Stars and lighting

Jérémie Beyou dominates the 42nd edition of La Solitaire du Figaro by winning three out of four legs, a year that was marked by the extremely diverse weather conditions and unconventionally primarily coastal courses. 47 sailors set off on the 1,647-mile course, 43 finished and the Vendée based rookie sailor, Morgan Lagravière impressed all winning the rookie ranking and coming in 7th overall.

Jérémie Beyou (BPI) overall winner of La Solitaire du Figaro 2011

Today, Wednesday at 12:49:01 Jérémie Beyou crossed the line in first winning the fourth and final leg from Les Sables d’Olonne to Dieppe. BPI’s skipper covered the 437 miles in 72 hours, 37 minutes and 01 seconds

Jérémie Beyou wins in Dieppe and is crowned king of the Solitaire du Figaro 2011

Today, Wednesday at 12:49:01 Jérémie Beyou crossed the line first to win the fourth and final leg from Les Sables d’Olonne to Dieppe. By finishing in Dieppe ahead of the rest of the fleet, and scoring his third consecutive victory, BPI’s skipper Jérémie Beyou was crowned overall winner of the 2011 Solitaire du Figaro, an edition he dominated from the outset. This win means he joins the exclusive club of double winners of the event.

Jérémie Beyou (BPI) overall winner of La Solitaire du Figaro 2011

Today, Wednesday at 12:49:01 Jérémie Beyou crossed the line in first winning the fourth and final leg from Les Sables d’Olonne to Dieppe. BPI’s skipper covered the 437 miles in 72 hours, 37 minutes and 01 seconds

Photo finish in Dieppe?

Unbelievable!! At the 10:00 position report, 20 miles from Dieppe, Fabien Delahaye (Port de Caen Ouistreham), Paul Meilhat (Macif 2011) and Jérémie Beyou (BPI) are sailing neck-to-neck just 200 metres from each other, and Erwan Tabarly (Nacarat) is some boat lengths back

Tense fight to the finish of La Solitaire du Figaro

The 44 skippers competing in the final leg of the Solitaire du Figaro had a very complicated second night at sea, the finish line in Dieppe is approaching but they still will have to deal with the tricky last part of the course. The winner will be crowned tomorrow, but who will that be? Hard to say 100 miles from the finish.

Everything changes in light air…

The situation changed radically for the 44 skippers still competing in the fourth and last leg of the Solitaire du Figaro. 25 miles from Guernsey, off the Roches-Douvres lighthouse, the wind has died almost completely as the fleet is sailing in the centre of a high pressure system.

Beyou in the lead, but suspense runs high to the finish

After the first day and night at sea, and two key points of passage, the solo sailors are halfway to the finish of the fourth and decisive leg of La Solitaire du Figaro, that left Les Sables d’Olonne on Sunday bound to Dieppe. Shortly after 4 am the overall race leader Jérémie Beyou climbed up again in the lead of the final leg with Fabien Delahaye and young rookie Morgan Lagravière practically “glued” to his stern.

The last fight, perfect conditions for the start of leg four

Among several dozens of spectator boats, under a bright blue, sunny sky and in perfect flat sea conditions, at 12:12 precisely the 46 Solitaire du Figaro 2011 skippers set off for the 437 mile long fourth and final leg from Les Sables d’Olonne to Dieppe, where this year’s champions will be crowned.

Perfect conditions for the start of leg four

Among hundreds of spectator boats, under a bright blue, sunny sky and in perfect sea conditions, after a general recall, at 12:12 precisely the 46 skippers set off for the fourth leg from Les Sables d’Olonne to Dieppe

Passage at Nouch South

Leg four: all to play for in the final stage

The fourth and decisive leg of La Solitaire du Figaro will start tomorrow from Les Sables d’Olonne bound to Dieppe in the French region of Normandy. The 46 skippers will undoubtedly play their best cards over the 430-mile long course, because nothing is for certain and the outcome could well be a surprising one.

All that goes on off the race course

It’s not just another day in the office for the 42nd edition of La Solitaire du Figaro race in sunny and unusually hot Les Sables d’Olonne in France. Shore crews are busy preparing the boats, skipper’s recover, relax, chat to each other and discuss the latest weather forecasts ahead of Sunday’s start. The public visit the race village, stroll along the pontoon to take pictures and kids ask their favourite skippers for autographs before the prize giving ceremony.

