Figaros back in action

Route du Ponant gets underway today

26 Figaro sailors are due to set sail from St Gilles Croix de Vie, the 'homeport' of Beneteau, in the class' Route du Ponant today. Although this event sounds like it should go somewhere significant - Dakar, Guadeloupe, St Barts? - it in fact comprises a series of inshore and coastal races out of St Gilles' Port la Vie, with an overnight race - the 'island tour' - up to and round 'île d'Yeu, a distance of 300 miles.

For the Figaro sailors this regatta is the last singlehanded race in the season and the results from it will determine who takes over from Yann Eliès as the class' singlehanded champion in 2005. At the moment Delta Dore skipper and this year's Solitaire du Figaro and Generali Solo winner Jérémie Beyou is leading this particular championship with 23 points while in second place is the 'green giant' Gildas Morvan on Cercle Vert on 40 points. Having come fifth in the Tour de Bretagne, fourth in the Solitaire du Figaro, third in the Trophee BPE and second in the Generali Solo, Morvan reckons it's about time he won one...

Also to be watched at the moment is Eric Tabarly's nephew Erwan (Tabarly's daughter Marie is also sailing in this race) on Thales after his excellent Tour de Bretagne à la Voile, which he won having posted three consecutive leg wins. But in this consistently competitive fleet anything could happen.

Entries:

Romain Attanasio (Mr.Bookmaker)
Yannick Bestaven (Aquarelle.com)
Jérémie Beyou (Delta Dore)
Christian Bos (Raynal et Roquelaure)
Didier Bouillard (Jehol)
Samantha Davies (Skandia)
Kito De Pavant (Groupe Bel)
Frédéric Duthil (Brossard)
Jeanne Grégoire (Banque Populaire)
Oliver Krauss (Espoir Crédit Agricole)
Christophe Lebas (Connivence)
Grégoire Le Miere (Man of All Seasons)
Jean-François Meigan (Kogane)
Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert)
Eric Nigon (Axa Atout Cœur pour Aides)
Laurent Pellecuer (Cliptol)
Eric Peron (L'esprit d'Equipe)
Benoît Petit (Défi Santé Voile)
David Raison (Afflelou Saint Nazaire)
Cyrille Rognon (Eno et Navi Line)
Erwan Tabarly (Thales)
Marie Tabarly (Roxy)
Ronan Treussard (Guy Hoquet Immobilier)
Armel Tripon (Gédimat)
Gérald Veniard (Scutum)

Programme
Monday 3 October 9:30 - two windward-leewards
Tuesday 4 October 10:00 - departure of the Tour des îles
Wedneday 5 October: Finish of the Tour des îles
Thursday 6 October: Lay day
Friday 7 October: 9:30 windward-leewards/coastal race
Saturday 8 October: 9:00 windward-leewards/coastal race
16:00 Sailing with sponsors
18:00 Prize giving at the hôtel de ville in Saint Gilles Croix de Vie.