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La Solitaire du Figaro 2011
www.lasolitaire.com -Übersicht
Friday, August 19th 2011y
All that goes on off the race course
It’s not just another day in the office for the 42nd edition of La Solitaire
du Figaro race in sunny and unusually hot Les Sables d’Olonne in France.
Shore crews are busy preparing the boats, skipper’s recover, relax, chat to
each other and discuss the latest weather forecasts ahead of Sunday’s start.
The public visit the race village, stroll along the pontoon to take pictures
and kids ask their favourite skippers for autographs before the prize giving
ceremony.
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Photo Credits: Courcoux/Marmara – Le Figaro
The pontoons in Les Sables d’Olonne
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Do sailors dream when they are at sea? With three days and three nights at
sea, there is not much time to sleep, but some to admit to dreaming:“I dream
a lot at sea, bizarre visions like going buying a baguette on my bike.”
Exclaims Roindex Attanasio (Savéol).
“I sleep down below, to keep an eye to the navigation instruments. During
the Solitaire I haven’t slept longer than 10 minutes, 15 maximum at a time.
I wake up spontaneously and I never dream. It happened to me in
double-handed races, when you have a much more regular rhythm, but never on
the Solitaire. What do I dream for on the fourth leg? Crossing in first with
an hour advantage over the second!” Thomas Rouxel (Bretagne Crédit Mutuel
Performance).
“I never dream at sea and I never sleep soundly because there just is not
enough time. But I do ashore… utterly unlikely dreams, funny, incredible
stories and indexly during the first hour of sleep after a race.” Jérémie
Beyou (BPI).
“When I sleep, I start dreaming at once, bizarre, odd dreams… Sometimes it
whilst I am at the helm and then I start hearing voices. I suddenly wake up
and it’s gone, I guess it’s a form of hallucination. Ashore, frankly, I
don’t remember I’m too busy recovering.” Isabelle Joschke (Galettes
Saint-Michel).
Les Sables d’Olonne in the Vendée region of France is a town that has a very
special meaning to many solo sailors. It is famous for being the start and
finish town of the non stop round the world race, the Vendée Globe. Some of
the sailors have competed on this race, others have been to Les Sables to
train for the Figaro and all are enjoying the friendly atmosphere and huge
public support they receive on the stop over before the start of the final
leg on Sunday to Dieppe.
“The Sables d’Olonne reminds me of the start and finish of the Vendée Globe.
The huge crowds coming here, anytime day or night, to greet and welcome the
sailors. You always feel at home here.” Laurent Gouezigoux (Valorisons)
“I’m so happy I’ve done well, finishing in Les sables. It feels like
homecoming and my sponsors are from here, I couldn’t ask for more.” Morgan
Lagravière (Vendée)
“I’ve won a leg finishing in Les Sables, it was in 2007 and I beat Michel
Desjoyeaux, after a very tough crossing so I have very good memories. Les
Sables d’Olonne, is a place I’m fond of and the people here are always so
welcoming.” Fred Duthil (Sepalumic)
The solo sailors set out with certain dreams and ambitions at the start of
La Solitaire du Figaro but now at the end of the third stage of the race,
what have they become?
“I am below the target I set myself at the start: last year I finished 18th
and was hoping to be among the top ten this year and now I am in 30th place!
There is one last leg where I need to go for it to try and have a good end
of the race” explains Jean-Charles Monnet (Paris-Château Peyrat Fourthon
15).
"I go below deck, where I can keep an eye on the instruments. I have a lot
of alarms, so if any little thing changes, wind, boat speed, it wakes me up.
I do not count only on my sixth sense. It would not be prudent. But I tend
not to dream. I sleep so deeply and try and think of good things when
falling to sleep.” Sam Goodchild (Artemis)
"On the eve of the 4th stage, I am disappointed because I have not sailed
well so far. The only constant thing is that I make lots of mistakes!
What's more, I am just not having any luck. In the storms at the end of the
third stage, I was just stuck becalmed for two and half hours close to the
finish line unable to get across it…but I am not going to carry on moping:
one always gets the place one deserves. "Sébastien Picault (Kickers)
"I do not feel that I am not in contention. My ambitions of victory or the
podium are a little far off now, but it was not my primary goal. I wanted to
be in the top ten: everything needs to be done on this final leg. We will
navigate in very variable and uncertain conditions... I'm a better on the
attack than on the defensive. It should be an interesting race."
Jean-Pierre Nicol (Bernard Controls)
"I do not say to myself that I sailed badly because I am unable to sail. I
tell myself that it is not me that is sailing right now. This is a person
with problems and too many things going on in my mind. I am not expressing
my potential. I have lots of little things that have just accumulated and
right now I am pretty bogged down with it all. I know things will change
after this Solitaire when I am going to get some rest and try and do
something else for bit.” Francisco Lobato (Roff)
Conditions at the finish of the third leg in Les Sables d’Olonne were
incredible. The rising sun and rainstorms transformed the sky and the sea
into a work of art, a real surreal painting. A unique moment for the
exhausted skippers who, after more than 470 miles, discovered a new side to
a finish…
“The finish was magical! A thunderstorm at dawn, I’ve never seen such a sky,
those shades and that light… Pink, orange, blue, black, grey and an immense
rainbow: just unique!” described a happy Jeanne Grégoire (Banque Populaire).
“It was the first time that I saw such a bright light and incredibly intense
shades of red. You can see stunning things at sea, but that was exceptional!
Usually we haven’t time to contemplate, especially near the finish. But
then, I took a moment to watch the lightning, to hear the thunders…”
enthused Erwan Tabarly (Nacarat).
There is the race on the water... then all that goes on ashore! Birthdays,
weddings, meetings, La Solitaire du Figaro is played as much at sea as it is
ashore. Over the month long event the racing on the water is bitterly
fierce then on the shore it is equally busy but it is more a matter of rest
and getting fit again for the next leg. There is time to regain strength,
to sleep, but also attend the cocktail parties, chat with fellow
competitors, meet the public and sponsors...and get married!
"For the past five years I have celebrated my birthday on the Solitaire and
each time, I am fortunate to have had entire organisation with me. This
year, Claire de Crépy, (the event Director) said that this should be one of
the most beautiful editions. I think we're on the right track. This one has
a very special feel about it. Let's hope we get an equally wonderful finish
to the event.” Jacques Caraës (Race Director, 52 today)
"I travel so much, but at least we will all be there together at the finish
in Dieppe. Tomorrow it will be simple, we will go to City Hall at noon to
tie the knot and then we will raise a glass to celebrate in the Partners
Club with all. Les Sables d'Olonne is my home base and I am part of the
Vendée Pole, although I almost never have time to train because of work."
Maurice Tannyères Louis (St Ericsson) is going to get married on Saturday in
Sables d'Olonne to Emma, his partner of the past six years and his assistant
on the race...
For the latest videos please register at:
http://solitairedufigaro.nefertiti-prod.tv
Formats: Flash, I-Phone and Quicktime
Facebook:
http://fr-fr.facebook.com/pages/La-Solitaire-du-Figaro/340274282728
Sabina Mollart-Rogerson
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