Lightning Beyou

By crossing the line on Wednesday August 17th at 8:39, Jérémie Beyou on BPI wins the third leg of La Solitaire du Figaro, his second victory in a row. Fabien Delahaye on Port de Caen Ouistreham follows a mere four minutes later and Erwan Tabarly wins a final tacking duel with Thierry Chabagny to get on the third place on the podium.

Jérémie Beyou wins in Les Sables d’Olonne

At 8:39:20 Jérémie Beyou on BPI crossed the line just off Les Sables d’Olonne winning the third leg of the Solitaire du Figaro, that is 2 days, 20 hours, 39 minutes and 20 seconds after leaving Dùn Laoghaire, at an average speed of 6,95 knots

Jérémie Beyou (BPI) first skipper two miles from the line

Breakfast in Les Sables?

The third leg of the 2011 Solitaire du Figaro should be finishing in Les Sables d’Olonne on Wednesday around noon. The 46 boat strong fleet has been progressing in light sea breeze along the Brittany coast. French skipper Jérémie Beyou is still leading, but everything could still happen on the last hundred miles to the finish.

Waiting for the sea breeze…

The leaders have reached the Raz de Sein earlier this morning. As per the info coming from the French Navy’s PSP Cormoran at around 9:20, under grey skies and in a South-westerly not stronger than 10 knots, race leader Jérémie Beyou (BPI) was the first skipper to go past the Plate mark, the ideal

Jérémie Beyou keeps smiling

Brilliant routeing and excellent speed in the Irish Sea and… Jérémie Beyou (BPI) takes the lead on the third leg of the Solitaire du Figaro 2011. The fleet passed Wolf Rock early afternoon and has now to tackle with the complicated Channel crossing and the even more delicate approach to Brittany.

The roulette game

As public crowded the pier to wave goodbye to the sailors and dozens of boats enjoyed the show, the 46 skippers left for the third leg of the Solitaire du Figaro, 477 miles from Dùn Laoghaire to Les Sables d’Olonne. But soon the sunny, warm, pleasant conditions gave way to rainstorms, wind gusts and light air bubbles: a roulette game for fleet.

So long Dún Laoghaire…

At precisely 12:00 today, after a pleasant four day long stopover, the 46 skippers started for the third leg, 477 miles from Dùn Laoghaire to Les Sables d’Olonne, via the Scilly Islands and Ouessant

Getting ready for the “big one”!

The third leg from Dùn Laoghaire to Les Sables d'Olonne is due to start on Sunday 14th August noontime. The 46 skippers and organisers alike are getting ready for the longest leg of this 42nd edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Eric Bompard Cashmere. Westerly winds will be on the menu for the first part of the course, 475 miles but from the tip of Brittany, the solo sailors will have to get the best of their weather routing abilities to decipher three different sea breeze patterns, which will most probably make the final stretch between the Sein and the Vendée extremely uncertain...

RECHARGING THE BATTERIES IN FRIENDLY DÚN LAOGHAIRE

The 46 skippers are profiting from the quiet and relaxed atmosphere in Dún Laoghaire to recover from a very tough second leg. Each has his or her own way of recharging the batteries… a massage, a pint of Guinness, some shots on the green, a little jazz or a rugby match on TV…

Jérémie Beyou winner and overall leader in Dún Laoghaire

The 2005 Solitaire du Figaro champion crossed the finish line Dún Laoghaire not only to win the second leg but take the overall lead in the four-stage sailing race. Nicolas Lunven, the 2009 champion was second with Adrien Hardy, who won the stage to Ireland in 2010, third. Morgan Lagravière, was top rookie in 6th. The first of the four British sailors, Phil Sharp, was 23rd, just over an hour behind the leader.

Jérémie Beyou (BPI) wins second leg

Crossing the line at 10:14:16 French solo sailor Jérémie Beyou won the second leg of 42nd edition of famous Solitaire du Figaro Race. It took BPI skipper, who was crowned overall winner back in 2005, two days, 17 hours and 25 minutes to cover the 440 miles from Caen to Dùn Loaghaire, sailed mostly upwind in strong conditions.

Jérémie Beyou (BPI) within 5 miles of the finish line

Jérémie Beyou (BPI) within 5 miles of the finish line

A new start in the Celtic Sea?

It’s sounds incredible, but that is the La Solitaire du Figaro race! Efforts invested in the past 48 hours could come down to very little for the 46 skippers participating on the second leg of the famous single-handed race. At 166 miles from the finish (on the 16:00 position report), the notoriously tricky navigation through Celtic Sea could change everything. The race could start all over again, with some twenty boats lines up laterally across 30 miles from East to West.

