Harris is off to a stellar start in Solitaire Bompard Le Figaro race to Cowes
by Artemis Offshore Academy 20 Jun 2016 13:24 BST
20 June 2016
Shuffling over the start line in a feeble 5 knots of wind, shining Rookie talent Will Harris aboard Artemis 77 now leads the British charge towards Cowes, Isle of Wight in the 2016 Solitaire Bompard Le Figaro 2016.
Setting off on Leg 1 of the four stage race at 12:02pm local time, Harris was the first British boat around a short inshore course, closely followed by this year's British favourites, Redshift skipper Nick Cherry and Alan Roberts on board Alan Roberts Racing, with fellow UK Rookie Mary Rook sailing Artemis 37 also off to a good start as the fleet now heads offshore.
On the dock this morning, 22 year old Harris was a picture of serenity as he neatly filed away his weather information below deck, undistracted by the sound of a vibrant samba band and the cheering public lining the harbour walls.
"I'm not too nervous now," he said. "I'm trying to keep my head as I've got four days sailing ahead of me. My first aim is to get over the start line cleanly. I hope there's a bit of breeze to get away and we're not too bunched together."
Feeling the stress of the start a little yesterday, Harris quickly came to the conclusion that he was never going to feel ready ahead of a race he has been working towards for three years.
"There is just so much to do before the start," he said. "I did get quite stressed, but then I realised that it was up to me to choose when I felt ready. I'm glad I learned this lesson before the first leg and not the last. I think that is what makes a good solo sailor, being in control of yourself and your goals."
While this year's 39 competitors now fight off sunburn and dehydration in the light airs pinning them to the Normandie coastline, tonight they will face the full brunt of a cold front. Bringing with it wind, rain and gusts of up to 35 knots, conditions on the first night couldn't be more different from their slow start.
"As we start to approach the Owers mark the wind is going to pick up to the thirties," Roberts explained. "We're going to get our heads kicked in a little bit as we pass the Island."
Deemed this year's best British hope of a top 10 finish, Roberts wasn't feeling the pressure ahead of the start: "It's just a race at the end of the day. I've had quite a lot of media attention this year, but I've had a really solid plan for myself and I've been keeping in the zone. It's really nice the French press are noticing me though."
On paper Leg 1 is set to be the longest, hardest and most tiring of the four, but for the Brits Leg 1 has a silver lining – sailing home to friends, family, and the beer and a burger waiting for them in the famous Pier View pub.
"I'm really looking forward to arriving in Cowes," said Rook, echoing the sentiment of all of the British skippers. "I love sailing into the Solent and I know the waters and the Isle of Wight really well."
"I wish the whole race was on the Solent in fact, that would be much better for me," she joked, still finding her feet in harsh offshore conditions. "I can't wait to see my friends and family and show them what this race and solo sailing is all about."
Experienced Figaro sailor Corentin Douguet aboard Sofinther-Un malliot pour le vie was the first boat over the Leg 1 start line on port tack, but it was Vincent Biarnes racing Guyot Environnement who clinched an early lead at the first mark. Race favourite Charlie Dalin was thrown out of contention early on, performing a 360 penalty after his boat Skipper Macif 2015 'kissed' a buoy, but that won't hold him back for long.
You can track the race to Cowes here.
Quotes before the start:
Robin Elsey – Artemis 43
"Leg 1 will be interesting because everyone will be trying to find their feet. It's also going to be quite a hard leg, with light winds, gusty winds and a lot of miles to cover."
"There's lot of places we could get stuck on this leg. In 2014 the sailors did a similar course to Plymouth, and after sailing in the top half of the fleet, Ed Hill found himself stuck in a wind hole around the back of the Island and last into Plymouth. That was a terrible time for him. You never know what is going to happen. I try to stick to the mentality that you could go out and drop a rig tomorrow, so try to enjoy the time you have on the water – racing in the Solitaire is an experience not many people will have in a lifetime."
Mary Rook – Artemis 37 (Rookie)
"For a few days the routing has been showing two potential courses, one around the south of the Island and one through the Solent. When we get to the Owers Mark we'll have to decide which way we go which will be interesting. It's unlikely that the French will brave it through the Solent, as they don't know it very well and it's a busy shipping lane. No one will take a risk on Leg 1, but if they do it'll be exciting."
Nick Cherry – Redshift
"There are going to be plenty of pitfalls in this leg with light winds and tide and the fleet could well be quite spread out. It's going to be long and it's going to be difficult."
"Although the weather forecast pre-race has been changeable, there are something's that are certain. There'll be light and tricky breeze for the start and it's going to be quite windy and southwesterly along the south coast of England. This will then affect our timing getting to Owers, which means there is potential to go through the Solent. While that would be incredibly fun, it's a pretty scary option unless the whole fleet does it. I'm planning on stopping for lunch at the Pier View on Monday."
Andrew Baker – #SeaChange
"My words of advice for the Rookies would be, don't take any risks on the first leg. You have to remember that you can't win the Solitaire in Leg 1, but you can lose it. You also want to try and stay with the fleet, gaining here and there."
