The return of Yoann Richomme
The first stage of this 50th edition of the Solitaire du Figaro will have been challenging. At the head of the fleet have been nine leaders in 4 days and 4 nights. The weather conditions followed in the same way. At the end of this navigation to Kinsale, Ireland, Yoann Richomme (Hellowork-Telegram Group) won the race when he arrived on Thursday 6 June, 73 seconds ahead of Tom Laperche. He won his second stage victory in 8 participations.
The winner of the 2016 Solitaire was able to control his rivals all afternoon with gybes. However, there was doubt, as he stated when he arrived: "when after the DST in Ushant, I saw the whole clique go west. I stuck to my plan to head north and we quickly saw that the wind angle and the sequence of shifts were favourable to us."
The winner of the 2018 Route du Rhum in Class40 did not have all the cards in hand on this course. Seventh in Port Bourgenay, he moved to Noirmoutier in 25th position, a position he still held in Occidentale de Sein and Ouessant.
"I wanted to do something good, but there's so much level... I wouldn't have imagined such a score! I've never had to make such difficult decisions since I've been alone, it was really hard... It's just great!"
The Laperche revelation
Tom Laperche (Brittany CMB Espoir) took second place on the podium. He is one of the revelations of this Solitaire. First Figaro at 21, first passage of the Fastnet, second at Kinsale... He follows the path of his father before him who participated in the Solitaire and his grandfather who participated in one of the first races of the Aurora.
Pierre Leboucher (Guyot environnement) completes the podium. Specialist in the 470, he is participating here in his 3rd Solitaire du Figaro.
Ranking 1st stage (before jury)
1) Yoann Richomme - Hellowork - Telegram Group in 4d 3h 35 min 8s at 20h00'08'''
2) Tom Laperche - Brittany CMB Hope at 1'13''
3) Pierre Leboucher - Guyot environnement at 3'47''
4) Eric Peron - French Touch at 11'05''
5) Corentin Douchet - NF Habitat at 19'52
6) Loick Peyron - Childhood action at 21'43
7) Damien Cloarec - @DamienCloarecSkipper at 24'24'''
8) Michel Desjoeaux - Lumibird at 24'33''
9) Martin the Pope - Skipper Macif 2017 at 25'04''
