Matson is top Brit in 12th after Leg 2 of Solitaire Bompard Le Figaro

by Artemis Offshore Academy on 29 Jun 2016 Crossing the Leg two finish line in Paimpol today, Chatham skipper Sam Matson was the first Brit home in 12th, while Solitaire Bompard Le Figaro first timer Will Harris aboard Artemis 77 finished 16th to take the coveted Rookie division lead.

Racing his seventh Solitaire, Yoann Richomme sailing Skipper Macif 2014 claimed his first leg win in a time of two days, 20 hours and 29 seconds. After a tight battle at the top, the podium was defined at the Suzuki buoy off the coast of Portsall, France. Richomme was the first at the sponsored mark for a second time in the race, leaving the fleet in his wake as he blasted up the north-western coast of France towards Paimpol.

Nicolas Lunven racing the striking red Figaro Generali finished Leg two in second, just 20 minutes and 40 seconds behind Richomme, with Charlie Dalin aboard his neon and blue Figaro Skipper Macif 2015, crossing the finish line in third – four minutes and 20 seconds after Lunven.

Departing from Cowes on Sunday, Matson and Harris were both looking forward to the fast conditions forecast for the second stage, Matson particularly relishing in the stronger weather usually akin to sailing offshore. Finishing 25th after Leg one following damage to his headsail, the 25 year old from Exmouth was determined to make his come back on Leg two.

Speaking on the dock after the finish, the skipper reported: “I’m pretty tired right now, but happy that I got into good position and managed to hold it to the end of the race.

“I’m really happy with how the leg went and that I was able to stay with the front pack. Sailing fast upwind out of the Solent was really fun. Luckily I knew the waters well through there, so I was able to get into a good position and then I just had to try to maintain it.'

Finishing the leg after two days, 21 hours, 51 minutes and 24 seconds at sea, Matson said he had very little sleep. The race was short, fast and intense.

“The weather was pretty tricky on this leg again,” he said. “Although we had good breeze, at Ushant we were against the tide the whole way. Every time we turned a mark, the tide turned with us. It felt like really slow progress and was one of those moment where you wondered if it would ever end.

“From the moment we got onto the French coast there was no sleeping at all. I think I had 30 minutes sleep on the last day, and when I did sleep I lost out. There just wasn’t the option to sleep, there were rocks everywhere.”

For Harris, Leg two was a second chance at taking the Rookie podium. Leading the first timer division for much of the first stage of the race, Harris succumbed to exhaustion in the final hours. Seizing the opportunity, his closest competitor Pierre Quiroga sailing Skipper Espoir CEM overtook and beat Harris to the Needles finish line by just five minutes.

Going into the second stage, Harris was determined to close the gap and reclaim his Rookie title. Resting and recuperating on home turf in Cowes, he went into the race a man on a mission.

“Going across the Channel I had good speed, but the leg started to drag a bit towards the end,” said Harris. “Along the coast of England I decided to go offshore with just a handful of other boats, one of them was Sam (Matson). We managed to catch the new breeze first and I must have gained 10 to 15 places with that one move. I was really happy with that.

“From there I just worked to maintain my position. I was 14th coming into the Raz de Seine, but I knew I had a long way to go still, so I tried to stay awake for the last 24 hours and fend off as many people as I could.”

Completing the 430nm leg today after two days, 22 hours, seven minutes and 55 at sea, the 22-year-old from Surrey finished 11 places ahead of Quiroga in 27th, putting him almost 30 minutes ahead in the overall Rookie standings.

Justine Mettraux (Teamwork) was the second Rookie finisher in 19th on Leg two, eight minutes behind Harris and now third in the overall ‘Bizuth’ rankings. Quiroga was the third Rookie over the line and is now second overall.

Unable to sail into Paimpol today due to the regions complicated tidal system, top Rookie Harris was his elated with his result, celebrating with his team on the docks in Lézardrieux.

“I’m really happy to have won the Rookie division in this leg, and to be leading overall,” he beamed. “But the Rookie race is definitely not over. There was a 23 hour split between the Rookies on the first leg, and that could easily happen again. Pierre (Quiroga) is not too far behind me, the race is still on for sure!”

Further down the fleet, Alan Roberts aboard Alan Roberts Racing finished in 17th and is now 17th on the overall leaderboard. Nick Cherry sailing Redshift finished Leg two in 23rd position and Robin Elsey racing Artemis 43 in 26th.

The general consensus on the dock was that the leg was very tiring and allowed for very little sleep as Cherry explained.

“I don’t really remember when the last time was that I got some real sleep on that leg,” he said. “I think I was asleep when I missed a gybe and went way over the lay line, but I was definitely supposed to be asleep. This is as tired as I’ve ever been on a Figaro.”

“I think my decisions making was impaired by tiredness. The best moment of the race for me was probably coming out of the Solent. It was really great to have all that support and I was in a good position there,” he concluded.

Another of the British Rookie clan, Hugh Brayshaw racing Artemis 23 finished 29th, three places higher than on Leg one. Andrew Baker aboard #SeaChange is in 30th and British female Mary Rook aboard Artemis 23 finished in 34th.

The stopover in Paimpol looks set to be a quick turnaround, with a parade of sail tomorrow to delivery the boats into the harbour followed by a series of briefings. The sailors will spend just two days in Brittany, before setting off on Leg 3 to La Rochelle on Saturday.