"It's going to be pretty cool going back to Cowes. Everybody from around there knows of the Academy, they know of the giant Union Jack on our building. But I don't think they know much about the Solitaire. I'm hoping when they'll see 39 boats arriving they will understand it! It should leave a lasting mark."
Sam Matson – Chatham
"In short, the leg is going to be long, mainly light and mentally tough. We're going to have to stay on top of the forecast all the time because it will be variable. There will be some wind going along the south coast of England, but the winds will be changeable, so if you don't keep up with the latest information you could find yourself in a wind hole or against the tide playing serious catch-up."
"Although we know the English waters, you can never underestimate the natural ability of the French skippers. I wish I could say we're at an advantage, but it doesn't matter if they've sailed there before or not. They've been around for long enough and sail fast enough for it not to be a problem for them."
Hugh Brayshaw – Artemis 23 (Rookie)
"I slept surprisingly well last night. I took me a while to get to sleep, but once I did I didn't wake up until the morning. I think it's been a long time coming, and then a long build up. But now I'm here on the dock I feel ok."
"The weather is very changeable. It will be quite light after the start and I've found I generally perform best in those conditions. We've got a fair bit of heavy weather to come tonight though, so I've just got to try my best, harness the wind and go with it."
Alan Roberts – Alan Roberts Racing
"Arriving in Cowes is going to be cool, it definitely feels like we are sailing into home waters having grown up in Hayling Island and Hamble and having done most of my sailing in the Solent. I will have friends and family waiting for me there too, which will be really nice. It would be nice to think we have a little bit of a home advantage, but I highly doubt that will be the case. The French are pretty switched on to all types of sailing."
"This is only my third Solitaire, so I'm here to learn. My goal is to take as much away from these races as I can to improve me as a solo sailor. I've set myself mirco-goals around the course, but the overall goal is about me as a sailor and using the Solitaire and the Figaro as the gateway to bigger things."
Will Harris – Artemis 77 (Rookie)
"The start will be very light winds and very tricky. It's going to be hard to get away from Deauville right up to the Cherbourg peninsular. It will be a challenge from the off. But almost immediately after that tonight, it's going to be really windy with a big front bringing lots of rain and as much as 35 knots. We'll be up peeling and changing spinnakers in the night. As we run along the UK coastline, the wind will be decreasing all the time with some thermal effects at Wolf Rock."
"My favourite pick me up is dark chocolate with salt. I usually take two bars, but I've taken three this time. And also a few Haribo – but not too many otherwise that would be all I eat. I eat four freeze-dried meals a day, but I have to be careful because of my water allowance. Cooking each meal is 400ml of water. There's a lot to think about."
2016 Solitaire Bompard Le Figaro entry list: (Skipper/Boat name)
1. BAKER Andrew / #SEACHANGE
2. BIARNES Vincent / GUYOT ENVIRONNEMENT
3. CHABAGNY Thierry / GEDIMAT
4. CHERRY Nick / REDSHIFT
5. CLOAREC Damien / SAFERAIL
6. DALIN Charlie / SKIPPER MACIF 2015
7. DOUGUET Corentin / SOFINTHER – UN MAILLOT POUR LA VIE
8. DUTREUX Benjamin / TEAM VENDÉE
9. ELSEY Robin / ARTEMIS 43
10. FAGUET Sophie / RÉGION NORMANDIE
11. GODART PHILIPPE Arnaud / FAUN ENVIRONNEMENT
12. GUILLOU Damien / LA SOLIDARITE MUTUALISTE
13. HOCHART Benoit / PRESQU'ÎLE DE RHUYS – MIRAMAR
14. LE PAPE Martin / BELLOCQ PAYSAGES
15. LE VAILLANT Arthur / UN BATEAU POUR DEMAIN
16. LOISON Alexis / GROUPE FIVA
17. LUNVEN Nicolas / GENERALI
18. MACAIRE Xavier / CHEMINS D'OCEANS
19. MARCHAND Anthony / OVIMPEX – SECOURS POPULAIRE
20. MATSON Sam / CHATHAM
21. MORVAN Gildas / CERCLE VERT
22. PAMIR Tolga / RENOVAL / 1 JOUR 1 HOMME 1 ARBRE
23. PRAT Arthur / LES PERLES DE ST BARTH
24. PRATT Christopher / SOURIRE A LA VIE
25. PRUVOT Claire / PORT DE CAEN OUISTREHAM
26. RICHOMME Yoann / SKIPPER MACIF 2014
27. ROBERTS Alan / ALAN ROBERTS RACING
28. SIMON Sébastien / BRETAGNE – CMB PERFORMANCE
29. TABARLY Erwan / ARMOR LUX
Rookies
30. BRAYSHAW Hugh / ARTEMIS 23
31. DECROOCQ Aymeric / BRETAGNE – CMB ESPOIR
32. HARRIS Will / ARTEMIS 77
33. LAGUETTE Cécile / ILONA
34. METTRAUX Justine / TEAMWORK
35. MOUSSION Théo / #THÉOENFIGARO
36. NOESMOEN Marc / TEAM VENDÉE FORMATION
37. QUIROGA Pierre / SKIPPER ESPOIR CEM
38. RAVOT Yves / HORS LA RUE
39. ROOK Mary / ARTEMIS 37
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