Cowes-bound

Eight Brits amoung 39 solo skippers to set off this Sunday on La Solitaire du Figaro

In just 48 hours time, Alan Roberts on Alan Roberts Racing and Nick Cherry racing Redshift will lead the British charge to Cowes on the Isle of Wight, on Leg 1 of the 2016 Solitaire Bompard Le Figaro.

Currently based in Deauville, a grand French town twinned with Cowes, the Artemis Offshore Academy’s eight British skippers have spent the week resting and preparing ahead of the 1525 nautical-mile solo multistage marathon. With just two days to the off, the Brits are raring to race home as top British Figaro sailor Roberts, hailing from Southampton, reported.

“Having gone through this process twice before now, I’ve been feeling quite relaxed,” he said. “This year I am here once again to learn and to advance my offshore sailing.

“Arriving on home turf with the Solitaire this year will be extremely special. There is always good feeling at the end of a leg and great growing support for the race in the UK.”

Setting off on Leg 1 at noon on Sunday, 39 solo competitors will race 510 miles from Deauville to Cowes via Wolf Rock – a more coastal course around the Channel, compared with the usual offshore blasts across open water.

This coastal course combined with predicted light winds means Leg 1 of the race could prove to be slow, tactical and testing for the skippers, but Cherry is hoping his knowledge of the English coast line will pay off.

“I’ve sailed in the Solent probably more than anyone else here in the fleet,” he said. “Hopefully it’ll get a bit tricky and I’ll be able to use my knowledge. The tide along the English coast will definitely be the greatest challenge of this leg. Making the right decisions at the right time will be the key.”

For the 10 first timers to the race, including British Rookies Will Harris racing Artemis 77, Mary Rook aboard Artemis 37 and Hugh Brayshaw skipper of Artemis 23, Leg 1 will not only be intense, but will be the longest race of their solo careers to date.

Despite having already topped the Rookie podium twice this year, 22 year old Harris is not taking anything for granted going into the race and remains realistic in his expectations for himself.

“My goal for the first leg is to arrive on the dock and say ‘I was happy with how I sailed and I enjoyed that’,” Harris explained. “It’s my first ever leg of the Solitaire and I know that if I give myself any expectations it will make me perform worse. That will be all I will be thinking for the first leg. If I sail the best I can, I will be happy and will have no regrets regardless of where I finish.”

Now just two days away from seeing a year of hard work and dedication come to fruition, Artemis Offshore Academy Training and Development Coach Jack Grundy is proud of the skippers’ dedication and progress already this year.

“It’s great to see all the pieces of the puzzle come together ahead of the start,” he said. “The skippers have all worked incredibly hard this year across several different training races and it’s paid off for them.”

“Arriving in Deauville, all eight boats were almost ready to go, which has allowed the sailors to focus on the finer details of their preparation and has left them feeling relaxed ahead of a world-class race that is sure to be an incredible challenge and experience that will shape their future careers.”

“The whole Academy team is looking forward to arriving in Cowes next week, where they will be greeted by friends and family after the longest leg of the race. Let’s hope their home advantage pays off,” Grundy concluded.

Leg 1 is expected to conclude in Cowes between 22nd and 23rd June.

2016 Solitaire Bompard Le Figaro entry list

1.    BAKER Andrew / #SEACHANGE
2.    BIARNES Vincent / GUYOT ENVIRONNEMENT
3.    CHABAGNY Thierry / GEDIMAT
4.    CHERRY Nick / REDSHIFT
5.    CLOAREC Damien / SAFERAIL
6.    DALIN Charlie / SKIPPER MACIF 2015
7.    DOUGUET Corentin / SOFINTHER – UN MAILLOT POUR LA VIE
8.    DUTREUX Benjamin / TEAM VENDÉE
9.    ELSEY Robin / ARTEMIS 43
10.    FAGUET Sophie / RÉGION NORMANDIE
11.    GODART PHILIPPE Arnaud / FAUN ENVIRONNEMENT
12.    GUILLOU Damien / LA SOLIDARITE MUTUALISTE
13.    HOCHART Benoit / PRESQU’ÎLE DE RHUYS – MIRAMAR
14.    LE PAPE Martin / BELLOCQ PAYSAGES
15.    LE VAILLANT Arthur / UN BATEAU POUR DEMAIN
16.    LOISON Alexis / GROUPE FIVA
17.    LUNVEN Nicolas / GENERALI
18.    MACAIRE Xavier / CHEMINS D’OCEANS
19.    MARCHAND Anthony / OVIMPEX – SECOURS POPULAIRE
20.    MATSON Sam / CHATHAM
21.    MORVAN Gildas / CERCLE VERT
22.    PAMIR Tolga / RENOVAL / 1 JOUR 1 HOMME 1 ARBRE
23.    PRAT Arthur / LES PERLES DE ST BARTH
24.    PRATT Christopher / SOURIRE A LA VIE
25.    PRUVOT Claire / PORT DE CAEN OUISTREHAM
26.    RICHOMME Yoann / SKIPPER MACIF 2014
27.    ROBERTS Alan / ALAN ROBERTS RACING
28.    SIMON Sébastien / BRETAGNE – CMB PERFORMANCE
29.    TABARLY Erwan / ARMOR LUX

Rookies

30.    BRAYSHAW Hugh / ARTEMIS 23
31.    DECROOCQ Aymeric / BRETAGNE – CMB ESPOIR
32.    HARRIS Will / ARTEMIS 77
33.    LAGUETTE Cécile / ILONA
34.    METTRAUX Justine / TEAMWORK
35.    MOUSSION Théo / #THÉOENFIGARO
36.    NOESMOEN Marc / TEAM VENDÉE FORMATION
37.    QUIROGA Pierre / SKIPPER ESPOIR CEM
38.    RAVOT Yves / HORS LA RUE
39.    ROOK Mary / ARTEMIS 37