Jean-Pierre Nicol slips through into lead

There has been plenty of action in the first 24 hours of racing on the second leg of La Solitaire du Figaro from Caen to Dún Laoghaire, Dublin. Jean-Pierre Nicol, racing on board Bernard Controls moves into the lead following the bold decision to race in close to shore through the rocky area round the Cherbourg peninsula this morning, whilst David Sineau (Britanie Cosmetiques) is forced to abandon the race as a result of the damage suffered after hitting the rocks close to Barfleur. Twenty to twenty five knots of established breeze from the West, North-West continues to propel the fleet on the upwind slog across the English Channel towards Land's End, the next point of passage, where the leaders are expected late Monday and early hours of Tuesday morning.

Figaro's buckle up for punchy start

The second leg of La Solitaire du Figaro got off on Sunday 7th of August in the Sein Bay, opposite Ouistreham in Normandy with thousands of people lining the canal and outer harbour wall to wave the solo sailors off. The start of the race was finally given under sunny skies with some 8 knots of southwesterly breeze and on a choppy sea. The course, made up of an initial 10 mile inshore preamble to the Radio France Buoy, is 470 miles from Caen to Dún Laoghaire Harbour, on the North East coast of Ireland, where the fleet is expected from Wednesday 10th of August. Forecasts predict both strong wind and tidal currents for what unanimously agree will be a complex first 24 hours at sea.

470 miles to Dùn Laoghaire for Figaro sailors

The second leg of the four stage La Solitaire du Figaro race starts tomorrow from Caen in Normandy to Dùn Laoghaire harbour just outside Dublin in Ireland. The 47 solo sailors will set off at 16:00 local French time on the 470-mile race with key points of passage, in what forecasts show will be strong conditions for a mainly upwind leg to Ireland. Final briefings, routing strategy, food storage and equipment are being done in Caen the day before the start.

What is the gossip in Caen

Over the course of the first leg there is the sport of sailing and competition on the water to talk about. There is however, a life at sea we only find out about once the sailors relax and are back to fill you in on the ups and downs of their race and the little things that go on that are unusual, surprising, encouraging or just plain funny at times. We rarely get to hear about them so we catch up with a few taken off guard before they start focusing on preparing their weather and strategy for the next leg to Dun Laoghaire in Ireland.

Fabien Delahaye wins on home waters and Britain's Phil Sharp finishes 7th

At 13:14:36 on Tuesday 2nd of August, Fabien Delahaye crossed the finish line to win the first leg of La Solitaire du Figaro between Perros-Guirec and Caen in first place. The Normandy skipper sailing on Port Caen Ouistreham took just over 2 days, or 50 hours 14 minutes and 36 seconds, at an average 5.83 miles an hour to cover the 293.1 miles course that was full of surprises. The final stages of the race were played out overnight on Monday in the light conditions and currents off the Cotentin coastline. Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert), the highly experienced Figaro sailor, finished just behind to take the second place whilst Jean Pierre Nicol (Bernard Controls) takes third to complete the podium. Xavier Macaire (Starter Active Bridge) comes in first rookie in 5th place, barely a minute ahead of Phil Sharp (Spirit of Independence), the first British sailor to finish, crossing the line in 7th
and just 15 minutes and 4 seconds behind the leader. The first thirty skippers to cross the finish line are within an 60-minute time deficit on the leader.

Fabien Delahaye (Port de Caen Ouistreham) wins at home

At 13:14:36 on Tuesday 2nd of August, Fabien Delahaye crossed the finish line of the first leg of La Solitaire du Figaro between Perros-Guirec and Caen in first place. The young skipper sailing on Port Caen Ouistreham took 2 days, or 50 hours 14 minutes and 36 seconds, at an average 5.83 miles an hour to cover the 293.1 miles race that was full of surprises. The final stages of the race were played out overnight on Monday in the calm conditions and currents off the Cotentin coastline. Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert), the highly experienced Figaro sailor, finished just behind takes the second place on the podium whilst Jean Pierre Nicol (Bernard Corntrols) takes third to complete the podium. Xavier Macaire (Starter Active Bridge) comes in first rookie in 5th place, barely a minute ahead of Phil Sharp (Spirit of Independence), the first British sailor to finish, crossing the line in 7th.

