Solitaire Bompard Le Figaro 2016 – Final drama unfolds

by rivacom.fr on 7 Jul 2016 The leaders of stage four of the Solitaire Bompard Le Figaro made a swift, relatively pain-free passage around the top of the Isle de Yeu while enjoying a beautiful summer sunrise and a good breeze.

Gildas Morvan on Cercle Vert passed the midpoint of the course at 0540hrs in first place having led since dialing into the first windshift off the start line best.

Less than two minutes behind him at the virtual Suzuki line was Erwan Tabarly on Armor Lux, the winner of the opening stage and then Nico Lunven on the dark red Generali.

The top-10 boats crossed the line within 10 minutes of each other. Meanwhile the duel that looks set to decide the Solitaire Bompard Le Figaro title is in full swing.

Charlie Dalin on Skipper Macif 2015 is two-tenths of a mile ahead of the race leader Yoann Richomme on Skipper Macif 2014, the race leader, who is sticking like glue to Dalin.

With just 14 minutes of advantage going into this final stage, Richomme needs to be within about one-and-a-half miles of Dalin at the finish to be sure of his first victory in this marathon event.

In the thick of his own duel to win the Rookie title, but no doubt benefiting from being able to pace himself against two of the fastest sailors in the fleet, is Britain's Will Harris on Artemis 77.

With Dalin in seventh and Richomme in eighth, Harris lies ninth and is side-by-side with Richomme. Harris' rookie title opponent Pierre Quiroga on Skipper Espoir CEM is to leeward just behind the Englishman. Both battles for the key race titles are contained in the same half mile stretch of water.

Harris made a good start to the leg, benefitting from the first windshift to the left. Using it to best effect has really set the hierarchy for the race so far.

'I saw the guys on the left side getting that lift and that was good for me. I managed to keep pace and make all the good small tactical decisions around the short course. It was the first start that has been really good for me,' said Harris on the VHF this morning.

'I have been able to sleep. I had the boat well set-up and realised that, as we were coming to Isle de Yeu, everyone had their spinnakers up and I didn't and I took three or four places just by not having my spinnaker up.

'I am not expecting this (northeasterly) breeze to hold for too much longer. By midday it should be gone. I am just trying to figure out how to set up myself best for the sea breeze. I have Pierre there and the rest of the fleet coming up high, so I probably want to be close to the shore, not too far away from the land to get the sea breeze. I am just kind of trying to stay in the middle and keep it fast in these reaching conditions,' Harris concluded.

The transition to the sea breeze will be the biggest challenge remaining on this Solitaire. It should fill-in around 1100hrs-to-midday and might decide the winner of the overall title. The leaders had less than 50 miles to the finish at 0700hrs this morning, making 7.6 knots but the weather routing suggests an evening finish.