Dicing with death

Solitaire du Figaro second leg winner Gildas Morvan describes his race

Minutes after getting off his faithful steed Cercle Vert, skipper Gildas Morvan, winner of the Solitaire du Figaro's second leg from Vigo to Cherbourg-Octveille describes how he managed to gain a decisive advantage off Spain and how he took risks at the end to get through the currents of in the notoriously rocky area off Raz Blanchard…and how he ran aground close to the finish.

What are your first feelings?
“Happy of course - it is always nice to win! This one was not easy to do and I really had to push myself and dig deep. Three nights, four days - it was tough sailing with the spinnaker up, the cargo ships, the current…I got no sleep on either the first or the last nights, a bit on the second and I just really concentrated on handling the boat well, staying focused and thinking things through.”

How do you explain what you did off Spain to get this advantage?
“There were things to do along the Spanish coastline, I was sure of it. You just had to get as much as you could out of the wind south of Finisterre, gybe and just keep at it. I just stayed close to shore and went into all the bays and used all the puffs coming off the shore. I had up to 17 knots of wind while the others had 12 offshore, where the routers all advised going out to get the pressure off the ridge. Then, when the wind from the southwest came in, I managed to realign myself and on each position report I gained ground. I said to myself 'this is good, so just kept going'. What is funny is that in 1999, I won my first leg of La Solitaire in exactly the same way.”

Did you feel the pressure of the others behind?
“I just sailed my own race, aware of all that there was to be done and sticking to my course. We do not get the positions of the other competitors, so that is one less thing to worry about. I would loose a mile, then gain two, but by the end I managed to extend my lead.”

How did you manage to get through the Raz Blanchard against the tide?
“It was a matter of eat or be eaten. One minute I was not making any speed over the ground, so I no longer had a choice - I warned the French Naval Patrol ship that I was going to head round on the inside and close to shore. I really went up close to the lighthouses - it was really quite a close call with the rocks all over the place…then I actually hit one on at the finish near La Plate. I heard a big bang, but it was a risk to take - I was not going to just lose out after all the effort for a bit of current right at the finish. I have never sailed like that, so totally focused. To be honest I did not want to go so close to shore, but I did not have a choice.”

Was it that dangerous?
“I did take some huge risks. When you sail solo you have to handle everything alone in the middle of the rocks, with the boat rolling about all over the place. I was forced to, but I have never sailed like that, so precariously. I ran aground, but that is the past now. I actually scared myself but again, I did not have a choice because not going in for it meant losing it all and finishing maybe 4th or 5th on the leg. On a Tour de France we had done it once, but then you sail with a crew and we also ran aground. In Aurigny, there were rocks all over the place, it was really beautiful but very scary!”

Is this your revenge for Vigo?
“In Vigo it was tough because I was not far behind Nicolas Troussel when he managed to get away and so at the finish I was really disappointed: 8 hours behind, any chance of winning out of the question…I had to really motivate myself. I just told myself that we are only halfway through the championship and that I had to concentrate on the next part because there is still a long way to go on the race. And here we go, mission accomplished, I think I have won this leg fair and square. How much of a time gain it makes, well we will see at the end…”

You move up in the overall time rankings though…
“I am sure I will make a leap. Now we just have to face the next leg like this one, try and win it and gain some more time on Nicolas Troussel. What is for sure is that I am going to be annoyed right to the finish in l’Aber Wrac’h. The others know what I am talking about, I have warned them all over the VHF!”