Inching forward against the tide

Thirty hours into racing on the first leg of La Solitaire du Figaro, 320-miles from Perros-Guirec in Northern Brittany to Caen, lower Normandy, and the leaders are positioned just 5 miles from Fairways, off the Needles, on the western tip of the Isle of Wight fighting against the tidal current. Thomas Rouxel (Bretagne Crédit Mutuel Performance), moves into the lead ahead of his two closest rivals, Nicolas Lunven (Generali) and Jérémy Beyou (BPI), in what has been a cat and mouse game for the pole position since yesterday's start. Britain's Phil Sharp (Spirit of Independence) punches his way up to 6th place overall and leads the rookies on their first Solitaire race. What remains to be seen is if the light easterly thermal breeze will hold up for the sailors as they battle against the strong tidal current to get round the Fairways mark for the Southerly course back across the Channel to Caen.

Passed Portland Bill and on a heading for the Needles Fairway…

The Race Committee Boat at the head of the fleet reported at 09:30 from the south coast of England, "it is grey from sea to sky this early morning. Milky grey and drizzly with a metallic grey sea which is smooth as silk. The is coming through from the south-southwest and began to back slightly, so the spinnakers are packed away and stored.

Bon Depart for 2011 Solitaire du Figaro

The 42nd edition of La Solitaire du Figaro race got off to a good start on Sunday in Perros Guirec, despite the light five-knot westerly breeze and unusual downwind start. Hundreds of fans lined the cliffs and crowded onto the many spectator boats to see the fleet of Figaro sailors set off on the first 320-mile leg of the four stage month long race. Treated to a colourful downwind spinnaker start at 11 am, which was fired by Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, the French Minister for the Environment, the crowds watched on as the fleet headed off to the first mark blanketed by a curtain of mist and haze.

A race againts the tides

Whilst just 160 nautical miles separate Perros-Guirec in Northern Brittany from Caen in Normandy, the first leg of La Solitaire du Figaro will run 320 miles from start to finish. The fleet of 47 Figaro sailors are set to start on Sunday 31st July at 11:00 on a course that sees the fleet across the Channel to Plymouth Bay, then eastwards along the south coast of England to Fairway Boy off the West of the Isle of Wight before the return channel crossing to the finish in Caen. The forecast light wind together with the strong tidal coefficient for the coming days has led the Race Committee to leave out one of the early mark, close the the pink granite Armor coastline. Whilst the 320 mile leg is the shortest of the 42nd edition of the race, it is likely to complex to sail.

Slight modification to the course of the first leg

The Race Director of La Solitaire du Figaro race explained that there will be a slight change to the course number of the first leg between Perros Guirec and Caen due to the light wind conditions and Sunday's tidal coefficient. The change will apply in order to avoid the sailors having to spend the first 10 to 12 hours of the race stuck close to the Armor coastline.

Warm up for Figaro Sailors

A last opportunity to warm up ahead of the 42nd classic French “La Solitaire du Figaro” race was taken by the 47 solo sailors when they took part in the Eric Bompard Cashmere Prologue race in Perros Guirec this evening. Four Britons and one Portuguese sailor will line up against each other and the strong French competition when the first stage starts on Sunday (31 July) at 11:00 for the month-long Figaro circuit.

Perros-Guirec bursting with activity

The picture perfect town of Perros-Guirec in Northern Brittany has been a hive of activity since the Solitaire du Figaro race village opened and boats arrived last Saturday. The marina is full with the skippers making final preparations to their boats and the Race Village is bursting with activity. Final security and measurement checks are being made, moments of rest and concentration for others as they plan ahead to the Eric Bompard Cachemire Prologue race, scheduled for Friday 28th at 17:30.

49 skippers for the Solitaire du Figaro 2011

A total of 49 skippers have confirmed their entries for the 2011 Solitaire du Figaro. Making up the group of predominantly French sailors are six foreigners, four British, one Portuguese and one German, and of the 49 starters almost 20% of the fleet are in their first full season in the Figaro class taking on the challenge of arguably the toughest singlehanded race. The fleet will sail a 1700-mile course over four stages, starting in Perros-Guirec on the North Brittany coast on 23 July and visiting Caen, Normandy, Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, Les Sables d’Olonne, Vendée, before finishing in Dieppe, Pas de Calais, on 28 August.

La Solitaire du Figaro announces new host ports for 2011

One month from the gran finale finish of the Solitaire du Figaro 2010, event organisers are already looking ahead, to 2011. The 42nd edition announces a new route: four legs, four French ports and one foreign stopover. The full details will be unveiled at the Paris Boat Show, on Friday December 3rd.