Solitaire 2010

Details announced of the Figaro class' big race in 2010

The 2010 La Solitaire du Figaro will cover 1,717 nautical miles between ports both old and new to the race. There will be the return to Gijon and Kinsale, which will bring back memories of La Solitaire du Figaro's rich history. Between these two stages, Le Havre will host the race start for the first time, while Brest and Cherbourg-Octeville will each host a stop-over once more.

With a long history and experience of hosting large-scale events, Le Havre's Bassin Paul Vatine and its entire new infrastructure will undoubtedly provide all the facilities for a great start for the event over 20-27 July.

On 27 July the Figaro fleet will leave Le Havre for Gijon in Spain on a marathon 515 nautical mile leg, which will see the fleet sail down the English Channel and across the Bay of Biscay. The initial part of the leg will be technical as the fleet negotiate the approach to the Cherbourg peninsula, then the Chenal du Four, Raz de Sein, Mullein Archipelago and Isle de Sein. The sailors will need to be vigilant and take particular care before the 270 mile crossing of the Bay of Biscay.

"This first stage of the 41st edition of the race is the longest and probably the most demanding. This will be good warm up for the sailors who should be relatively fresh at the beginning of the race,” explains Jacques Caraës, the Race Director. With a history of hosting ten previous Solitaires, Gijon is a landmark for La Solitaire. The fleet will stay there for just a few days before leaving Asturias on 3 on the 418 mile run back to Brest.

The second leg up to Brest will not be straightforward; with a return crossing of the Bay of Biscay to negotiate and the SN1 mark to be left to port. Following this, there should be a beautiful sail along the south coast of Brittany, leaving Ile de Croix to port before reaching Finistère. The last part of the course will be very strategic, particularly when passing the Bay of Audierne, followed by the passage of the Raz de Sein. These 20 miles will be crucial and will require special attention as the sailors can either make up or lose ground depending on how they negotiate the tides.

"The dangers multiply towards the end of this second leg after the sprint across the Bay of Biscay", says Jacques Caraës, "and will no doubt keep the suspense going right to the end."

After having had a few days rest in Brittany, it will be time to leave the Port du Moulin Blanc on 9 August and head to the Irish town of Kinsale.

La Solitaire returns to the much-loved town of Kinsale for the 19th time in the 41-year history of the race. Although the event has not been there since 1997, it remains to this day, one of the greatest stopovers of the race. Relatively short at 349 miles, the third stage of the race, will be far from easy. Upon leaving Brest, the Figaro Bénéteau 2 fleet will head out into the Chenal du Four along the Portsall rock plateau. Then follows an 89 miles stretch along the English Channel up the Cornish coastline to Wolf Rock, which must be left to port. The fleet will next converge at the Fastnet Rock, which must be left to starboard, after the 165 mile stint across the Celtic Sea, before heading eastwards back to Kinsale.

The 41st edition of the race will conclude in Cherbourg in Normandy on the fourth and final 435-mile leg.

"Competitors will leave the Irish coast on a heading to the Fastnet Rock, some 45 miles away, which they will leave to port," says Caraës of this last leg. "Following this they will head down across the Celtic Sea and leave the Scilly Isles to port when they see Bishop Rock lighthouse. Then there is a 100 mile stretch across the English Channel to reach the West Lizen cardinal, just to the north of Vierge Island. This mark needs to be left to port before the 140 mile sail towards the Channel Islands"

Finally, the last few miles of the leg between the islands will be highly tactical. Here there will be more options to evaluate on how to approach the Cherbourg coastline. The sailors will need to be alert as the Raz Blanchard can play games and will no doubt hold us all in suspense right down to the final miles to the finish line.


Schedule for La Solitaire du Figaro 2010

LE HAVRE
Village Opening: Tuesday, July 20
Suzuki Prologue: Sunday, July 25
Leg 1 Start: Tuesday, July 27
The Solitaire stops in Le Havre for the first time

GIJON (515 miles)
Arrival of boats: Friday, July 30
Leg 2 Start: Tuesday, August 3
The Solitaire stops in Gijon for the 11th time
Host City: 1991-1992-1994-1995-1996-1997-1998-2001-2002-2004

BREST (418 miles)
Arrival of boats: Thursday, August 5
Leg 3 Start: Monday, August 9
The Solitaire stopped in Brest for the 10th time
Departure City: 1970-1971-1994-1999
Host City: 1981-1988-1997-2007
Arrival City: 1995

KINSALE (349 miles)
Arrival of boats: Wednesday, August 11
Leg 4 Start: Monday, August 16
The Solitaire stops in Kinsale for the 19th time
Host City: 1974-1975-1976-1978-1979-1980-1983-1984-1985-1986-1988-1990-1991-1992-1993-1994-1995-1997

CHERBOURG-OCTEVILLE (435 miles)
Arrival of boats: Thursday, August 19
Closing Regatta: Sunday, August 22
The Solitaire stopped at Cherbourg for the 7th time
Departure City: 1991-1998-2006
Host City: 2008
Arrival City: 2000-2002