Monday, 9th August 2010
Solitaire du Figaro: start of Leg 3, fast track to Kinsale
The 44 skippers taking part to Leg 3 of the Solitaire du Figaro left Brest
today for a 349 miles long route bound for Kinsale. The start was hampered
by the bulk of the fleet clustering the pin end of the line, causing
individual recalls and several protest flags to be raised. Leaving the
goulet de Brest prove to be as hard as expected with collisions, penalty
turns and a boat actually hitting the rocks. Portuguese skipper, Francisco
Lobato, rounded the Radio France mark in 5th position ahead of his fellow
first time participants.
Skippers left the pontoons from 11.00 waving goodbye to shore teams,
families, friends and supporters ready to embark on the 349 miles of pure
competitive sailing to Kinsale, together with La Belle Poule, the French
Naval tall ship who hoisted her full set of sails, offering an spectacular
and rare show for the gathered public out to watch the start.
Even before the start procedure was given, the atmosphere was full of
excitement and expectation. At the start several boats were over the line,
some going back to take a penalty and re-start, but the situation was pretty
confused and many skipper’s decided to hoist the protest flag. At the
weather mark, the bouée Seamobile, two boats collided and further penalty
turns ensued.
At the Radio France mark, the much-appreciated first prize went to François
Gabart on Skipper Macif 2010, who was followed by Thomas Rouxel on Crédit
Mutuel de Bretagne and Sébastien Josse on Vendée. Young Portuguese newcomer
to the Figaro, Francisco Lobato on ROFF/TEMPO-TEAM had an excellent start to
then round the mark in fifth, first among the rookies. Other non French
skippers were reported to be in the second half of the fleet: Swiss Bernrd
Stamm in 29th, Italian Pietro D’Alì in 36th, Jonny Malbon in 39th and
Franco/German Isabelle Joschke in 43rd.
Shortly after rounding the Radio France buoy, Gabart ran onto the rocks
whilst sailing very close to shore. He was forced to get off the boat and
was then able to literally push the boat off the rocks without requesting
outside assistance and immediately went back to racing.
Upon leaving Brest and the bay of Camaret, the fleet made course up to the
Four Channel, which can prove to be a very complex stretch of the course,
especially renown for the tough cross currents. The Molène archipelago and
the isle of Ushant will have to be left to port side, then the Portsall
plateau leaving the cardinal mark west Grande Basse de Portsall to port
side. The leaders could get there, according to the latest ETA tonight
between 8 and 9 p.m.
The fleet will then begin the second part of the leg that will take the
skippers across the Channel towards Wolf Rock, which must be left to port.
The fleet is expected to reach Wolf Rock around breakfast time Tuesday.
Kinsale will welcome the 2010 Solitaire du Figaro for the 19th time in the
41-year history of the classic summer race, the highest number of visits
received by any venue to have hosted the race stops.
Quotes from the skippers in Brest, before leaving for Leg 3
Pietro D’Alì (I.NOVA.3)
“This is not going an easy leg but at least it’s going to be fast. The
latest weather report says there will be more wind that we thought, so it
will probably less hard to get out of the gulf. The cold front will come
later than expected, there is a chance that we will round Wolf Rock reaching
and then a long upwind part to the Fastnet. The wind will be pretty instable
after that, we will need all our focus tacking up to Kinsale. The finish is
expected for Wednesday might, it’s going to be pretty quick… You will have
to stay in the leading group from the start, not to accumulate too much
distance, as apparently there will be no stop and go this time. I feel all
right, especially after a massage and a good dose of sleep, I’m ready to go
for the third one. I hope I will have the chance to fight to be in the top
ten.”
Armel Le Cléac’h (Britair)
“Sure, it’s the shortest one, but we will be busy anyway. Getting out the
goulet de Brest (bottleneck harbour) this afternoon against the current
won’t be easy, then the long tack to Cornwall, speed needed there, and the
Celtic sea to complicate things further. Not simple at all, we’ll have to
watch out. As in any other leg… you can loose ground and be left behind. The
start is tricky but the rest as well, with many options to take. I’m a bit
tired, that’s true because you never recover 100% of your energies. We are
midpoint now with a tricky leg to be dealt with. And it’s not just all about
speed, but there’s also strategy, weather routing and we are under stress.”
Jean-Paul Mouren (Marseillentreprises)
“I’m convinced it’s going to be a good leg, as the previous ones. It will
probably be less sunny when we’ll get to Ireland; I have my umbrella ready…
My wish? You know, choosing the right option or the wrong one takes exactly
the same energy, so I will try and be on the right track, be at one with the
weather. That’s what you need to do, be on the same wavelength with nature,
or it’s going to be all wrong.”
François Gabart (Skipper Macif 2010)
“We had two good ones, I must admit I’m biased because all went well for me.
And for this one, we have all the right ingredients: light wind and current,
then reaching under spinnaker or genoa; the Celtic Sea is going to be
interesting too because there is a small secondary low pressure and there
will surely be wind shifts to consider. Then another ridge and another
front. A full plate for the game to be fun. I’m happy to get going because I
feel all right, the boat is ready and I guess I got the rhythm. I need to go
on sailing like I did on the previous two legs: look for maximum speed and
try to be at the right place at the right moment.”
Marc Emig (Marcemigetmoi.com)
“I need to learn to sail in the rain! More seriously, I wish to be able to
stay in the top group, not to give up when things go wrong, be back in the
match and get to Kinsale in a good mood with the longest possible lead. Then
I will still have the last leg to try a coup and go up some 5 or 6 places.”
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