50th La Solitaire URGO Le Figaro Leg 1 - Day 4 Morning Update
by La Solitaire URGO Le Figaro 6 Jun 2019 08:04 BST
6 June 2019
Achille Nebout-Navigateur and Anthony Marchand - Royer group this morning - 50th Solitaire URGO Le Figaro © Alexis Courcoux
The famous Fastnet Rock, the most southerly point of Ireland, is drawing together the different factions of the 50th Solitaire URGO Le Figaro fleet back together this morning, but given the prospect of yet more light and unsettled winds for the final 50 miles to the stage 1 finish in Kinsale, it is quite possible that the leaders at the rock may not go on to lead across the finish line later today.
At around 35 miles from the long awaited turn east at Fastnet, the fleet is converging in a light northerly breeze. The group which took the middle course is prevailing as the wind veered from the north west more into the north and so disadvantaging the pack which had taken a more westerly option, led by three times winner Yann Eliès (St Michel) and Thomas Ruyant (Advens-La fondation de la mer).
Pierre Leboucher (Guyot Environment), a French Olympian who was sixth in the 470 at London in 2012, has held on to the slenderest of leads through last night ahead of the 2016 overall La Solitaire champion Yoann Richomme (Le Telegramme/Hellowork). Along with 22-year-old top Bizuth, or rookie, Tom La Perche (Bretagne CMB Espoir) winner of the CMB Challenge Espoir talent selection trials, this trio have painstakingly eked out a three-mile cushion over the fourth placed Eric Peron (French Touch).
The lone wolf remains Armel Le Cléac’h (Banque Populaire) who has taken the most radical, easterly route. The 2017 Vendée Globe winner was more than 15 miles to the east of the leading trio earlier this morning in 14th place – having been 44th at one stage – and is 10 miles behind the top trio. He needs the breeze to build more or to shift further to the right for his leverage to yield significant gains.
But the forecasts suggest the winds are more likely to move more to the left, or west of north, which could allow a small comeback for the offshore pack. But for the final ‘sprint’ along the rugged Irish coastline the breezes look set to be fitful, and in strong tidal currents, no lead will be safe until the finish line in the bay at Kinsale.
Switzerland’s Justine Mettraux (Teamwork) remains the best placed non French skipper in tenth this morning, another sailor who has been the architect of a remarkable recovery from early positions in the 30s in the 46 strong fleet, while Alan Roberts (Seacat Services) would likely be satisfied if he can hang on to 17th place given how deep in the fleet he was on the first full day of racing. The Brit has Kiwi Conrad Colman (Ethical Power) in 18th. Ireland’s Tom Dolan (Smurfit Kappa) is 35th having lost out with his westerly option.
Suffice to say that after three days and four sleep-deprived nights of solo racing Ireland’s Teardrop – as the Fastnet was known because it was the last glimpse of Ireland for 19th Century emigrants heading out across the Atlantic to America – may yet see tears of extreme tiredness and frustration when the bulk of the fleet round later this morning.
Xavier Macaire (Groupe SNEF): “The wind has gone right into the north and dropped. While it is good it has gone north it is not good it has dropped away completely. I have three knots right now which is not terrible. And as the sun comes up it is always better to see, always good to see the sun rise. On a race like this it always gives you some energy. It has been so changeable for two days, the wind shifting constantly. It is so tiring because you cannot leave the helm to rest and we always have to be on deck. But this looks like it will go on and it will be complicated to the end.”
Jérémie Beyou (Charal): “It’s complicated because there are early morning gusts that have been up above us. And the wind turns north-east under the clouds and gusts and so we do not really know if it’s the definitive wind that we should sail to or have to wait until it dies and see what remains. We have had the rankings too. I try to work out where the others are so I know if I have won or lost compared to the ranking before, and see what I can work out from the rankings. For sure we are not at the top of the rankings but we have gained back distance on the leader and as we come into the same courses we’ll know more, later. I’m hoping that the wind will come back for the end of the race as there is still a fair distance to go and lots can happen. I did a few four night stages before and even one which lasted 5 nights and 6 days, that was my first Solitaire du Figaro and we went to Dublin. We were hardly dry before we had to leave. That was a bit special but it happened.”