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09.08.2010
Third leg



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09.08.2010 Back to news

Destination Ireland!

The third leg of the Solitaire is upon us, with what will be the shortest (349 miles), but almost certainly not the easiest, of the four legs of the 2010 edition. The skippers crossed the start line at 1400 today in the bay of Brest, with the port of Kinsale in the southwest of Ireland as the destination.

Thanks to the two hour penalty which Yann Eliès picked up for using his engine to get himself off the beach on which he had run aground during the first leg, there have been some changes to the overall results. Especially for Kito, who has moved up a place from 11th into the coveted top 10, half an hour off 3rd placed Thomas Rouxel, an hour off 2nd placed François Gabart, and two hours behind the leader Armel Le Cléac’h. Half way through the event there is all to play for, and the skipper of Groupe Bel had only one wish this morning: to get out on the water for the fight!

Chilly conditions expected from the start
While the fleet left the Moulin Blanc port at 1100 this morning in almost Mediterranean conditions, the weather forecast indicates that the first night will be more Irish in flavour. The crossing up to Wolf Rock (southwest corner of England) is likely to be under spinnaker, in 20 to 25 knots of southwesterly breeze and… rain. This will be followed by a fairly tactical section with the passage of a low pressure system and tactical decisions to get to the Fastnet Rock (southwest Ireland) as quickly as possible, before the final coastal section of the race along the Irish coast.

Watch out for the rocks!
The skipper of Groupe Bel had a flying start, in spite of his earlier concerns about fighting the current in the bay of Brest. His decision to go left paid off, and he rounded the Radio France buoy in 13th place. François Gabart, who was leading at the time and had also chosen to stick to the left, ran aground on the rocks. The skipper of Macif managed to get himself off the rocks alone, but lost considerable ground to the group. At the exit of the bay, the group which had favoured the right hand side seemed to be making a comeback… next position report at 1900.

Kito’s words in Brest on board Groupe Bel three hours before the start of the leg:

“Even when it looks straightforward, each leg of the Solitaire du Figaro is complicated! Today, the hardest part comes right at the start in the bay of Brest where there is loads of current and not much wind. It will be hard to get a good start, and the ones who come out ahead will have an advantage. At the same time, there is no point worrying about it as the road ahead is long.

We start by heading for Wolf Rock, which should be a straight line, but we will have to manage our spinnakers in strong wind. There will also be lots of seaweed as soon as we get out of the bay of Brest, and it is imperative to stay alert… sleeping is out of the question.

It will be a game of options in the Irish Sea, with boats choosing different sides of the course, and it will be important not to miss any wind shifts. After that we will be in the lee of the Ireland, and the routing programmes have us shaving the coastline, which could well be a trap.

I am a little behind the top two in the overall results. There is not much in it between me and the boats behind, and it can go either way. There is no choice: I have to go on the attack!”

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