New Figaro 3 launch and first sail

And finally, Yoann Richomme won this first race, with only 1,13 mn before the second (the Rookie Tom Laperche) and 3,47 mn before the third Pierre Leboucher (afte > 4 days race !). To note also the great race of Justine Mettraux, the Swiss female and first non French (there is the Vivi trophy for them, to stimulate the international participation), finishing 14th at 1h03, just few minutes after Armel Le Cleac'h 11th at 55 mn.
Le classement avant jury de l’étape 1 - Actualités | La Solitaire https://www.lasolitaire-urgo.com/news/view/le-classement-avant-jury-de-letape-1
I have selected this one minute video taken June 5, showing F3 sailing upwind on waves

 

This video about Life on board a Figaro 3, by Armel Le Cleac'h : for a Solitaire du Figaro, he is at the helm during ~ 90% of the time (very different than a Vendée Globe or a Route du Rhum) and for the sleeping time, just small naps of 10, 15 or 20 mn, several times but no more than 2 h in cumulative time per day ( for 3-4 days race).

 

The start of the second leg Kinsale - Roscoff (by Wolf Rock and the Needles), from 19:30 in this video :

 

Most of the fleet is rounded Wolf Rock, while the first trio Armel Le Cleac'h, Yoann Richomme and Morgan Lagravière are already 11 Milles ahead in direction to the Isle of Wight. Yoann Richomme confirms his consistence, as he did all along the last RdR in Class 40, remember the name !
La Solitaire - Cartographie https://www.lasolitaire-urgo.com/cartographie

 

The trio becomes four with Gildas Mahé, all now at speed ~ 11 knots under gennaker, and according to Ventusky the wind will turn to NE and force to 18-20 knots with gusts to 30 tomorrow noon, will be more challenging !
Weather Forecast Maps https://www.ventusky.com/?p=49.9;-3.2;5&l=wind-10m&t=20190611/1000
La Solitaire - Cartographie https://www.lasolitaire-urgo.com/cartographie

 

It is Adrien Hardy who won the second race, daring the passage to the south of the exclusion zone in the English Channel, and so managed to pass just in front Yoann Richomme and to keep this thin lead to the end. After 2 races, Yoann Richomme has consolidated his impressive lead, his second is now Armel Le Cleac'h, also consistent but at 2h34 behind. This second leg offered some strong wind sequences, never faced before by the Figaro 3 in hard racing conditions, skippers said be happy with the boat behaviour and appreciated the top speeds reached. Race sum-up, stories and comments here with the English version of the site :
It’s Hardy’s Stage win but Relaxed Richomme gets richer - News | La Solitaire https://www.lasolitaire-urgo.com/en/news/view/its-hardys-stage-win-but-relaxed-richomme-gets-richer

 

I select this video, from 1:10 you can see Banque Pop under Main, jib and assymetric spi, ... and automatic pilot, all well balanced, at good speed and with nobody in the cockpit (Armel likely doing a small nap), strange vision :

 

The second leg with high speed sequences revealed a problem of sealing of the small hatch of access to the foils wells, which have handicap several skippers : some hatches suddenly opened under the water high pressure, leading to a sudden and big water intake in the cabin, 3 skippers were forced to abandon due to that, some others have continued but at reduced speed... Of course this has introduced an unfair hazard for this race, but the problem will be solved for all the boats by the Beneteau technical team at time for the third race. More details, but in French :
L’étanchéité des puits de foils en questions… - Actualités | La Solitaire https://www.lasolitaire-urgo.com/news/view/letancheite-des-puits-de-foils-en-questions

 

Start of the 3rd race (see the video, from 30:00), with at first a very technical sailing in the Anglo-Norman Gulf, with quite strong tidal currents and a lot of rocks to avoid, which can cause very important differences.
Tracking : La Solitaire - Track Map https://www.lasolitaire-urgo.com/en/cartographie
Video of the start (from 30:00) :

 

Incredible situation at the North end of Alderney Island: at around noon, only 3 boats succeeded to turn the Island before the tidal current reversal in a weakening wind, others including those at just 300 m from the mark to turn, were stopped and drag back by the current belt. Now, all the contenders, except the 3 far ahead, are at the S-E corner of the exclusion zone wondering how to round it. More details in english :
Is the Stage 3 podium already set? - News | La Solitaire https://www.lasolitaire-urgo.com/en/news/view/is-the-stage-3-podium-already-set
Tracking : La Solitaire - Cartographie https://www.lasolitaire-urgo.com/cartographie

 

The fleet is still a lot stretched since the Alderney episode, in successive groups reflecting their passage at South or at North of the Casquets exclusion zone dictated by the tidal current more than by deliberated choice. The first three, Loison, Marchand and Mahé, have just rounded Ushant island and are now sure to make the podium of this race at Roscoff. The question is how many hours they can recovered from the leader Richomme presently behind at more than 56 NM ?
Tracking : La Solitaire - Cartographie https://www.lasolitaire-urgo.com/cartographie

 

This video clearly shows what happens ar the Alderney passage : only the first three succeed to round it, then the current was too strong and the others were stopped despite their speed on water :

 

Tom Dolan and Will Harris reactions about this 3rd race they eventually well finished (8th and 9th) :
“The maddest thing I have done.” Dolan & Harris reactions - News | La Solitaire https://www.lasolitaire-urgo.com/en/news/view/the-maddest-thing-i-have-done.-dolan-harris-reactions

Another factor which makes difference in this race was long algae catched by the vertical keel, costing immediately 1 or 2 Knots, impossible to remove without going back (at the best) or to dive (at worst), and most skippers have been forced to do one or the other, and many times. No such problem with the foil, and for the rudders it was easy to remove them with a pole.

 

The fourth and final race is on going : complex winds as usual during this Solitaire, some thick fog and then some heavy rain periods, storm threats,... leading to numerous change of leaders, but no one escaped up to now, Yoann Richomme still close to the fleet head to defend his position as leader in general.
More comments in English :
Overhauled at Owers: Isle of Wight option pays for Peron and Richomme - News | La Solitaire https://www.lasolitaire-urgo.com/en/news/view/owershauled-isle-of-wight-option-pays-for-peron-and-richomme
Tracking :
La Solitaire - Track Map https://www.lasolitaire-urgo.com/en/cartographie

 

Now it is the grand final to the finish line, upwind with N-E wind 10 Knots, forecasted 20/30 by the meteo, but before or after the finish expected at 0 to 1 p.m. ? No evident leader, the ones positioned offshore are supposed to be in a better position. Yoann Richomme still in good place to save his rank first at the overall.
More details in English :
Sprint to the Grand Final finish line - News | La Solitaire https://www.lasolitaire-urgo.com/en/news/view/sprint-to-the-grand-final-line
Tracking :
La Solitaire - Track Map https://www.lasolitaire-urgo.com/en/cartographie