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Plus de FigaroA race againts the tides
30-07-2011
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.
The general consternation among the sailors is going to be how best to negotiate the strong current and tidal effects together with the light winds predicted for the race and how to limit the loss of ground to these and fellow competitors to a minimum. It will be a matter of keeping guard and grabbing each and every opportunity to make gains. "Anything could happen on this leg" explained Romain Attanasio (Saveol) at this morning's Eric Bompard Prologue prize giving. "I remember that in 2004 I got stuck and had to anchor in Portland Bay. Everyone else got past except for me. I was stuck in turning tidal currents. It was awful…and will not forget that for the rest of my life! I am going to avoid that at all costs." What paradoxically is the shorts leg of the four stage month long regatta, could be the longest spent at sea.
The Race Director of La Solitaire du Figaro race, Jacques Caraës explained that there will be a slight change to the course 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.
"The first mark, the "Roche Gautier" cardinal, north east of Perros Guirec, has been removed from the course. The solo sailors will therefore head direct to the Radio France mark. Note that the start will be on a fixed position; the line will be set perpendicular to the axis of the buoy and not in relation to the axis of wind." Continued Caraës.
In other words, we could see boats crossing the start line under spinnaker, which would not be traditional for a start. The remainder of the route continues as previously planned: across the Channel towards the English coastline, along which two marks to be left to starboard, Hand Deeps at the entrance to Plymouth Bay and then a hundred miles further east, the Fairway buoy (western tip of the Isle of Wight). before the return crossing across the Channel to the finish in the Bay of Caen.
In total, the length of the course (320 miles) remains the same. The current ETA estimates the first arrival for around noon Wednesday, August 3.
This first leg, the shortest of the four on paper, may be, paradoxically, the longest at sea!
The Race Director of La Solitaire du Figaro race, Jacques Caraës explained that there will be a slight change to the course 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.
"The first mark, the "Roche Gautier" cardinal, north east of Perros Guirec, has been removed from the course. The solo sailors will therefore head direct to the Radio France mark. Note that the start will be on a fixed position; the line will be set perpendicular to the axis of the buoy and not in relation to the axis of wind." Continued Caraës.
In other words, we could see boats crossing the start line under spinnaker, which would not be traditional for a start. The remainder of the route continues as previously planned: across the Channel towards the English coastline, along which two marks to be left to starboard, Hand Deeps at the entrance to Plymouth Bay and then a hundred miles further east, the Fairway buoy (western tip of the Isle of Wight). before the return crossing across the Channel to the finish in the Bay of Caen.
In total, the length of the course (320 miles) remains the same. The current ETA estimates the first arrival for around noon Wednesday, August 3.
This first leg, the shortest of the four on paper, may be, paradoxically, the longest at sea!
