Please select your home edition
Edition
Armstrong-A-Wing-728x90 gif TOP

Big Wednesday on Biscay will decide the 53rd La Solitaire du Figaro

by La Solitaire du Figaro 6 Sep 2022 10:49 PDT 6 September 2022
53rd La Solitaire du Figaro Stage 3 © Alexis Courcoux - Guillaume Pirouelle (Région Normandie)

The destination of the 2022 La Solitaire du Figaro title hangs in the balance and will be decided over the course of one 270 nautical miles long, thrilling marathon downwind sprint across the Bay of Biscay from the Los Farallones mark on the north Spanish coast - where the leaders turned this evening - to Saint Nazaire, at the mouth of the Loire where the first skippers are expected around 1800hrs Wednesday afternoon.

After tacking at 1250hrs today on a near perfect lay line Tom Laperche (Région Bretagne-CMB Performance) was first around the Galician turning mark at 1650hrs - the southernmost point on this 640 nautical miles Stage 3, and indeed of this year's race.

Critically Laperche, who many considered the pre-La Solitaire favourite - was 29 minutes up on his title rival, Guillaume Pirouelle (Région Normandie) who led the General Classification by 14 minutes going into this third and final stage of the race.

Conditions for the upwind approach to the Los Farallones mark were already rugged, with the wind gusting to 30kts at times and a building sea. The strong conditions are forecast to continue through tomorrow - certainly for a W'ly breeze in the high 20s - and so it will be an acid test of the ability to keep pushing hard and fast downwind when the body and mind are at the very limit of tiredness.

Most of the skippers who were spoken to in the previous 24 hours had spoken of banking as much rest as possible before this massive sleigh ride. Correspondingly Race Director Yann Chateau - who was on patrol at the turning mark on the guard boat - encouraged a safety first approach down the long run back across Biscay. But with everything to gain, skippers will push to the edge of reason on this last leg.

Having led earlier on this leg Ireland's Tom Dolan (Smurfit Kappa-Kingspan) rounded 18th just ahead of Briton Alan Roberts (Seacat Services). Dolan was the fastest skipper on Leg 2's big breeze in the Channel when he made 11 places over two legs. Meantime Spain's Pep Costa (Team Play 2 B-Terravia) has sailed an exceptional leg so far - also leading earlier in the leg - but he was well placed tonight in ninth while Switzerland's Nils Palmieri (Teamwork) was second.

Follow the race at lasolitaire.com/en

Tracking the fleet at lasolitaire.geovoile.com/2022/tracker/?lg=en

Related Articles

Tom Dolan's best Solo Maître CoQ yet
Seventh overall for Ireland's leading solo offshore racer Ireland's leading solo offshore racer Tom Dolan laid to rest the ghosts of three past Solo Maître CoQ events when he finished seventh overall from a 30 boat fleet Saturday. Posted on 20 Mar
Tom Dolan pleased to be back racing
As the Solo Maître CoQ finally gets under way After two days delayed on land whilst the Vendée coast was buffeted by gales and big seas, today racing got under way at French solo offshore racing's first event of the 2023 season the Solo Maître CoQ. Posted on 15 Mar
First Solo Maître CoQ race planned for Wednesday
A swell greater than 5 meters currently off Les Sables d'Olonne As expected the weather conditions and more significantly the sea state with a swell greater than 5 meters off Les Sables d'Olonne, required Race Management of the 20th Solo Maître CoQ to give up the idea of a short coastal course Tuesday. Posted on 14 Mar
Irish sailor Tom Dolan staying mentally focused
As programme upset by weather at 2023's first event Solo Maître CoQ plans two short coastal races before Thursday's long offshore. Posted on 13 Mar
Road to Gold Q&A Call with Alan Roberts
Secrets to why Figaro sailors are the Masters of Offshore French Figaro sailors, whether past or present, seem to do very well on the fully-crewed offshore circuit. So what makes them so good? Posted on 11 Mar
A new season begins for Ireland's Tom Dolan
The Irish sailor is relishing the start of the 2023 Figaro Beneteau season A comprehensive sail testing programme completed and longer periods of intensive pre-season training races should mean Irish solo sailor Tom Dolan is well equipped to stake his claim to regular podium places over the course of the Figaro Bénéteau season. Posted on 7 Mar
La Solitaire du Figaro 2023 route announced
Three stage, 1850 miles course for 54th edition Three stage, 1850 miles course for 54th edition of La Solitaire du Figaro includes Kinsale, Ireland. Posted on 7 Mar
BayWa r.e. announces partnership with Sanni Beucke
Setting sail to promote sustainability and equality Professional sailor Susann "Sanni" Beucke, 31, silver medallist at the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games, and leading global renewable energy company BayWa r.e., officially launch their new long-term partnership. Posted on 8 Feb
Upping the ante for the 50th Rolex Fastnet Race
James Boyd reviews some of the latest hardware built or acquired especially for this year's race Names on the Fastnet Challenge Cup include Jolie Brise, Dorade, Myth of Malham, Carina II, Pen Duick III, Condor, Nicorette, Morning Glory, Nokia, Rán 2, Night and Day, Courrier Du Leon and Lann Ael 2, plus the American VO70 Wizard and the Sunrise. Posted on 27 Jan
50th Rolex Fastnet Race on course for record entry
By 1300 today entries were up to 433 The Royal Ocean Racing Club's new race entry system has been burning red hot since 1200 UTC today when registration opened for the 50th edition of the club's flagship event, the Rolex Fastnet Race. Posted on 11 Jan
ASB23-SW-1456x180-Banner-Bottom-REV-04Marine Resources 2022 Salary Survey FOOTERRooster 2020 - Impact BA - FOOTER