Follow the British Solitaire du Figaro sailors.
After
three full days in Dun Laoghaire the 46-strong fleet of Figaros start
the third leg of the Solitaire du Figaro taking them to Les Sables
D’Olonne (Sunday 14/08/11). This 475-miles leg will test the Artemis
Offshore Academy sailors Sam Goodchild, Nigel King, Conrad Humphreys and
Phil Sharp on their way to the legendary home of the Vendee Globe.
The route for leg 2 of the Solitaire du Figaro
After
a clear start from the fleet, Humphreys was the first Brit to round the
first mark in the top half of the fleet in the 8-mile coastal course,
before they headed out into the Irish Sea. The fleet had mixed
conditions for the start with a 5-6 knot breeze in Dublin Bay amongst
some typically Irish drizzle and squalls with gusts up 15 knots.
Conrad Humphreys © Lloyd Images
The conditions for this leg are going to be lighter than previously experienced on the first two legs as they head south: “We’re
probably going to have south westerly so it’s going to be reaching or
close reaching, not much chance to use our spinnaker, not until we get
to Brittany, and it’s going to be tactical all the way” explained Sharp. “Some
very interesting choices to make and particularly when we look at the
time we will be approaching the raz de Sein which are crucial points to
go around. That tack could change everything in the race, if you make a
mistake there it can be very costly. Hopefully the tide will be with us,
otherwise we won’t be moving very quickly.”
Looking forward to the next leg Goodchild reports: “It
looks like there will be less wind so it will be more racing than
survival. That should be good, hopefully we keep moving all the time,
but it’s not guaranteed at the moment. I’ve learned a lot about
management in the previous legs, learning about yourself, the boat, how
to go fast, get the right way, it’s a steep learning curve. Generally
it’s enjoyable, it’s up and downs, you try to enjoy it”
Sam Goodchild © Lloyd Images
For King it was his third time to Ireland with the Solitaire du Figaro: “It
has been good to be in Ireland again, it’s always nice to come here. In
the 2007 Solitaire we went to Cork and in 2009 we went to Dingle, now
Dublin, it’s always a great experience.” King explained his strategy for this leg “I
will just try sail well and hopefully this would put me somewhere near
the front. For the general ranking my position is difficult, having lost
so much time, so all I can do now is try to sail well on the last two
legs. In a way I have no pressure now, so I’ll be able to enjoy the
sailing.”
Nigel KIng © Artemis Offshore Academy
Leg
3 will pose several challenges to the sailors, not only do they have to
judge how to deal with the wind, tides and currents but also on this
leg the Solitaire du Figaro fleet must cross the path of the 318 boats
taking part in this year’s Fastnet race. The two fleets will cross paths
around Lands End as the Solitaire fleet head south and the Fastnet
fleet heads to the Fastnet rock south of Ireland.
The 46 strong
Figaro fleet are expected to arrive to the famous home of the Vendee
Globe in Les Sables D’Olonne on Wednesday. It is the height of the
holiday season with a lot of activity on the water in Les Sables
D’Olonne, making it the final test of the sailors concentration and
ability to make it through the crowds and to the finish line.
