Please select your home edition
Edition
Armstrong 728x90 - Wing FG Board Range - TOP

52nd La Solitaire du Figaro Stage 3 Day 2: Out of the box, restarting at Casquets, Macaire leads

by Andi Robertson 6 Sep 2021 11:06 PDT 6 September 2021

After spending most of the second afternoon at sea since leaving Fécamp yesterday shadow boxing with the 20 miles northerly perimeter of the Casquets Traffic Separation Scheme, the leaders on Stage 3 of La Solitaire were taking a much sharper southerly slant in search of the forecast stronger easterly breeze that is expected to roll back up to them from the French coast during the latter part of today, Monday.

All of the top skippers who spoke on the VHF today admitted their original strategy was to go south of this almost square exclusion zone that lies north east of Alderney, but it seems like no one was bold enough to break for the south on what was a not very appetising angle.

It was left to Tanguy Le Turqais (Quéguiner Innoveo), the young Catalan rookie Pep Costa (Cybele Vacances-Team Play To B) and Italian American Francesca Clapcich (Fearless - State Street Marathon Sailing) to lead a group of six round the south of the no go zone. They were making three knots faster than the leaders and pointing more directly towards Land's End, the next waypoint on the 624 miles course to Morlaix Bay via a mark off the southwestern most tip of Wales.

Xavier Macaire (Groupe SNEF) - winner of the first leg and second overall - has led since the turn at South Pullar mark at around 2230hrs last night. Race leader Pierre Quiroga (Skipper Macif 2019) was leading but chose not to make the early gybe at the mark which is to the east of the isle of Wight, and lost out to Macaire and others, lying fourth this afternoon at 1.2 miles.

Racing in warm, sunny conditions the leading peloton of ten boats is tightly packed, constantly benchmarking themselves against each other. Conditions are easy - warm and sunny with six to eight knots of breeze and the prospect of carrying big spinnakers all the way to Land's End where they should reach early tomorrow morning.

Britain's Alan Roberts (Seacat Services) made an excellent start to the leg and was approaching South Pullar in second position after Macaire but got caught in the bunch as the fleet compacted in the strong contrary tide and very light winds. He is still nicely in contact with the main group in 17th but two miles back from the leading line. Correspondingly Ireland's Tom Dolan (Smurfit Kappa-Kingspan) came back from the very depths of the fleet on Sunday afternoon's reach across the English Channel to wriggle up to seventh on this morning's light winds run but he is 14th at three miles behind Macaire.

Just over a mile ahead of nearest rival Quiroga but left in a bit of a leeward position Macaire said the race is more or less re-starting from the TSS corner, "This is not what I had hoped for this morning and this afternoon. I was trying to play a wind shift and it didn't go as planned. I was expecting an easterly wind as the files predicted and I still don't have an easterly wind. There are rivals who are further south who have managed to get back to me, it's not too serious. It makes a new start in a way. It's amazing, all the weather forecasted this east wind for noon and we haven't got it yet. We had 6 knots of wind earlier on now it's more like 8-9 knots. It's moving fast now so it's not bad to be with the flow right now. I am calm, there is such a long way still to go I am happy with my start to the race, just a little disappointed with this change that did not happen. I could have scored the advantage since I broke away on my own, but it just got me back into the game. But I am calm for and will stay that way for the rest of the race! "

www.lasolitaire.com/en

Related Articles

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
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour Trapani day 2
In Trapani, the Royal Madras team was 1st in the offshore race. The Royal Madras team was the first to arrive in Trapani and win the offshore leg, followed by the Verein Seglerhaus Am Wannsee and Aeronautica Militare teams. Posted on 26 Jun
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour Trapani day 1
Leaving the Ionian Sea behind them, yesterday early evening the boats passed Portopalo A route of about 200 miles that will take the Figaro3 of the Marina Militare Nastro Tour 2025 from Syracuse to Trapani for the sixth stage, the second in Sicily. Posted on 25 Jun
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour Siracusa overall
Team Verein Seglerhaus Am Wannsee wins in Siracusa The Verein Seglerhaus Am Wannsee team wins the Siracusa leg in the offshore category, after 37 hours of sailing and with only one minute and twenty-one seconds of difference from the Ocean Cruising Club team that came in second. Posted on 23 Jun
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour Siracusa day 1
In Siracusa for the fifth leg and the first island stage The Nastro Rosa Tour lands in Sicily, in Syracuse, for the fifth stage, the first island stage, which will be followed by Trapani, Cagliari and La Maddalena. Posted on 21 Jun
Tom Dolan's 2025 so far
From victory to vision Tom kicked off 2025 with a strong, varied schedule — combining solo races, double-handed challenges, and a standout crewed performance. Posted on 20 Jun
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour Catanzaro day 2
The Marina Militare Team wins in Catanzaro The Marina Militare team wins the Catanzaro stage in the offshore category. Having left Brindisi, after about 40 hours of navigation, the Navy's Figaro 3 crossed the finish line first, leaving behind the Guardia di Finanza team and the Royal Madras team. Posted on 19 Jun
Erica Lush Completes Bermuda 1-2 Regatta First Leg
While training for the Solitaire Du Figaro Rhode Island sailor Erica Lush completed the first leg of the Bermuda 1-2 regatta as the only woman skipper in the fleet. Lush sailed solo from Newport to Bermuda, handling a boat new to her, and rough sea state. Posted on 17 Jun
Nastro Rosa Tour 2025 Catanzaro Day 1
A day of competitions for the Waszp and Wing classes and an evening of events at the Village The Calabrian city hosts the Nastro Rosa Tour stage again in this edition and the Regatta Village has come to life in the Port Area. Posted on 17 Jun
Zhik 2024 DecemberPalm Beach Motor YachtsNorth Sails Loft 57 Podcast