Since the nine solo offshore sailing hopefuls were selected for the Artemis Offshore Academy Development Squad, these aspiring sailors have been given little time to draw breath since they began their training in earnest at the beginning of November. And, for some, competing in the first ever UK National Figaro Championships in wet and wild conditions…

The Squad began their training in Southampton with a week of foundation courses including safety training in Sea Survival and First Aid, as well as Navigation system training and two intensive days of French language!  All this was to lay the foundation for the first two weeks of practical training afloat at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. The Squad, Academy personnel and the Artemis Figaro boats will then travel to La Grande Motte (France) in December to join with the French solo sailors training at the Centre d’Entrainement Méditerranée under the watchful eye of Centre Director, and previous Olympic and America’s Cup sailor, Franck Citeau. Much to the relief of the squad sailors, it was explained that the boats would be transported by road rather than facing the Bay of Biscay in December!

The second Artemis Offshore Academy Advisory Board Meeting also took place at the Royal Southampton Yacht Club. Present were John Thorn (Performance Director, Artemis Offshore Academy), Rod Carr (ex-CEO Royal Yachting Association), Mike Golding (IMOCA 60 skipper and Extreme 40 skipper), Mark Turner (Executive Chairman, OC ThirdPole), Ed Gorman former sailing correspondent, The Times) and Charles Darbyshire (Sailing Team Manager) – the role of the Advisory Board is to bring together their collective experience to create the most effective training programme and knowledge sharing environment. A ‘training needs’ analysis had been carried out at the time of the selection process and this will develop over time to meet the objectives of the diverse Development Squad, whose skills range from an Olympic medallist to a national match racing champion, as well as others with considerable success in offshore and long distance racing.

Training priorities were discussed so that the Squad sailors have a clear expectation of what the performance goals are going to be in order to maintain their place in the Academy. The Academy scholarship for the 2011 Solitaire du Figaro season is already under review with the aim that the scholarship should reflect the longer-term goal of putting a British sailor back on the podium of the Vendée Globe rather than necessarily focusing on short-term results.

From the Board Room to a Force 10!

The first Figaro Class endorsed UK National Figaro Championships for Beneteau Figaro 2 boats was held between the 12 to 14th of November at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, the site of the 2012 Olympic sailing events. 

The British weather showed it’s true colours on the eve of the event, with wind speeds peaking at 50 knots (58 mph) just 10 hrs before the first scheduled race.  Thankfully, by the appointed start time the five entries were greeted with a break in the weather to stage four races. Sailed on short windward/leeward courses, the first day was a fitness and boat-handling test. The early leaders were 49er double Olympic medalist Simon Hiscocks and Jersey’s Phil Sharp scoring three second-places and a win but found themselves tied in first place with recently crowned British Match Race Champion Nick Cherry and Nick Houchin. Also in the running was local Figaro sailor Dominic Bowns, racing with Sam Pascoe as co-skipper.

Lulled into a false sense of security, the sailors were faced with a sudden increase in wind speed after the final race - initially doubling to 40kts before gusts peaked at 50kts – and with full mainsails and genoas, getting back to base proved a challenge. All the boats docked safely with only some very minor damage to some sails, a testament to these robust race boats.

A 36-mile offshore course was set for the second day of racing in much calmer conditions. After a short upwind leg, Simon Hiscocks and Phil Sharp edged ahead towards a commanding lead as the rest of the fleet enjoyed various place changes as they followed Hiscocks and Sharp on a close spinnaker reach. Slick hoists and good downwind pace enabled Nick Cherry and Nick Houchin to make some places as the fleet made their way down towards St Albans Ledge.  It was here that the duos patience was tested to the full as the wind dropped away to almost nothing. The leader was not only caught but passed by several of the chasing pack. Perseverance, concentration and squeezing every last bit of power out of the Figaro 2s were necessities in the exceedingly light and fickle breeze. But, eventually, their efforts were rewarded as the Hiscocks/Sharp duo regained the lead to win after 7.5 hours of racing

Going into the final day, only three points separated Hiscocks/Sharp from Cherry/Houchin team.

Three longer windward/leeward courses were set in Weymouth Bay, and with no discards it was all to play for. Artemis Offshore Academy associate sailor Conrad Humphreys joined Becky Scott to win the first race of the day, whilst Hiscocks/Sharp scored enough points to put the championship well within their reach.  A convincing win in the penultimate race was enough to secure overall victory Simon Hiscocks and Phil Sharp at the first ever UK National Figaro Championships.

 Artemis Offshore Academy Performance Director, John Thorn, commented: “It was a great event and the hope is to run a much bigger event next year, attracting some of the French sailing talent that this class is particularly famous for.” 

At the prize giving Simon Hiscocks and Phil Sharp were presented with a Magnum of Winston Churchill’s favourite drink, Pol Roger Champagne. Let’s hope they shared it with their rivals!