The Solo Maître Coq is one of the offshore races reserved for Figaro one-designs and raced single-handed. On odd years, the event is entered in the French Elite Singlehanded Offshore Racing Championship and on even years it is part of the event calendar for the Figaro class and qualifies for the Solitaire Bompard - Le Figaro. In 2017, we are therefore in the first case.
This Friday 21st April, all the offshore racers are already present in the Vendée, as are the referees and juries, who are meeting to carry out the usual checks: gauges, registration, weighing and checking of safety equipment. But it will be necessary to wait until Monday 24th April for the first regattas in the Baie des Sables.
Contact regattas and offshore racing
At the start in Les Sables-d'Olonne - where the Figaro Bénéteau boats are moored along the pontoon of honour in Port Olonna, she mixes contact racing and ocean racing. Thus from Monday to Tuesday, the skippers will be competing on courses built in the bay of Les Sables-d'Olonne, before enjoying a day off on Wednesday. Then on Thursday, they will set off for 36 to 48 hours of racing on a 350 nautical mile loop between the Ile d'Yeu, the Ile de Ré and Belle-Île-en-Mer.
At the end of this week's race, the big winner will be determined.
A record of participation
There are 41 registered for this 14 e edition, a record! Emblematic figures of ocean racing or young first-timers, amateurs or professionals, the line-up for this 2017 edition will once again be extremely varied. The race, which is included in the official Figaro calendar, is in fact rivaling the Solitaire Urgo - Le Figaro in terms of the number of entrants. This is to say that the race is attracting more and more interest from Figaro sailors.
Also noteworthy is the increase in female participation, with 5 participants and an increase in foreign participants. 3 English, 1 Swiss, 1 French-Turkish and 1 Czech will participate. There will also be the headliners of ocean racing such as Jeremie Beyou (Maître Coq) or Yann Eliès (Groupe Quéguiner - Leukaemia Espoir). But also the French Elite champion in single-handed ocean racing Charlie Dalin (Skipper Macif) or subscribers to the places of honour such as Nicolas Lunven (Générali), Xavier Macaire (Groupe Snef) or Sébastien Simon (Bretagne - CMB Performance).
The regulars of the circuit will also be present like Gildas Mahé, Erwan Tabarly (Armor Lux), Benjamin Dutreux, Ardien Hardy (Agir Recouvrement) as well as repeat offenders Cécile Laguette (Eclisse), Pierre Quiroga, Justine Mettraux (Teamwork) or newcomers Tanguy Le Turquais (Nibélis), Julien Pulvé (Team Vendée Formation), Pierre Rhimbault (Bretagne - CMB Espoir). Without forgetting the internationals Alan Roberts (Seacat Services), Mary Rook (Inspire+), Tolga Pamir (FreeDom Home Service) and the amateurs Axel de Blay (Botte Fondation - Naho Consulting), and Yves Ravot (Hors la Rue)
