Final roll of the dice

The big conditions forecast may place the outcome of the Solitaire Affelou Le Figaro on the final leg

They are off! The 43 skippers crossed the start line at 10am local time for the final and decisive leg of La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro race. Under a dark and increasingly menacing sky, the singlehanded sailors set off on a direct course for France, in 20 knot southwesterly wind. After a unanimous decision approved by all the skippers at last night’s skipper’s and weather briefing, the fleet will no longer round the Fastnet Rock, where stormy conditions are already being felt, and will take the direct course to Port Bourgenayn (just south of Les Sables d'Olonne).

As a result the fleet the course is shortened to 428 miles, and might be cut again should the Race Committee decide to finish with a mark off the east side of the Ile d’Yeu.

The Figaro sailors agree that a leg with tough weather conditions lies ahead. They will be sailing in front of an approaching front, with a gradual increase in wind strength to an average forecast 30 knots, gusting to 45, with moderate and later rough seas with up to 3m waves.

Conditions will be tough and because of this anything could happen in the overall results. At present only 12 minutes separate the leading three skippers: Laurent Pellecuer ( Cliptol Sport), Jérémie Beyou ( Delta Dore) and Pietro D’Ali ( Nanni Diesel); while the top 11 are all within an hour of the current leader.

The short 6.7 mile inshore course saw Cercle Vert, helmed by leg one winner Gildas Morvan, rounding the AGF mark in first place with past winner Armel Le Cléac’h, on Foncia TBS, taking pole position at the Radio France mark.

“There is a long way to go and it will be tough right to the finish," said the Foncia ORMA trimaran and Figaro skipper soon after the start. "I have between 20 and 25 knots, reaching on a cross wind. I'm going quite fast - speed varies between 8.5 and 10 knots depending on the waves. It is beginning to get a bit wet on deck. It is good to be in the lead for the morale and let your adversaries know that you are there. I'm trying to keep up with the speed, make the boat go fast and stay with the leaders. It is going to be quite physical tonight, so it will be tough to sleep for the next 24 hours. The weather is ambiguous after [the Raz du] Sein so we will have to see happens for the finish”.

When the starting gun went, the boats were grouped at either end of the start line, with the strong outgoing tide forcing several out at the pin end. The fleet moved off on starboard, but tacked onto port shortly after to head for shore to take advantage of the current and look for a possible lift.

Closing in on the western shore, the whole leading group tacked on to the starboard layline. At the windward AGF mark several boats came in on port tack, creating some lively moments as they jockeyed for a favourable rounding position. On the leading edge of a small squall the fleet ran down to the final Radio France leeward mark which was left to starboard, and then headed off on a very close reach into the grey Celtic Sea.

The boats should cross the Celtic Sea on a long upwind reach. The conditions will surely favour those in the lead. A fast developing second low in the Bay of Biscay could reshuffle the cards before Thursday’s forecast arrival in Port Bourgenay.

The outcome of the Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro winner for 2005 will be known in less than 48 hours! The organisers are anticipating that competitors may start arriving from Thursday morning in Port Bourgenay. Due to the southwesterly swell they are also warning that entry to the port could provide difficult in which case boats will be re-routed to finish in Les Sables d'Olonne.

AGF Mark:
1st Gildas Morvan – Cercle Vert
2nd Armel Le Cléac’h – Foncia TBS
3rd Erwan Tabarly - Thales

Radio France Mark:
1st Armel Le Cléac’h – Foncia TBS
2nd Gildas Morvan – Cercle Vert
3rd Gérald Veniard – Scutum

More photos on the following pages...