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La Solitaire du Figaro 2011
www.lasolitaire.com -Übersicht
Monday, August 8th 2011
Jean-Pierre Nicol slips through into lead
There has been plenty of action in the first 24 hours of racing on the
second leg of La Solitaire du Figaro from Caen to Dún Laoghaire, Dublin.
Jean-Pierre Nicol, racing on board Bernard Controls moves into the lead
following the bold decision to race in close to shore through the rocky area
round the Cherbourg peninsula this morning, whilst David Sineau (Britanie
Cosmetiques) is forced to abandon the race as a result of the damage
suffered after hitting the rocks close to Barfleur.
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Jean-Pierre Nicol (Bernard Controls)
Photo Credits: Courcoux/Marmara – Le Figaro
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Twenty to twenty five knots of established breeze from the West, North-West continues to propel
the fleet on the upwind slog across the English Channel towards Land's End,
the next point of passage, where the leaders are expected late Monday and
early hours of Tuesday morning.
Soon after Sunday's start the fleet was hit by a strong squall which left
Louis Maurice Tannyères (St. Ericsson) with a ripped genoa and the
accompanying French Naval Patrol ship, PSP Cormoran salvaging some drifting
paddlers and holidaying fisherman from being swept out into the Channel.
Overnight the solo sailors covered the first 120 miles from Caen across the
Cotentin coastline, round the Cherbourg peninsula and down between Sark and
Hern to round Guernsey a relatively strong 25 knots of wind, gusting 35.
Local knowledge of the tricky tidal currents and rocky seaboard came in
handy as the fleet negotiated the complicated passages; Jean-Pierre Nicol
(Bernard Controls) being the boldest to sail on the inside of the Gros du
Raz lighthouse through a very narrow channel in rough seas. The gamble paid
off to give him a mile advantage over the chasing pack.
Fourteen miles now separate the fleet laterally, with Eric Peron (Macif
2009, 17th and 2.6 miles from the leader) positioned furthest out to the
West and Sam Goodchild (Artemis, 36th and 5.4 miles from the leader) out on
the Eastern side. Average boat speeds have slowed to just over 6 knots as
they make headway to Land's End. “We have clear blue skies this afternoon
with a swell and choppy seas, 20 to 25 knots of established breeze ”
described Jacques Caraës, the Race Director from the sea. “I imagine that
now is the time for the solo sailors to try and get some rest in, let the
autopilot do its job for a bit in the upwind conditions. There will be one
more tack to realign and pass round Land's End which we should reach late
tonight or early hours of the morning Tuesday”, he continues.
Jérémie Beyou (BPI), Frédéric Duthil (Sepalumic), the rookie sailor Morgan
Lagravière (Vendée), in 4th, Erwan Tabarly (Nacarat), Eric Drouglazet
(Luisina), Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert), and a list that reads like the Who's
Who of Figaro sailing race are within a few hundred yards of each other as
they continue to make inroads on the 290 miles that reindex to the finish in
Dún Laoghaire. Phil Sharp (The Spirit of Independence) is the first British
sailor, currently lying in 15th place and just 2.2 miles from the leader.
Anthony Marchand (Bretagne Crédit Mutuel Espoir), who reported a
non-functioning autopilot shortly after the start, holds to 28th with a 4.3
mile deficit. With twelve miles now separating the leader from the trailing
boat, Sébastien Picault on Kickers, the time gap under the current 6 knots
of average boat speed, builds to two hours.
The 40 strong members of the shore operations and race management have
arrived to Dun Laoghaire's National Yacht Club to prepare for the arrival of
the 46 skippers expected on Wednesday 10th of August.
Quotes from the skippers at sea:
Jean-Pierre Nicol (Bernard Controls) – leading on the 16:00 position report
rankings: "It has gone well for me so far: the first part of this leg was
important off Cherbourg when I had to come in close to shore to shelter from
the tidal currents. Then I went through the rocky are, which was pretty
hairy. I just stayed below deck and used the autopilot and concentrated on
watching the nav screen to get through the narrow passage. I did not want
to be outside, it was too frightening! Now we are pretty much all on a port
tack. It feels good being in the leading position, lets hope it lasts!
This afternoon, we are making progress with the wind to the left (west) and
in the coming hours, we should have a new rotation to the right (Northwest).
We are expected to reach Land's End (tip of England) in the night or early
morning ... "
Anthony Marchand (British Espoir Crédit Mutuel) – limiting the damage: "I
have had a few problems which started just outside Ouistreham. Firstly it
was no electronics whatsoever. I have basically been stuck at the help
since the start. The inshore start racing with the spinnaker was not easy
at all in the waves. Then the night was difficult because I had no wind
information. But all that is old news now. I have to limit the damage and
keep the time deficit down to a minimum. Now I have changed to the solent
jib, which means that there are 25 knots and it is shaking out here!”
Eric Drouglazet (Luisina) – in sixth place and 0.4 miles from the leader:
"These are my kind of conditions and it was nice to go race in through the
rocky area. We did that for the Tour de France à la Voile, but there, all
alone with the screen on your knees, it's quite something to be right in the
middle of the rocks and race round inside the lighthouse at La Hague. But
then at night, you see nothing, so there is less fear! Since then, I have
put the solent jib on and I have managed three short naps. Currently we are
on a port tack. No glitches to report on board: it's pretty good and
normal, but then conditions should ease off a little. The only real issue
is the seaweed which you have to keep clearing from the rudders.”
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Sabina Mollart-Rogerson
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