LEG DESCRIPTION
605 miles between Gijón and Royan and a 2nd crossing of the Bay of Biscay as the main feature.
After a few well-deserved days' rest, the Figaro racers will set sail again, leaving the north Spanish coast to head for Royan, the host town for the 2nd time after a successful first stopover in 2022, which left a very good impression on the skippers as well as on the general public, who turned out in force with almost 45,000 visitors to the Race Village. ‘The second leg will see them cross the Bay of Biscay a second time, this time from west to east. In order to offer a variety of stages, there will be a special marker to look for after Cape Finisterre, weather permitting, which will give them a very coastal start to the course, with some site effects to manage.
The second part of the course, which has no waypoints, will be open before a fairly free finish in Royan. In terms of conditions, it's pretty hard to predict. There are several possible weather scenarios for this leg, with potential choices to be made in relation to a ridge of high pressure or thermal effects on the Iberian Peninsula.
You don't want to get trapped in a windless zone, particularly at night, because of the relief of the coastline at that point, and you need to hang on to the pack. The finish in Royan will potentially be quite tricky, with a relatively strong tidal coefficient.
CROSSING POINTS
Cape Finisterre
Located at the western tip of Spain, this cape is a mythical point where the Atlantic meets the land. Known as the ‘End of the Earth’ to sailors, this majestic cliff marked the end of the known world for centuries. Today, it is a place of contemplation for travellers and a dreaded challenge for sailors.