Britain's Figaro rising stars to race in 2014 Artemis Challenge

Artemis Challenge Trophy © Lloyd Images

Widely regarded as one of the 'stand-out' events of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week, the Artemis Challenge is not only a master class in offshore racing for many of the world's best sailors, but also an opportunity to win a share of the £10,000 charity prize fund. In recent years the Artemis Challenge has seen Vendée Globe winners and world record breakers drawn to its start line, and new for 2014 a trio of Volvo Ocean 65s will strut their stuff as part of the 50 mile race round the Isle of Wight.

In addition to this year's racing giants, eight 33ft Bénéteau Figaro IIs skippered by the Artemis Offshore Academy's growing band of British Solitaire du Figaro competitors will line up alongside the 60ft IMOCA 60s, 65ft VO65s and 80ft trimarans as part of the first Artemis Challenge Figaro class – showcasing the natural progression in offshore sailing from the nimble Figaro, up through the ranks to the mighty ocean racing classes.

Of the 50+ sailors taking part in this year's Artemis Challenge 18 started their offshore sailing career in the Class Figaro, with the total number of Solitaire du Figaro participations among the 15 boat fleet standing at 61. Aboard Dongfeng Race Team (VO65) alone there are 26 Solitaire du Figaro races, divvied out between Frenchmen Charles Caudrelier (8), Pascal Bidégorry (7), Thomas Rouxell (6) and Eric Peron (5). Skipper Charles and navigator Pascal both hold prestigious 'premiere Bizuth' titles (1999 and 1995) and highly sought overall Solitaire du Figaro wins (2004 and 2000).

Doing it for the girls, Team SCA (VO65) skipper Sam Davies (GBR) has raced the Solitaire du Figaro four times, finishing Rookie runner up in 2003, while Liz Wardly (AUS) has finished the gruelling solo marathon five times. Across the remainder of the Artemis Challenge field Oman Sail-Musandam skipper Damian Foxall (IRE) has three Solitaires under his belt and is joined onboard by Loick Gallon who has two. Also on three is Prince de Bretagne skipper Lionel Lemonchois (FRA), while Rosalba skipper Andy Greenwood (GBR) has one.

The seven British Solitaire du Figaro skippers competing in this year's Artemis Challenge; Sam Goodchild (Team Plymouth), Nick Cherry (Redshift), Jack Bouttell (GAC Pindar), Ed Hill (Macmillan Cancer Support), Rich Mason (Artemis 77), Sam Matson (Artemis 21) and Alan Roberts (Artemis 37), have between them 14 Solitaire attempts, a historic British record (Goodchild, 11th) and first and second British Rookie accolades (Bouttell 1st 2013/Matson 2nd 2014). The Artemis Figaro armada will be joined by experienced French Figarist Charlie Dalin, who after just his third attack on the race earlier this year finished third of 38 skippers. Charlie will race with the most experienced of the Academy skippers Sam Goodchild, the pair co-skippering Pol Roger Champagne's first Artemis Challenge entry. Sam who started his solo offshore sailing career in 2010, has four years later been selected by the 'proffesseur' himself, Michel Desjoyeaux, to race aboard the Spanish 2014 Volvo Ocean Race campaign 'Team Campos'. Desjoyeaux himself set a new round the island multihull record in the 2012 edition of the Artemis Challenge racing his MOD70 Foncia.

Widely known as the unofficial world championships of solo offshore sailing, a top result in the Solitaire du Figaro is nearly a golden ticket to a Vendée Globe campaign – a 24,000nm solo race around the world, fondly nicknamed the 'Everest' of sailing. Among the brave and ambitious ocean racers who compete in this non stop round the world chase, most have at least one Solitaire win on their sailing CV. 2013 Artemis Challenge winner François Gabart took home the Solitaire du Figaro winning Rookie title in 2008, going on to finish second in 2010 with Macif. In 2012 François became the youngest sailor ever to win the infamous Vendée Globe, finishing in 78 days, 2 hours, 16 minutes and 40 second – beating his mentor Michel Desjoyeaux's world record by 6 days and 53 minutes. 2012 Artemis Challenge winner and round the Isle of Wight world record holder Desjoyeaux is the only man to have ever won the Vendée Globe twice.

For the Artemis Offshore Academy's British Figaro squad, their involvement in this year's Artemis Challenge and its bevy of top class ocean racing talent is the first aspirational taste of what is hopefully to come, as they start to find their way in the offshore field.

You can watch this year's impressive Artemis Challenge line up (two IMOCA 60s, three VO65s, two trimarans and eight Figaros) start the 50 mile round island race from the Royal Yacht Squadron line at 1000am on Thursday 7th August.

Follow the progress of the Artemis Challenge fleet and the British Figaro competitors via the Artemis Challenge website and Twitter and the Artemis Offshore Academy Facebook page.

2014 Artemis Challenge entries:

Artemis Ocean Racing II/IMOCA 60/Brian Thompson (GBR)
Rosalba/IMOCA 60/Andy Greenwood (GBR)
Team SCA/VO65/Sam Davies (GBR)
Dongfeng Race Team/VO65/Charles Caudrelier (FRA)
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing/VO65/Ian Walker (GBR)
Oman Sail – Musandam/MOD70/Damian Foxall (IRL)
Prince de Bretagne/Multihull 80/Lionel Limonchois (FRA)