On Thursday, March 17 at 3:00 pm, 30 Figaro Bénéteau boats will compete in the Solo Concarneau âeuros Trophée Guy Cotten 2016. In 2016, this major event of the Figaro Bénéteau circuit is open to double-handed crews for this 40 e Edition. The opportunity for the 8 double-handed crews to train a few weeks before the Transat AG2R âeuros La Mondiale. But this year, the Solo Concarneau will also open the 2016 season of the Figaro Bénéteau circuit, as it takes place from March 14 to 20, as opposed to its usual historical date of May.
The elite of ocean racing has gathered on the pontoons of Concarneau, like Yann Elies, Thierry Chabagny, Gildas Morvan, or Charlie Dalin. They will be 38 sailors (22 solo and 8 duos), among which 6 women and 10 newcomers, to attack this round trip of 340 miles in Brittany.
The first Figaro sailors arrived this Monday, March 14, but as of March 15, the pontoons in Finistère will be in turmoil. Preparers, measurers and skippers will be fine-tuning the final details before the race, as Simon Troël (Corentin Douguet's trainer) explains. "These are always busy times. Even if the boats are ready, there are always a few last things to settle. We are also called upon by the measurement controls, to check the good conformity of the onboard equipment, in particular all that concerns safety. We are happy that the season is starting, because for the past week, we feel that the first race is approaching and that the pressure is mounting on the skippers."
But it is for the newcomers that it is the strongest since it will be their first event in Figaro Bénéteau.
Starting line of the Solo Concarneau 2015 - credit : SRC
Duets accepted
3 weeks before the Transat AG2R âeuros La Mondiale, the 8 crews involved in the Solo Concarneau will also be able to train in real conditions as 6 of them will set off for St-Barthélémy in the West Indies.
"It's a good thing that the Solo Concarneau has adapted its format to suit our schedule. We are participating in double-handed with Gildas in order to continue preparing for the Transat AG2R La Mondiale. We will take advantage of this to finalize a few details, and check that all the software on board is working. There are some good references in our opponents and this will allow us to measure ourselves well, in race mode, three weeks before the start explains Alexis Loison (co-skipper of Gildas Morvan on Cercle Vert).
A tour of Brittany
Mathias Lallemand, race director, details the 340-mile course of the Solo Concarneau: "After a start in front of Concarneau, the Figaro sailors will first have to negotiate a passage between the Glénan islands before attacking the ascent of Brittany to the Pierres Vertes, with the famous passage of the Raz de Sein. In the early morning of the second day of the race, the sailors will head for the island of Yeu, passing the Birvideaux lighthouse. Depending on the wind, important tactical choices will be necessary on this long leg between Sein and Quiberon. After this passage through the Morbihan islands and their coastal effects, the Figaro sailors will head for the southernmost point of the course: Yeu Island. For the ascent to the finish in Concarneau, the skippers will have a range of options for passing between the islands."
Podium of the Solo Concarneau 2015 - from left to right: Gildas Mahé, Corentin Horeau, Yann Eliès and François Bertholom from Guy Cotten - credit: SRC
Program of the Solo Concarneau
Tuesday, March 15: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Confirmation of registrations and controls
Wednesday, March 16:
9 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Confirmation of registrations and boat checks (measurement and safety)
18 h : Briefing at the Pôle Nautique de la Croix.
7:00 p.m.: Competitors' dinner hosted by the SRC.
Thursday, March 17:
3pm 1st warning signal for the Duos, races to follow.
15:10 1st warning signal for the Solos, races to follow.
Sunday, March 20:
11:00 a.m. Awards ceremony and results. (Pôle Nautique de la Croix)
List of registrants as of March 11, 2016
| SOLO | TEAM |
| Hugh BRAYSHAW (ARTEMIS 23)* Pierre CASAUX (WELCOME TO LA)* Thierry CHABAGNY (GEDIMAT) Damien CLOAREC (SAFERAIL) Charlie DALIN (SKIPPER MACIF 2015 ) Aymeric DECROOCQ (BRETAGNE CREDIT MUTUEL DE BRETAGNE ESPOIR)* Corentin DOUGUET (SOFINTHER-UN MAILLOT POUR LA VIE) Benjamin DUTREUX (TEAM VENDEE) Yann ELIES (QUEGUINER LEUCEMIE ESPOIR GROUP) Sophie FAGUET (NORMANDY REGION) Arnaud GODART-PHILIPPE (FAUN ENVIRONNEMENT) Will HARRIS (ARTEMIS 77)* Cécile LAGUETTE (CECILE LOOKING FOR SPONSORS) * Arthur LE VAILLANT (A BOAT FOR TOMORROW) Justine METTRAUX (TEAM WORK)* Nicolas LUNVEN (GENERALI) Marc NOESMOEN (TEAM VENDEE FORMATION)* Claire PRUVOT (PORT OF CAEN OUISTREHAM) Yves RAVOT (MALVEL) Yoann RICHOMME (SKIPPER MACIF 2014) Alan ROBERTS (VASCO DA GAMA) Mary ROOK (ARTEMIS 37)* | Andrew BAKER - Nicolas JOSSIER (SIBELIUS IV 64) Nick CHERRY - Ed FISHWICK (REDSHIFT) Adrien HARDY - Vincent BIARNES (AGIR RECOUVREMENT) Gildas MORVAN - Alexis LOISON (CERCLE VERT) Martin LE PAPE âeuros Eric PERON (BELLOCQ PAYSAGES) Tanguy LE TURQUAIS* - Hervé AUBRY* (CUISINE IXINA) Sébastien SIMON âeuros Xavier MACAIRE (BRETAGNE CREDIT MUTUEL DE BRETAGNE PERFORMANCE) Ekrem PAMIR TOLGA - Stéphanie JADAUD (FREE DOM - Service à Domicile 87) |
* bizuth
