Please select your home edition
Edition
A+T Instruments 2024 Leaderboard

Tom Dolan looking for options and opportunities in Stage 2 of La Solitaire du Figaro

by Tom Dolan Racing 31 Aug 2021 14:14 EST
The Figaros during the 2nd stage of the Solitaire du Figaro between Lorient and Fecamps © Alexis Courcoux

Tom Dolan (Smurfit Kappa-Kingspan) is hoping for some compression with the front of the fleet as Stage 2 of La Solitaire du Figaro, from Lorient to Fécamp, takes on the notorious Alderney Race.

The strong tidal current there, between Alderney and Cap de la Hague on the NW corner of the Cherbourg Cotentin peninsula, will build against the leaders this morning from around nine o'clock.

Dolan is lying in 19th place and has a deficit, according to the official tracker of around eight miles, but in reality the bows of Smurfit Kappa-Kingspan are around 4.6 miles from the stern of leader Pierre Quiroga (Skipper MACIF 2019) and Dolan is making good speeds to the south of the main group, trying to stay out of the worst of the tide.

Racing in unsettled northeasterly winds of 18-20kts it has been a very long night with not much rest, sailing in close to the rocky coastline round the north Brittany coast.

The leaders should pass the Cap de la Hague and the tip of the Cotentin peninsula this afternoon and evening before the long passage across the Bay de la Seine towards Fécamp.

"We are looking at really low tidal ranges at the moment and so tides will not be as important as on leg 1, or normally, Tuesday afternoon there should be a shift in the breeze to the left and that should be the trend as we get east of the high pressure system. So from north of Barfleur onwards it should be all on port tack, straight in to the finish on a slowly lifting breeze." Marcel van Triest, weather adviser to Dolan's Lorient training group advised pre-start in Lorient, Sunday.

The winds look set to build in the final night at sea to give a brisk, tough finish into Fécamp Wednesday morning.

www.lasolitaire.com/en

Related Articles

Nastro Rosa Tour La Maddalena overall
Grand Finale in Genoa Having departed from Venice on June 1, after 43 days of sailing, the 5th edition of the Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour (Sailing Tour of Italy) concluded in Genoa in the magnificent setting of the Palazzo Ducale, which hosted the awards ceremony. Posted today at 8:03 am
La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec
34 Sailors in Pursuit of Sailing's Holy Grail Unattainable, timeless, uncompromising, iconic—superlatives abound when describing La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, an event organized by OC Sport Pen Duick. And all the sailors who've taken part in this legendary race over the years would certainly agree. Posted on 13 Jul
Nastro Rosa Tour La Maddalena day 4
Team Aeronautica Militare wins in La Maddalena, now on to the grand finale in Genoa The team of the Aeronautica Militare, after Cagliari, also wins in La Maddalena, preceding the team of the Guardia di Finanza and the team of the Marina Miliatre who came in third. Posted on 8 Jul
Nastro Rosa Tour La Maddalena day 3
Perfect weather conditions for a spectacular and exciting inshore race The perfect marine weather conditions offered the public of La Maddalena a spectacular and exciting inshore race. Posted on 7 Jul
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour LaMaddalena day 2
A fantastic second day in La Maddalena. The perfect wind conditions allowed Waszp and Wing to carry out their regatta program, thrilling with their spectacular evolutions in a breathtaking setting among the islands of the archipelago. Posted on 6 Jul
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour LaMaddalena day 1
The fleet left Cagliari yesterday to face the 165 miles to La Maddalena The fleet of Figaro3 of the Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour left Cagliari yesterday to face the 165 miles that will take them to La Maddalena. Posted on 5 Jul
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour Cagliari overall
Team Aeronautica Militare wins The Aeronautica Militare team wins the Cagliari stage, ahead of the Verein Seglerhaus Am Wannsee team and the Circolo Nautico Sanbenedettese team, which came in third. Posted on 4 Jul
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour Cagliari day 2
Today in Cagliari, the awards ceremony for the stage winners At the Regatta Village, preparations are under way for the closing ceremony of the Cagliari stage scheduled for this evening at 9:30 pm, preceded by a concert by the Banda della Brigata Sassari. Posted on 2 Jul
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour Cagliari day 1
The Circolo Nautico Sanbenedettese team was the first to arrive in Cagliari The Circolo Nautico Sanbenedettese team was the first to arrive in Cagliari and win the first offshore leg in Sardinia. Posted on 1 Jul
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour Trapani day 3
Team Verein Seglerhaus Am Wannsee wins in Trapani, now heading to Sardinia The Verein Seglerhaus Am Wannsee team won the Trapani stage after about 54 hours of navigation in the offshore category, preceding the Aeronautica Militare team and the Royal Madras team who came in third. Posted on 28 Jun
PredictWind - Offshore App 728x90 BOTTOMAllen Dynamic 40 FooterZhik 2024 December