Meet the newbies

Tough year to be a rookie in La Solitaire du Figaro

La Solitaire du Figaro has always paid attention to its first-timers. Picked out in the rankings there is a race within a race, that between the ‘bizuths’ as the French call them: the skippers making their first participation in this revered series of solo offshore races. Lining up in this year’s 40th edition there are 15 of them, and after two legs the competition for the top spot is as closely contested as for the over-all results.

There is no typical profile for a ‘rookie’ ; this year they are aged anywhere between 22 and 51, with no less varied sporting backgrounds: from the Olympic dinghy classes there are Christophe Espagnon, Fabien Delahaye and Paul Meilhat; Mini sailors Louis Duc and Matthieu Girolet; keel-boat regatta sailors represented by the likes of Arnaud Godart-Philippe, Oswenn Le Foll among others; and even the elite IMOCA Open 60 class, in the person of Britain’s Jonny Malbon, recently returned from his Vendée Globe adventures. Some of them are embarking on careers as professional sailors, others are already veterans in their respective corners of the sport, and then there are the private individuals, here to embark on a personal adventure rather than a pure sporting challenge.

The last ten days will have seemed like quite an initiation. The 2009 edition of the race is already being talked about as something of a vintage year, where the standard of competition is such that even breaking into the top 20 finishers becomes a major achievement. Artemis skipper Malbon was a good deal happier with his second leg performance than his first, but concedes that the experience has not been an easy one: “I always seem to make life difficult for myself! First time in the Solitaire with not too much time on the boat and I’ve come into an unbelievably competitive fleet. You look at the rookies, and it some ways the term doesn’t do them justice, they’ve got so much experience. For sure I’m learning, picking things up as I go, and hopefully I can continue improving. It’s nice being in a fleet this competitive, as it gives me a real idea of where I am, and how much I need to work.” Malbon is presently 12th placed of the 15 rookies, 5 hours, 33 minutes and 5 seconds behind Fabien Delahaye (Port de Caen Ouistreham).

Top rookie, and placed 25th overall, 25 year-old Normandy resident Delahaye has an eclectic CV, ranging from time in the Olymic 470 class to Mumm 30 worlds and the Mini fleet, and has benefited from enrolment in France’s enviable national solo offshore sailing programme. So far his Figaro experience is a positive one: “I’m quite encouraged, and I think I’m handling life on board well, managing rest periods and the general routine. At sea I’ve seen that I can keep up with the best of them, so I haven’t developed any complexes ! It’s really interesting, and I’m learning loads on each leg.”