La Solitaire du Figaro 2011 - Brits step up training

by UK Class Figaro on 13 Jul 2011 La Solitaire du Figaro 2011 is a 1700-mile course over four stages, starting in Perros-Guirec on the North Brittany coast on 23rd July and visiting Caen, Normandy, Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, Les Sables d’Olonne, Vendée, before finishing in Dieppe, Pas de Calais, on 28th August.

The recent impressive results on the Class Figaro Beneteau circuit have proved that Sam Goodchild, Nigel King, Conrad Humphreys, and Phil Sharp – the four Artemis Offshore Academy sailors competing in this year’s Solitaire du Figaro – have benefited from the structured UK training programme of excellence the Academy provides.

These sailors’ sights are now set on the highlight of the season, the Solitaire du Figaro race which attracts a good mix of professionals and rookies.

The level of competition during the Solitaire du Figaro is always extremely high and this year is no exception. A total of 49 entries including last year’s winner, Frenchman Armel Le Cléac’h, and a host of other top-ranked solo sailors is set to provide exceptionally close racing. The British contingent of Artemis Offshore Academy squad sailors entered have been clocking up some respectable results en route to the main event.

At the 150-mile Transmanche race off the Breton coast, where the level of competition was strong, Nigel King and Sam Goodchild took second and third places respectively. There were some notable top-ranked French solo sailors making up the 21-strong fleet including the likes of Fédéric Duthill, Jeremi Beyou, Thierry Chabagny, and Jeanne Gregoire, but the British Artemis Offshore Academy sailors gave an indication of how their training is paying off ahead of the Solitaire du Figaro.

King, who took second place in the Transmanche said the race was a significant part of training in the run up to the Solitaire du Figaro: 'After the previous race [Solo Basse Normandie] where I lost out in the final stages of the race through silly mistakes, I made sure I went into this race with a clear plan and it seemed to work, although I won’t allow the result to paper over the cracks. There is still a lot to work on.'

Goodchild, who added a third place in the Transmanche to his solid string of 2011 results including a second overall in the Solo Basse-Normandie race (20-23 May), has real potential to be a contender in the Rookie Division of the Solitaire du Figaro. The 21-year old, who won a scholarship to the Artemis Offshore Academy earlier this year, is also far from complacent: 'The Transmanche was important because it highlighted the areas I need to work on. Over the winter I was quite happy and confident with my manoeuvres, they felt quite solid but because I have been focussing on boat speed for the last couple of months, I’ve now discovered my manoeuvres have suffered a bit, so I have been working on them again. I also need to continue my work on obtaining more consistent boat speed.'

Now, in the final run up to the race, the British sailors are stepping up their already intense training regime in an effort to set them up for what will be a month of cut-throat racing against some of the world’s most talented solo sailors. However, they are under no illusions about the strength of competition they are about to face. As well Le Cléac’h, Duthill, Beyou, Chabagny, Gregoire – all of whom have competed in the Solitaire du Figaro at least eight times before – there are other notable sailors they are up against including Eric Peron, Gildas Morvan, Thomas Rouxal, and Erwan Tabarly – all top 10 finishers last year.

The 33ft Figaro Beneteau 2 one-design – the class of yacht used on the French Figaro circuit – is not only a popular choice for those with an ambition to pursue a solo racing career using it as a stepping stone towards the ultimate goal of competing in the Vendée Globe. It is also highly regarded by seasoned professionals as the ideal training yacht in which to sharpen their skills against, new, up and coming young sailors.

Despite winning the Solo Basse Normandie earlier this year, the prize being an entry into the Solitaire du Figaro, Phil Sharp’s dream of tracking down a sponsor and a boat to enable him to compete looked fairly bleak, but he has now secured a yacht to charter and will make it to the start line, however he is still looking for a last minute sponsor to come onboard. Sharp has been training with leading solo sailor Fred Duthill to be in the best possible competitive shape for the race. Sharp commented: 'It’s a great boat and really well sorted because its owner – Armel Tripon – has really cared for it. It also has all the gizmos a Figaro sailor would wish for and, best of all it doesn’t leak!'

Having sailed an impressive series and just narrowly missed winning the UK Figaro National Championships earlier this year in Weymouth, 38-year-old Conrad Humphreys experienced a blow to his form in the Transmanche Race where he had to settle for 15th overall: 'Although it wasn’t one of my best results, there were some good moments in this race where everything came together. It’s taken from March this year to get the boat-handling slick, but my decision-making at crucial moments is still rusty. This is the area that I need to focus on over the next few weeks before the start of La Solitaire du Figaro.'

Other news…
The process for the selection trials for Artemis Offshore Academy Development Squad sailors that takes place annually at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is now open, so British sailors who wish to put their names forward for the Selection Trials in September for the 2012 season, can apply online now.

Katie Miller, one of Britain’s young sailors, is one of the many talented sailors out there on the Class Figaro Beneteau circuit who has the right credentials for becoming a future Development squad member. Miller, who juggles a full-time job at International Paint with running her own Figaro Beneteau 2 campaign has just completed the 1,000-mile double-handed Fjord Sailing Shetland-Bergen race with sailing partner Matthew Lingley, finishing a creditable fourth overall. Chatting about her future plans, Miller commented: 'Unfortunately, I still do not have the time or the budget to commit properly to the Class Figaro Beneteau circuit. My Figaro ambitions will probably have to wait for a few years while I work out how to commit and finance the project the properly.'

Have you ever wanted to Go Solo? Enter the Artemis Offshore Academy Facebook competition on the welcome page for the chance to win a unique solo sailing experience. Full terms can be found online with the competition entry Artemis Offshore Academy La Solitaire du Figaro website