La Solitaire du Figaro began yesterday from Le Havre in Northern Normandy. The 45 sailors began the first leg, 515 miles to Gijón, in Spain. La Solitaire, as the name suggests is the premier solo sailing event of the summer. Many well known names of French sailing, including Gilles Gahinet, Philippe Poupon, Yves Parlier, Jean Le Cam, Michel Desjoyeaux, Frank Cammas, Kito De Pavant, Jeremie Beyou, Pascal Bidegorry and Nicholas Troussel having won this race in previous years. This year, as in previous races, there are rookies and professionals competing against each other in this true test of single handed sailing.
The race began yesterday on the first of a four stage race over the course of the next four weeks.The video animation of the course, above, demonstrates the rather complicated route of 1717 miles around the French, Spanish and Irish coastline.
Video from AdonnanteTv No copyright infringement intended.
Following article from La Presse Solitaire. 28/07/2010 lasolitaire.com
["The 45 Figaro sailors set off from Le Havre in Northern Normandy yesterday on their first leg, 515 miles to the Gijón, in Asturias on the Spanish Cantabrian coastline. Eric Peron (Skipper Macif 2009) grabbed Karine Fauconnier’s (Eric Bompard Cachemir) early lead shortly after the last position poll and has continued over the past twenty four hours to maintain a narrow margin over his immediate pursuers, Erwan Tabarly (Nacarat), Adrien Hardy (Agir Recouvrement), Nicolas Lunven (Generali) Armel le Cléac’h (Brit Air). Sailors who opted for a more inshore course were rewarded with a lead this morning, however as the fleet rounded the Cherbourg headland filing down past and between Gurensey and Sark, the bulk regrouped. The coming twenty-four hours promises to be just as complex as the sailors attempt to get some rest and keep their keel and rudders clear of the seaweed before embarking on the passage at Four and the maritime traffic at Ushant on the turn south into the Bay of Biscay."]
Authorship accredited to La Solitaire. No copyright infringement intended.
Follow the terrific coverage and see video, photos and audio on the official La Solitaire website - English and French versions are both available.
