The conditions were ideal in Concarneau Bay (Finistère) for this start of the first race of the Figaro Bénéteau season. "The conditions were perfect. After the good start of the doubles fleet at 3:08 pm, led by Agir, a wind shift forced us to set up a new line for the start of the solos. After two procedures and 6 individual abseiling boats, the fleet set off for the Glénan" explains Mathias Louarn (race director).
A little anecdote, the Figarists who went down to the island of Sein tried to exchange with Marc Pointud, temporary keeper of the Tévennec lighthouse, during the night. "The rest of the course looks like it will be without trap, even if the Figaro players will certainly have to perform some manoeuvres as they approach the Birvideaux on Friday afternoon, as the wind could refuse a little. Then, they will have a long reaching edge with a tight reach under spinnaker where they will have to be very careful. It will be a last pure speed edge where you will have to be at the helm all the time: the doubles will clearly have an advantage" explains Jean-Gabriel Le Cléac'h, President of the Race Committee.
It was Queguiner-Leucemie Espoir (Yann-Eliès and Antoine Carpentier) who crossed the Raz de Sein in the lead and who is currently keeping the lead in the fleet among the pairs. But the fleet is very grouped and we find in 2 e position, Bretagne CMB Performances (Sébastien Simon and Xavier Macaire) and Bellocq Paysages (Martin Le Pape and Éric Peron) in 3 e position.
In the Solitaires, the fleet is a little larger and still led by Charlie Dalin (Skipper Macif 2015), followed by Thierry Chabagy (Gedimat) and Nicolas Lunven (Generali). The top three are a few miles away from the other competitors.
The first boats are expected on Saturday 19 March in the middle of the afternoon. To follow the race, go to the link at the bottom of the page. This very well done map allows you to follow the evolution of the boats either in the Solo, Duo or overall category.
Sailors' words
Yann Eliès (Queguiner Group Leukaemia Hope):" I made the decision to participate in doubles rather than alone because of a finger injury. I wouldn't have been able to participate alone, but I still wanted to get some fresh air! When I spend 3 weeks on land, not sailing, I start to have ants in my legs... a bit like a lion in a cage! The opportunity was therefore to double it. I know Antoine Carpentier, because we sailed together on Erwan Le Roux's trimaran. He's a good sailor who benefits from being known! And there are 33 boats, with a bunch of duos from the Transat AG2R, new ones like Pierre Brasseur or Justine Mettraux. My goal is to come and race and confront these young sailors."
Justine Mettraux (TeamWork) : "I trained well for this new season in Figaro. My objective is to walk well as a beginner on this event, for me it is also the discovery of a real Figaro race. I'm looking forward to seeing what's going on in real life, in regatta mode. It's been two and a half years since I've raced solo and this is an opportunity to get back into my rhythm on board, with two nights at sea. With the expected conditions, it's ideal!"
Nicolas Lunven (Generali) : "It's quite paradoxical: somewhere I know I'm expected, because it's my solo return to the circuit, but in another, I didn't sail much on my boat during the winter and it's work to prepare it after two years of absence. So I don't have a ranking objective, but rather to get back on track solo and validate all the technical preparation for the Transat AG2R La Mondiale. There are real work objectives on this Solo Concarneau."
Copyrights: Bernard Gergaud
