Solitaire 2007

Course announced for next year's La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro

The course for the 38th edition of La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro will comprise two legs in the traditional Solitaire format precede a record length leg for the race of 762 miles between Brest and La Coruña in Spain.

On 31 July 2007, the singlehanded sailors will set off from Caen on a 414-mile leg, across the Channel before sailing along the English coast to reach the Celtic Sea. The finish of this first leg, where strategy can be more important sheer speed, will culminate in Crosshaven, Ireland.

The start of the second leg will be in Cork Harbour on 6 August. The fleet will set off along the south coast of Ireland and head for the Fastnet lighthouse, which the boats will leave to port. The skippers will then set off on a southerly course in order to reach the northwestern tip of Brittany, where they will head for Brest, final destination of this 344 mile leg.

On 11 August, the Figaro Bénéteau 2s will set off on a record length 762 mile leg. The leg takes the fleet north back around the Fastnet Lighthouse, before heading virtually due south to reach the western tip of Spain and a finish in the Spanish port of La Coruña.

The final leg to the finish will start be on 19 August. Having extricated themselves from the pitfalls of the Spanish coast including several headlands, the Figaro sailors will cross the Bay of Biscay to reach Les Sables d’Olonne, the legendary Vendée Globe start/finish port.

Jacques Caraës, Race Director, comments: “while remaining a classic between France, Ireland and Spain, this edition is one of contrasts: a mixture of coastal courses and short legs, which will turn out to be veritable sprints, and a very long offshore leg.”

CAEN
Village opens: Saturday 21 July
Afflelou Prologue: Sunday 29 July
Start 1st leg: Tuesday 31 July at 3pm

CROSSHAVEN (Ireland) - 415 miles
Expected arrival: Friday 3 August
Start 2nd leg: Monday 6 August at 12pm

BREST - 344 miles
Expected arrival: Wednesday 8 August
Start 3rd leg: Saturday 11 August at 11am

LA CORUÑA (Spain) - 762 miles
Expected arrival: Thursday 16 August
Start 4th leg: Sunday 19 August

LES SABLES D’OLONNE - 355 miles
Expected arrival: Wednesday 22 August
Afflelou Closing Regatta: Friday 24 August