A new squad, a new season and your chance to go solo

The 2015 Artemis Offshore Academy squad; Piers Hugh Smith, Robin Elsey, Rob Bunce, Will Harris and Andrew Baker © Artemis Offshore Academy

With just 270 days to the next Solitaire du Figaro, there is no time to lose at the Artemis Offshore Academy training camp. After putting themselves through the arduous annual Academy Selection Trials in July, this week freshmen Rob Bunce (20), Piers Hugh Smith (19), Andrew Baker (24) and Robin Elsey (21), the '2014/15 Artemis Offshore Academy Development Squad', get set to end their first week of training with a race – the 75nm Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) Cherbourg Race.

"There's been no breaking us in gently in our first week, we've been totally thrown in at the deep end with our first race on Friday (5th September)," Andrew explained (more commonly know as 'Hammy'). "We are all really excited to be taking part in the race and will be spending this week mainly getting to know the Figaros and preparing for the race with Academy Race Coach Marcus Hutchinson, heading out for our first on the water sessions during the day on Thursday and Friday."

A cross-channel sprint from Cowes, Isle of Wight to Cherbourg, France, the race sets off at 1900 BST on Friday 5th September with six UK Bénéteau Figaro IIs expected on the start line – the most entered in a RORC race since the 2013 Rolex Fastnet Race.

Racing as part of the IRC 2 double-handed division, Rob and Andrew will team up with 2014 Solitaire du Figaro skippers Alan Roberts and Rich Mason, while Piers pairs with Academy Race Coach Marcus. Robin will complete his 2014 double-handed racing programme with co-skipper Will Harris: "For most of us it will only be our second time sailing a Figaro, so we're going to be teaming up with one of the Academy's more experienced skippers for the 75 mile race," Rob explained. "I'm with Alan on Artemis 21, which should be good fun and a great opportunity to learn more about the boat and pick up some tips."

"I'm doing the Cherbourg Race with our Race Coach Marcus," Piers added, the youngest member of this year's squad. "I'm looking forward to learning what I can from him and making the most of this early opportunity to sail with him. He's a former Solitaire skipper too, so I'm going to learn a huge amount and ask plenty of questions."

The four Artemis Figaros will be joined on the start line by 2014 Solitaire du Figaro competitor Nick Cherry aboard 'REDSHIFT' and RORC regulars 'RARE'.

Give solo offshore sailing a go at the PSP Southampton Boat Show

While the fifth generation of Artemis Offshore Academy sailors are gearing up to go solo in the coming months, the time is now for the sailing public. For a second year the Artemis Offshore Academy welcomes you to try your hand at solo sailing at the PSP Southampton Boat show, open between the 12th – 21st September 2014.

As part of the show's 'Try a Boat' experience, the Academy team will be running five GO SOLO sessions daily, each an hour long, aimed at giving experienced keelboat sailors the chance to give solo sailing a go. Budding solo skippers will be welcomed by one of the Artemis Offshore Academy's experienced sailors or coaches and coached through a short drill of manoeuvres, including hoisting the mainsail and headsail, tacking, setting spinnaker, gybing, dropping spinnaker and finally dropping the mainsail alone. The session (approximately 60 minutes) will be a non-stop high intensity session designed to give Academy guests the true solo experience (weather dependent), with a hope to whetting their appetite for short-handed sailing.

To apply for this unique sailing experience, simply click HERE to sign up and tell us your availability. Applications for the GO SOLO try boat will close on Wednesday 10th September.

While one boat will be used for the GO SOLO experience, a second of the Artemis Offshore Academy's five striking blue Figaros will be on display in the marina (berth M135), giving visitors the opportunity to sit at the helm, inspect the high-tech instruments or just have a poke around the modest cabin below – imagining themselves onboard, alone and in the Atlantic. At 33ft, the Bénéteau Figaro II is France's short-handed racer built for speed, designed by Marc Lombard for the purpose of competing in the 2000-mile solo Solitaire du Figaro – the next one starting 30th May 2015 from Bordeaux, France.

Find the Artemis Offshore Academy Figaros in the Try Boat area of the PSP Southampton Boat Show from the 12th September 2014.

For more information on the Artemis Offshore Academy GO SOLO experience click here.

www.artemisoffshoreacademy.com