Young Figaro scholarship

Opportunity to compete in the Credit Agricole Challenge Espoir

Sponsor Credit Agricole in association with the Pôle Finistère Course au Large, the famous singlehanded offshore training school in Port la Foret, will this year be once again running the Challenge Espoir, for young budding solo offshore sailors aged 18 to 25, the prize of which is an impressive two years of sponsorship and a Figaro Beneteau II yacht to campaign on the Figaro circuit.

Skandia's Sam Davies tells us that although it is uncertain if someone non-French is allowed to win, competing in the Challenge Espoir is open to foreigners and is an excellent opportunity for keen young solo sailors to come and do a regatta - at low cost.
The first round is a selection process done on the individual's CV, then the selected are invited to come and sail at Port La Foret.

The following rounds are in a fully-crewed format, with the likes of former Solitaire du Figaro winners Michel Desjoyeaux, Frank Cammas, Charles Caudrelier, Jean Le Cam, as well as Sam Davies (i.e. willing volunteers from Finistere Course au Large team) at the backstay to assess the new talent. This will take place over 17-22 October, where candidates will be wittled down to seven finallists.

The final rounds are solo and will be held on 14-19 November on a variety of course.

Past winners of the Challenge Espoir are an impressive bunch:

2003-4: Oliver Krauss
2002-3: Gwenaël Riou
2001-2: Sebastien Josse (Figaro regular, Vendee Globe skipper and now skipper of ABN AMRO II)
2000-1: Armel le Cleac'h (subsequent Solitaire du Figaro winner and now skipper of the Foncia trimaran)
1997: Yann Elies (Figaro regular, ex- Orange, Orange II)
1996: Nicolas Berenger
1995: Gaël le Cleac'h (number two on Roland Jourdain's Sill et Veolia)
1994: Franck Cammas (the man in 60ft trimarans at present)
1993: Loik Gallon (now Ellen's boat captain on the B&Q Castorama trimaran),

More can be found here.