Xavier Macaire (Skipper Hérault) finished first in this last leg of the Solitaire du Figaro. He crossed the finish line of this 4 e stage on Thursday 25 June at 2 h 14 min and 07 s, 54 seconds ahead of Adrien Hardy who took the 2nd place e place on the podium with a finish time of 2 h 15 min and 10 s. With this arrival in Dieppe, more than an hour before Yann Eliès (Groupe Queguiner-Leucémie espoir) and Charlie Dalin (Skipper Macif 2015), Xavier Macaire (Skipper Hérault) takes first place in the provisional overall ranking of the 46th edition of the Solitaire du Figaro. But everything could be in question, despite the tenacity and the remarkable course on this last leg of the Mediterranean skipper. Xavier Macaire broke the maritime regulations by entering a zone forbidden to navigation. Even if it was brief, this incident could well cost the winner of the race his place.
Bad start dès départâeuros¦
Starting from Torbay last Sunday, for this 4 e and last stage, Xavier Macaire was forced to cross the starting line with a stolen start. Starting last in the race, he nevertheless managed to make the break three times, before seeing his competitors come back on him. The day after the start, he managed to take the lead and all day long he widened the gaps. On Tuesday, before daybreak, he was 7 miles ahead of Yann Eliès and ahead of Charlie Dalin. "Many times," Xavier confessed upon arrival, "I told myself it was possible in the general." But before the Start Point cape, as well as at the Owers mark on the Isle of Wright and then at the Antifer cape, it was Adrien Hardy who took advantage of a windless sea to catch up with the fleet leader and steal his first place. Then began 36 hours on an oily sea, on which the two competitors fought a 230 mile battle. The two leaders set off along the coast to protect themselves from the current and against all odds lengthened the route to 6 knots, while behind them it was a standstill for everyone, including Charlie Dalin and Yann Eliès. The leaders are now more than an hour ahead, which is upsetting the overall ranking, with Xavier Macaire taking the lead temporarily. In the end, it was Macaire who entered the port of Dieppe first, followed 54 seconds later by Adrien Hardy. The welcome was warm, but Xavier did not raise his arms very high. "I'm super happy with my stage he declares, but there's that little dilemma about the blackout zone that spoils the party."
It was Yoann Richomme (Skipper Macif 2014) who raised the alarm a few minutes earlier on the VHF. Skipper Hérault entered the Paluel no-fly zone, in front of the nuclear power plant of the same name, a few miles from Saint-Valery-en-Caux. Warned on the radio by Adrien Hardy, Xavier has for him his good faith. " I didn't get anything out of going through it. And I checked my Race Instructions, the brand was not in itâeuros¦" The buoy he left is not a course mark, but the maritime regulations are formal and skippers are obliged to comply with them.
The competitors had until 10 o'clock this Thursday morning to make a claim if they wish. If it was the case, it would be necessary to wait for the decision of the jury will give the penalty âeuros between a few minutes until the disqualification of the stage âeuros to know the real winner of the 46 e edition of the Solitaire du Figaro Éric Bompard Cachemire.
"Big stage, great stage, complicated! A lot of things happened, I had a good feeling, it went well from the first night, I played quite a bit in the lead so it was great! It was long, hard, there was a lot of wind, and there were some blows. I got ahead at times, I lost it again, several times the guys came back behind. Several times, I said to myself, maybe it is possible to win the overall, several times, they came closer, it happened at least two or three times. I wanted to do a successful stage, to sail well, it worked well, I am really very happy.
I made the hole the day after the start. My trajectory was good, it went through and I managed to be in the lead. I still do not realize, especially since there is a small dilemma on a prohibited area that is not listed in the IC. I didn't know and I went through it. I bit into it a bit, so there will definitely be claims. I can lose a lot of money on it. As far as I'm concerned, I'm within my rights, as long as it's not written in the Sailing Instructions, there's no reason to pass an extra buoy. It was the little black beast on this stage that was perfect. It's as if I didn't have to succeed at everything. I was able to sail super well, go fast, get ahead, believe several times in the final victory, see the guys coming backâ?¦ well there is this little dilemma."
It spoils the arrival, it spoils everything. It spoils because from the moment it was not written in the IC and there was nothing announced at the briefing, I scraped it. Adrien Hardy told me on the VHF, "be careful, it's a buoy to leave on the right!" I went back to my ICs, I read it carefully and I said to myself, I don't see why he's telling me that. And I left it on the left. There will probably be a claim. I didn't get any benefit from being there. It didn't do anything but create problems for me, I really didn't get any benefit from itâ?¦
Adrien did some really good things on this stage. It was a great fight, I enjoyed it. It reminded me of 2013 when we had a great finish with Yann Eliès and Adrien. Adrien was first, Yann second and I third. We had a Dantesque stage! Fighting with him reminded me of that edition, with a nice touch of nostalgia. It's a shame that this little problem spoiled the party. I would have jumped into his arms and said, "look, it's just like last year!" I have some great races with Adrien, he's someone I really like."
Yann Eliès, who sees the final victory on this last stage slipping away, looks back on his journey " I didn't just do mâeuros¦. either! Dieppe is like that, I don't feel the blows, it's one blow out of two. In the same way, I missed the victory in 2009 by a small blow on Nico Lunven. Why didn't I answer the VHF? I didn't feel like talking, I wasn't feeling well during the stage, I didn't want to throw up that story I was freaking out. I have the temper of a pig, when I sulk, I sulkâeuros¦ It's okay, I had time to digest my bullshit. As I get older, I learn to put things in perspective. No, I'm thinking of taking a break, I won't be back next year, I need to turn the page before I come back with desire. Adrien, he tries poker move after poker move. One time, it's a success, the other time, it's not and when it's not a success, it hurts! That's not how he's going to win La Solitaire. Xavier, on the other hand, has sailed really well. He deserves to win this stage. Afterwards, he got his feet stuck in the carpet at the finish, he didn't make the right choice by crossing a forbidden zone, so his race isn't perfect."
Podium of the Solitaire du Figaro 2015
| 1st | Xavier Macaire |
| 2nd | Yann Eliès |
| 3rd | Charlie Dalin |
Photo credits : Alexis COURCOUX
