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Plus de FigaroFigaro fleet ready for leg 2 start in Gijón
03-08-2010
The 45 solo sailors make final preparations, attend the official prize giving for the first leg from Le Havre to Gijón and skipper briefing to embark on start of the 2nd leg; 418 miles from Gijón in Northern Spain to Brest in Finisterre.
The prize giving ceremony held at Casino of Gijon on Monday lunchitme, in the presence of local authorities, gathered all the Figaro skippers, followed by the weather and safety briefing at 18:00, the last official acts before the start of leg 2 at 14.00. Trophies and prizes were awarded to the first sailors to finish in the Spanish port but also to the best placed “bizuth” that is to say newcomer to the Solitaire, Yoann Richomme on DLBC who finished seventh overall. The skippers who were first at the intermediate marks got each a check worth several hundreds Euros.
As the shore teams give the final touches to on board arrangements and double check every detail on the Figaro II boats, the sailors busy themselves with weather forecasts and plan strategy options in between resting and relaxing before the start of what looks to be a another demanding race to Brest.
The race back across the Bay of Biscay to SN1 landing buoy situated some 14 miles to the west of Noirmoutier and approximately 235 miles away is on a straight line. A light established breeze of 4 to 9 knots from the North and big swell coming in from the North is forecast for 14:00 (local time) start just outside the harbour of Gijón. Conditions should freshen over the course of the afternoon estimates Météo France’s Sylvain Mondon. “The fleet will encounter an area of low pressure on the first night, which they will need to negotiate and once passed this should get a stronger 12 building to 18 knots of breeze for their reach to the first course mark.”
The fleet will then sail up, tacking their way upwind passed the various islands along the Southern Breton coastline, where the choice is open to sail round east or west of Belle-Ile, just the île de Groix must be left to port. The sailors will then round Finisterre and Eckhülm lighthouse followed by 20 miles across the bay of Audierne, before negotiating for a second time the passage of the Raz de Sein. This can be deliverance for some or a true nightmarish experience depending on the time of approach and the turning tides.
The final part of the 2nd leg will consist of a final run to the North, leaving La Parquette tower to starboard. The fleet will set a course for Brest harbour with the narrow entrance, which can still hold some surprises in store on the final miles to the finish. “Basically there is a long and quick stretch across the Bay of Biscay followed by some careful coastal racing, with numerous points of passage, rocks, islands and currents to negotiate before the finish in Brest.” Summarises Race Director Jaques Caraës.
“The race will not be decided until the very end, and I reckon that the back of the fleet will have the chance to get closer to the leaders when the wind comes round from the South West towards the end of the race” said Race Director Jaques Caraës “and the last part is quite tricky, especially if the tide will not be favourable, with strong current and rocks to be avoided.”
As the shore teams give the final touches to on board arrangements and double check every detail on the Figaro II boats, the sailors busy themselves with weather forecasts and plan strategy options in between resting and relaxing before the start of what looks to be a another demanding race to Brest.
The race back across the Bay of Biscay to SN1 landing buoy situated some 14 miles to the west of Noirmoutier and approximately 235 miles away is on a straight line. A light established breeze of 4 to 9 knots from the North and big swell coming in from the North is forecast for 14:00 (local time) start just outside the harbour of Gijón. Conditions should freshen over the course of the afternoon estimates Météo France’s Sylvain Mondon. “The fleet will encounter an area of low pressure on the first night, which they will need to negotiate and once passed this should get a stronger 12 building to 18 knots of breeze for their reach to the first course mark.”
The fleet will then sail up, tacking their way upwind passed the various islands along the Southern Breton coastline, where the choice is open to sail round east or west of Belle-Ile, just the île de Groix must be left to port. The sailors will then round Finisterre and Eckhülm lighthouse followed by 20 miles across the bay of Audierne, before negotiating for a second time the passage of the Raz de Sein. This can be deliverance for some or a true nightmarish experience depending on the time of approach and the turning tides.
The final part of the 2nd leg will consist of a final run to the North, leaving La Parquette tower to starboard. The fleet will set a course for Brest harbour with the narrow entrance, which can still hold some surprises in store on the final miles to the finish. “Basically there is a long and quick stretch across the Bay of Biscay followed by some careful coastal racing, with numerous points of passage, rocks, islands and currents to negotiate before the finish in Brest.” Summarises Race Director Jaques Caraës.
“The race will not be decided until the very end, and I reckon that the back of the fleet will have the chance to get closer to the leaders when the wind comes round from the South West towards the end of the race” said Race Director Jaques Caraës “and the last part is quite tricky, especially if the tide will not be favourable, with strong current and rocks to be avoided.”
