Cape Finisterre again, the Raz de Sein, the Channel Isles and finally the unpredictable Raz de Blanchard. The pace will be fast on this leg and there will be some key passage points that will require careful handling. The southern Norman town, that hosted the 2006 start, will welcome and play host to the fleet.
A legendary new stage.
Finally, on the 8th of August, the fleet will head off on the 825-mile marathon leg to the port of L'Aber Wrac'h. The longest leg in the history of La Solitaire (the 762 miles on the last edition of the race were shortened due to the weather conditions) will make up two legs as for the 39th edition of the race there will be no Irish stop-over. The competitors will however be spending quite some time in these seas as for the first time, they will head round the Isle of Man, situated North East of Dublin. It will be the first time the race heads up to such Northern latitudes. What is going to be tough is knowing how to handle 6 days single handed racing, if you consider that the fleet, for the most part, averages some 6 knots; 825 miles that will push them to the limit and bring them to Brittany. The new port of L'Aber Wrac'h, inaugurated in 2007, will welcome La Solitaire du Figaro for the very first time.
"Working around 3 legs as opposed to 4 for the 2008 edition of the race gives the competitors an 825-mile leg, the longest in the history of La Solitaire. Whether it be the short coastal sprint or a long offshore marathon, all will have a chance to excel over the various stages of this race", explains Jacques Caraës
The 2008 edition of La Solitaire du Figaro comprises 3 legs over 1,800
nautical mile course.
AGENDA:
LA ROCHELLE
Village opens: Saturday 19th July
Suzuki Prologue: Wednesday 23rd July
Start 1st leg: Friday 25th July
VIGO (Spain) 465 Miles
Organisers arrive: Saturday 26th July
Expected arrival of the boats: Monday 28th July
Start 2d leg: Thursday 31st July
CHERBOURG-OCTEVILLE 590 Miles
Organisers arrive: Friday 1st August
Village opens: Saturday 2d August
Expected arrival of the boats: Monday 4th August
Start 3rd leg: Friday 8th August
L'ABER WRAC'H 825 Miles
Organisers arrive: Sunday 10th August
Village opens: Tuesday 12th August
Expected arrival of the boats: Thursday 14th August
Nautical parade: Sunday 17th August
1984: Stopover Host Port, Christophe Cudennec wins two legs and the race overall
1985: Host Port for the finish, Philippe Poupon wins the race overall
1990: Host Port for the finish, Laurent Cordelle wins the race overall
1995: Stopover Host Port: Alain Gautier wins the final leg
2001: Host Port for the start: Eric Drouglazet wins the race overall
2003: Stopover Host Port, Armel Le Cleac'h wins the leg and the race overall
2005: Stopover Host Port, Italian sailor Pietro D'Ali wins the leg
VIGO - Spain (465 milles)
Organisers Arrive: Saturday 26th July
Boats Expected Arrival: Monday 28th July
2nd Leg Start: Thursday 31st July
1985: Stopover Host Port, Philippe Poupon wins the leg
1990: Stopover Host Port, Yves Parlier wins the leg
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Fotos: Marmara/Vialeron - Le Figaro
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CHERBOURG-OCTEVILLE - France (590 milles)
Organisers Arrive: Friday 1st August
Boats Expected Arrival: Monday 4h August
3rd Leg Start: Friday 8th August
1991: Host Port for the Start, Yves Parlier wins the race overall
1998: Host Port for the Start: Michel Desjoyeaux wins the race overall
2000: Host Port for the Finish, Pascal Bidégorry wins both the leg and race overall
2002: Host Port for the Finish, Yann Eliès wins the leg
2006: Host Port for the Start, Nicolas Troussel wins the race overall
L'ABER WRAC'H - France (825 milles)
Organisers Arrive: Sunday 10th August
Boats Expected Arrival: Thursday 14th August
Nautical Parade: Sunday 17th August
For further media information please contact: Sabina Mollart-Rogerson on tel: + 34 666 759 530 or email: sabinamollartrogerson@gmail.com
www.lasolitaire.com
12-08-2008 - Nicolas Troussel wins the 39th edition of Solitaire du Figaro
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