Tackling the Raz

Michel Desjoyaux a nose ahead as Figaro fleet heads for Dingle

After a first night spent dodging all manner of traps and obstacles, it would seem this third leg of the 2009 edition of La Solitaire is so far living up to its billing as the most tactical yet. The calm conditions of the start gave way to a night requiring full attention on every skippers’ part, as they made their way along the Breton coast towards the final mark of the course before the finish line in Dingle, the Cap Caval bouy off Penmarc’h Point, at the south-western end of Brittany. With plenty of islands and other rocky hazards to dodge, local knowledge was at a premium, and it was Port La Foret denizens Michel Desjoyeaux ( Foncia) and Charles Caudrelier-Benac ( Bostik), sailing on their own back doorsteps, who passed the mark seconds apart this morning before heading neck-and-neck into the Western Approaches.

Having left St. Gilles in what Marseilles’ Jean-Paul Moren called ‘the best conditions so far’ - blue skies, flat seas, gentle breezes and perhaps most importantly for the southerner, bright sunshine - the evening was no less idyllic, with the addition of up to 15 knots of wind to propel the 52 boat fleet on its way. Only the shifty nature of the breeze could have borne improvement, with the west to north-west fluctuations threatening a physically demanding night of tacking – of particular concern to Jean-Pierre Nicol (Gavottes) who was mortified to find he had forgotten to pack his energy bars at just the moment he might need them most. In the event it stabilised somewhat and settled into the north-north-west, leaving the skippers to concentrate more on the delicate business of navigation and tactics.

The first major decision was whether to pass inside or outside of Belle Ile, mid-way along this coastal portion of the course, and it would seem that the larger group who chose the inside track here did better. The small gains in time may have been at the expense of some shredded nerves however, as they then dodged the islands of the Glénan archipelago, some approaching perilously close to the shore. Yann Eliès ( Generali) had a particularly close call, literally shaving the rocks : ”the tightest squeak I’ve ever had - and the sort of thing I certainly wouldn’t risk on a pleasure trip !” Among other hazards, at least one skipper – Gildas Mahé ( Banque Populaire) – had to take an unplanned dip to clear his rudder and keel of unwelcome weed.

Although the fleet has so far remained reasonably compact, with the first 30 boats still within 2 miles of the leaders, it was ultimately Michel Desjoyeaux who passed Cap Caval first, at 09H35 and 24 seconds this morning. He was followed 25 seconds later by Caudrelier-Benac ( Bostik), with Erwan Tabarly ( Athema) - yet another local hero - 3 minutes behind in third. Desjoyeaux, embarked on his 11th edition of La Solitaire, feels he is beginning to recover his form: “Up to now I haven’t had the best of legs, so I’m beginning to find myself again somewhat. All the same, it’s impressive to see the whole fleet right behind you. We had two hours of light wind at Penmarc’h, then a quarter of an hour when I needed to load up the ballast, and now it’s fallen again. How do I see the future ? Grey. We won’t see the sun again before Dingle. It’s not very cheery but that’s the way it is !”.

British skipper Nigel King ( Nigel King Racing), having opted to pass to the outside of the islands was lying in 40th place at the 16H00 position report, 3.7 miles from the front, while fellow Briton Jonny Malbon was 48th, five miles further back.

