Figaros head offshore again

But this time in the two handed Trophee Banque Privee Europeene from France to Senegal

It seems to never stop in the Figaro. Yesterday the class' two handed Trophee Banque Privee Europeene got underway from St Nazaire in southern Brittany to Dakar in Senegal via a stopover in Porto Santo in Madeira. The first leg is 1,050 miles long.

18 teams are taking part including some new faces to the Figaro class this year such as former Vendee Globe skipper Bertrand de Broc racing with multihull and Open 60 sailor Dominique Vittet, former Team New Zealander Bertrand Pace sailing with Gildas Morvan and Figaro veteran Bruno Jourdren sailing with Yann Elies.

The boats are currently negotating the Bay of Biscay and earlier today Dutch competitor Sander reported that they were sailing into 25 knots, gusting to 30 and that he had been seasick... Over the course of the day the wind was due to veer around to the north, which should be more pleasant for the sailors as they head for Cape Finisitere.

Positions

Pos	Crew	Boat	Lat	Long	DTF
1	Charles CAUDRELIER BENAC Pascal BIDEGORRY	BOSTIK FINDLEY	46 16 N	005 10 W	945
2	Franck-Yves ESCOFFIER Marc GUESSARD	"CRÊPES WHAOU !"	46 17 N	005 09 W	947
3	Gildas MORVAN Bertrand PACE	CERCLE VERT	46 25 N	005 19 W	948
4	Erwan TABARLY Philippe VICARIOT	THALES	46 17 N	005 05 W	948
5	Jeanne GREGOIRE Gérald VENIARD	SKIPPER AG2R	46 21 N	005 01 W	949
6	Armel LECLEAC'H Nicolas TROUSSEL	CREALINE	46 26 N	005 17 W	949
7	ERIC DROUGLAZET Sébastien AUDIGANE	DAVID OLIVIER	46 26 N	005 17 W	949
8	Thierry CHABAGNY Corentin DOUGUET	PETIT NAVIRE LE BON GOUT DU LARGE	46 20 N	005 07 W	950
9	Ronan GUERIN Frédéric GUILMIN	ESCAL'ATLANTIC	46 26 N	005 16 W	950
10	Dominic VITTET Bertrand de BROC	MYRIALIS	46 20 N	005 06 W	950
11	Alexandre TOULORGE Laurent PELLECUER	VILLE DE CHERBOURG CREDIT MUTUEL	46 17 N	004 49 W	951
12	Bruno JOURDREN Yann ELIES	DAUC'Y CARAIBOS	46 27 N	005 16 W	951
13	Lionel PEAN Jean de RIBEROLLES	L'ESPRIT D'EQUIPE	46 24 N	005 01 W	951
14	Christophe BOUVET Alexandre PERAUD	SOR - TMC	46 17 N	004 49 W	951
15	Ronan COINTO Yannick BESTAVEN	AQUARELLE.COM-CHARENTE MARITIME	46 31 N	005 19 W	952
16	Sander BAKKER Marten JAN RINGERS	SCARLET Telecom	46 19 N	004 59 W	952
17	Corrado AGUSTA Adrian FAIERS	SECTOR	46 31 N	005 09 W	957
18	Pascal DESMARETS Philippe HANIN	TETRAKTYS	46 43 N	004 46 W	976