Solitaire du Figaro
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Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro • Leg 3
Alain Gautier wins in Dingle and takes the lead before last leg
After worthy winner Alain Gautier(Foncia) took victory in the third leg in Dingle this morning, it was a bitterly disappointed Pascal Bidégorry(Région Aquitaine) who just missed out once again, at 11h23’31 BST, 23m56s later, with a fatigued Armel Le Cléach(Créaline) at 11h26"52’ just 3m21s behind, completing the podium. The rest of (...) -
Solitaire Afflelou le Figaro • Leg 3
Sam Davies rounds first buoy ahead • Desjoyeaux takes the lead at Radio France buoy
The start of today’s third leg of La Solitaire Afflelou le Figaro from La Rochelle to Dingle, Ireland was given at 1600 BST precisely in 8 to 10 knots of well-established north-westerly with a slight chop under an occasional thin veil of cloud and a blazing sun. Benoît Petit (Défi Santé Voile) got off to the best start, closely followed (...) -
Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro
Armel Le Cléac’h wins leg 2 ahead of Desjoyeaux and Tabarly
On the horizon the Figaro Bénéteau fleet eased slowly towards the finish line in La Rochelle, a wave of colour under spinnaker. And it was Armel Le Cléac’h on Créaline who finally snatched victory at 10h43’58" French time today under blue skies on flat seas with barely a breath of heavy air under full main and gennaker. Just over (...) -
Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro
Yann Elies wins first leg in Spain
A classic finish in true Figaro style after an intense 400 mile dash across the Bay of Biscay. At 23 hours 29 minutes 54 seconds BST on 2 August 2003, an exhausted Yann Eliès (Groupe Générali Assurances) was the first of the fleet to cross the finish line of this first leg of La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro. After three days of rather balmy (...) -
Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro
Pascal Bidegorry leads leg one from Les Sables d’Olonne
The 42 skippers in this La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro got off to a clean start from the Sables d’Olonne in the Vendée under broken cloud in 15 knots of west north-westerly, closed-hauled on starboard tack in slightly choppy seas. They shifted away rather slowly at an average of 4.5 knots. Ahead of their bows on this the first of (...) -
Solitaire du Figaro
New boats and course for the single-handed Figaro 2003
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Solitaire du Figaro
Kito the hero!
Christophe the winner! Photo: Natacha FavreauIt’s a rare occasion in the history of the race. This year, the Single-handed Figaro crowns a great winner who has not won a single leg. It is thanks to his regularity that Kito De Pavant takes all the laurels at Cherbourg-Octeville. At 41, this skipper from Hérault, with obvious kindness and talent, hoists himself onto the highest step (...) -
Solitaire du Figaro
Last match in the Channel
Calm once more, still ripe with suspense. After the passage of Ushant, the soloists have been gathered up by the slackening and more unstable winds generated by a fine ridge of high pressure. Add the tides and all the conditions are reunited to provide the kick-off for an umpteenth start. There’s still a lot to do and the regatta is (...) -
Solitaire du Figaro
Out in front on the run up to the Ushant of legend…
The desired Ushant. Still being pushed around on the climb up the Bay of Biscay, the fleet is advancing against the fluctuating wind in a very stormy sea. Hard work indeed! Yet something that will please the toughest of them all, Eric Drouglazet (David Olivier), who is now in the lead. But watch out for the conquerors from the west who are (...) -
Solitaire du Figaro
The upwind test in the bay of Biscay
« One route, three times the trouble ». When the wind on the nose blows straight in the direction that the yachts wish to go, things get pretty complicated. A very technical and tactical point of sail, there is nothing which can compare with upwind sailing for sharpening the reflexes of the regatta sailors. For the soloists, the honour lies (...)
Course en solitaire - Figaro-Bénéteau - Annuelle