Positions at 1830

Pos	Skipper	Boat	Lat	Long	Spd	Crs	DTF/L
1	Desjoyeaux Michel	FONCIA	48°02.62' N	5°29.82' W	8.5	315	315.7 nm
2	Caudrelier Benac Charles	BOSTIK	48°02.58' N	5°29.53' W	7.5	316	0.2 nm
3	Tripon Armel	GEDIMAT	48°01.87' N	5°30.71' W	8	317	0.2 nm
4 *	Delahaye Fabien	PORT DE CAEN OUISTREHAM	48°01.84' N	5°29.91' W	8	326	0.6 nm
5	Le Gal Franck	LENZE	48°01.72' N	5°30.04' W	7.5	317	0.6 nm
6	Mahé Gildas	BANQUE POPULAIRE	48°02.18' N	5°29.19' W	7.5	307	0.6 nm
7	Treussart Ronan	BLACK HAWK	48°01.72' N	5°29.53' W	7	320	0.8 nm
8	Tabarly Erwan	ATHEMA	48°02.18' N	5°28.78' W	8	316	0.8 nm
9	Le Cleac'h Armel	BRIT AIR	48°01.30' N	5°30.13' W	8.5	309	0.9 nm
10	Rouxel Thomas	DEFI MOUSQUETAIRES	48°02.26' N	5°28.24' W	7.5	324	0.9 nm
11	Chabagny Thierry	SUZUKI AUTOMOBILES	48°00.75' N	5°30.92' W	7.5	311	1 nm
12	Veniard Gérald	MACIF	47°59.43' N	5°25.17' W	7	306	1 nm
13	Toulorge Alexandre	AUDITION SANTE	48°01.36' N	5°29.60' W	8.5	308	1.1 nm
14	Elies Yann	GENERALI	48°02.60' N	5°26.90' W	8	318	1.2 nm
15	Gabart François	ESPOIR REGION BRETAGNE	48°01.48' N	5°28.79' W	6.5	298	1.3 nm
16	Duthil Fréderic	BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM	48°02.71' N	5°26.50' W	8	320	1.3 nm
17	Lunven Nicolas	CGPI	48°01.94' N	5°27.70' W	7	317	1.4 nm
18	Troussel Nicolas	CREDIT MUTUEL DE BRETAGNE	48°02.36' N	5°26.57' W	8	317	1.6 nm
19	Pellecuer Laurent	ARNOLFINI.FR	47°59.66' N	5°30.93' W	8	312	1.8 nm
20	Berenger Nicolas	KONE ELEVATORS	48°01.74' N	5°27.13' W	7.5	312	1.8 nm
21	Koch Antoine	SOPRA GROUP	48°01.81' N	5°27.00' W	8.5	316	1.8 nm
22	Morvan Gildas	CERCLE VERT	47°58.49' N	5°24.98' W	7.5	305	1.9 nm
23	Douguet Corentin	E.LECLERC MOBILE	48°00.91' N	5°28.03' W	7.5	322	2.1 nm
24	Hardy Adrien	AGIR RECOUVREMENT	48°02.66' N	5°24.87' W	7.5	303	2.1 nm
25	Beyou Jérémie	BERNARD PAOLI	48°01.70' N	5°26.39' W	7	317	2.2 nm
26	Péron Eric	SKIPPER MACIF	48°00.22' N	5°28.40' W	7.5	311	2.5 nm
27	Mouren Jean-Paul	M@RSEILLENTREPRISES	48°01.00' N	5°26.88' W	7	318	2.5 nm
28	Loison Alexis	ALL MER INEO GDF SUEZ	48°01.56' N	5°25.29' W	6.5	310	2.7 nm
29 *	Brault Joseph	SAMSUNG MOBILE	48°00.99' N	5°25.11' W	7	322	3.3 nm
30	Drouglazet Eric	LUISINA	48°00.41' N	5°25.19' W	7	315	3.7 nm
31 *	Godart-Philippe Arnaud	SENOBLE	48°00.70' N	5°23.94' W	7.5	302	4 nm
32	Jossier Nicolas	ESPRIT VOILE 50	48°00.17' N	5°24.77' W	8.5	331	4 nm
33 *	Le Foll Oswenn	COTES D'ARMOR	48°00.53' N	5°23.53' W	7	313	4.3 nm
34 *	Girolet Matthieu	ENTREPRENDRE (LAFONT PRESSE)	47°59.92' N	5°24.28' W	5.5	323	4.4 nm
35	Belloir Aymeric	CAP56	47°59.60' N	5°24.68' W	8.5	319	4.5 nm
36	Bouillard Didier	MEDEVENT	47°59.69' N	5°24.60' W	7	315	4.5 nm
37 *	Espagnon Christophe	GROUPE LEGRIS INDUSTRIES	48°00.24' N	5°23.17' W	7	315	4.7 nm
38 *	Meilhat Paul	DOMINO'S PIZZA	47°58.68' N	5°24.88' W	8	321	5.1 nm
39 *	Jacquier Vianney	ALHYANGE ACOUSTIQUE	47°59.39' N	5°23.74' W	7	313	5.1 nm
40 *	Samuel Jérome	OPERA EN PLEIN AIR	47°59.25' N	5°23.70' W	8	316	5.2 nm
41	Joschke Isabelle	SYNERGIE	47°58.73' N	5°23.30' W	6.5	314	5.8 nm
42	Gouezigoux Laurent	TRIER C'EST PRESERVER	48°00.03' N	5°20.80' W	7.5	312	5.8 nm
43	King Nigel	NIGEL KING YACHTING	47°58.38' N	5°23.72' W	7	310	5.9 nm
44 *	Livory Yannig	CINT 56	48°00.01' N	5°20.54' W	7	306	6 nm
45	Monnet Jean-Charles	49° NORD	47°58.01' N	5°23.51' W	7	304	6.2 nm
46	Nicol Jean-Pierre	GAVOTTES	48°04.25' N	5°10.01' W	7.5	311	7.2 nm
47 *	Rateau Christophe	SUADEO DECISIONNEL	47°58.51' N	5°14.42' W	5.5	314	9.7 nm
48 *	Duc Louis	CAEN NORMANDIE	48°01.85' N	5°07.99' W	7.5	309	10 nm
49 *	Malbon Jonny	ARTEMIS	47°58.32' N	5°13.17' W	7	312	10.4 nm
50 *	Tannyères Louis-Maurice	NANNI DIESEL	47°56.32' N	5°13.21' W	6	292	11.9 nm
51	Bougard Patrice	KOGANE	47°57.78' N	5°10.48' W	5.5	307	12 nm
52 *	Houery Thibault	VIRIA LCN	47°56.48' N	5°06.92' W	5	290	14.5 nm