La Solitaire du Figaro 2010

27.Juli-19.August 2010
www.lasolitaire.com - Übersicht

Wednesday, 18th August 2010
Solitaire du Figaro: final miles to the finish, will it be glory or sorrow?

This is not a race for the faint-hearted, that is for sure. The finale of La Solitaire du Figaro is proving to be more exciting than ever. If Armel le Cleac’h and François Gabart are pretty certain of their victory and second place overall, behind them, the battle for the third place is wide open. The approach to raz Blanchard will be crucial. Thousands of people are gathering in the Race Village in Cherbourg to welcome the skippers.

There is a real race inside the race that is going on over the final miles to Cherbourg. Four skippers have been battling furiously since yesterday morning, and it is not over yet. On top the duel between Armel Le Cléac’h and Corentin Douguet has been relentless, the two separated by less than a mile, checking on each other’s moves, no doubt. Close behind them another couple, François Gabart and Eric Peron, team-mates in the Skipper Macif team and rivals on the water. They are conducting a war of nerves, like they did on the first leg from le Havre to Gijón when they finished in 2nd and 3rd in rapid succession.

These four sailors took a comfortable lead on the pack after the Lizen Ven mark since fifth placed Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert) is currently some four miles behind. But the experienced sailor from Brittany is famous for never giving up. He’s up for two objectives: a good placement in the final leg and the podium, which may not be so far away.

It’s not premature to guess that Armel Le Cleac’h and François Gabart could secure the first two steps on the podium, but the bronze medal is there to fight for. There are no less than three skippers that can still aim for it: Corentin Douguet (E.Leclerc Mobile), Eric Peron (Skipper Macif 2009) and Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert). They have managed to get enough ground on Thomas Rouxel (Crédit Mutuel de Bretagne) who occupied the provisional third place and fell victim of a borken spinnaker.

For all of them, anyway, it will be crucial to get to Cap de la Hague before the tidal flow reverses, mid afternoon, because later 30 minutes could well become 1 and a half hour or more with a current running against.

Bravo to Italian Pietro D’Alì (I.NOVA.3) who has finally found the speed and consistency he has been looking for since the start in Le Havre, after the Fastnet Rock he has been constantly in the top places. His sixth place in the leg should be certain, since he has a four-mile lead on his friend Kito de Pavant (with whom he won the Transat AG2R back in 2006). Unfortunately, young Portoguese Francisco Lobato lost some ground over the last hours, going down a dozen places and being now 20th in the leg overall ranking, while Franco/German Isabelle Joschke (Synergie) is in 36th and Briton Jonny Malbon (Artemis) is in 38th.

Whilst his colleagues are still fighting for glory an unlucky Bernard Stamm has reached Cherbourg, completing the delivery of his damaged boat from Kinsale, he too is ready to welcome the winners.

Quotes form the skippers:
Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air)
“The conditions are ideal to finish this great leg: some sun, a blue sky and the breeze which is slowly coming back. We’re under spinnaker heading to Cherbourg and we’re going to gibe soon. It’s nice to be in the lead. This year I feel I’m very well tuned with the boat, the nature. I feel all right onboard, the strategy, the wind, the boat’s speed, everything’s fine and comes as I wished. It happens sometimes,, in certain races… In Kinsale someone said that 1 hour 17 minutes was not such a comfortable lead but you see? If I were a bit behind now… I reckon that there will be huge gaps at the finish, so the overall ranking was far from sure. There will be some big changes and this leg is going to be remembered for a long time. I was thinking about my past Solitaire races and I know you have to be grateful when everything goes the right way, because it s not always like that. I’m enjoying every minute of it, I’m steering, its good. I’ll wait until after the raz Blanchard to celebrate. The risk is to get there when the tide flow changes. If the breeze stays like that, it will be ok, we will get over it without too many worries. I stay vigilant, keeping an eye on the different possibilities, considering all the options.”

Corentin Douguet (E.Leclerc Mobile) “What a great day to be racing and a great place to be. For me it’s a perfect last day, I’m happy. I’ve been trying to catch Armel Le Cléac’h since yesterday a.m. but he’s always there in front. He’s Armel, he’s very good… last night I nearly got him but then I sailed into a big patch of seaweed and all of a sudden he’s gone again.
I could rest earlier today, I took good care of eating and drinking enough, it’s the last lap and you have to give everything you have. Don’t want to regret anything later… I try to sail at max speed, trimming the sails not to loose on Armel and watching out for François (Gabart ed. note). There is always a chance to break something and that would be disaster. It’s a weird feeling, leaving Ireland I jus wanted to sail a good leg, be in the top ten and then, when I heard the ranking at Lizen Ven… we will see, we will see at the finish!”

Winning couple Le Cleac’h and Gabart flying downwind Photo Credit: Courcoux-Marmara/Le Figaro

High resolution photographs for editorial use available upon request

Start of the 4th leg: Monday 16th August - CHERBOURG-OCTEVILLE (435 miles) Closing Parade: Sunday 22nd August Carla Anselmi