The Solitaire du Figaro �€“Eric Bompard Cachemire is like an ultra marathon. When you finish one leg, you quickly have to recover as the next stage is on you in a few days. With a stopover of 72 hours in Gijon, the 36 solo-sailors do not have any time to waste.Between reflection, debriefs, resting time, working on the boat and the analysis of the forthcoming leg, time flies by…
If there is one thing sailors most want to do during stopovers, it is to sleep! After a tough first leg in light winds asking them to be very focused on their navigation and constantly at the helm, the first night in a proper bed was like heaven to them. “I slept for 12 hours during the first night” comments Sam Goodchild (Artemis 23) , “I have had naps every afternoon” adds Francisco Lobato (ROFF). But sleeping is not the only way to recover after a 3 days race. Benefiting from the presence of the GMF Assistance medical staff, every sailor goes and enjoys some massages to relax muscles and unwind tensions. This is the case for Lobato, but also for the British rookie, Henry Bomby (Artemis 37): “I have had a sore back at the end of the leg and the massage therapists are really helpful to me. It is very useful to have them on site and during that time I am completely relaxed.” For marathon runner Nick Cherry (Artemis 77), recovery comes with exercise: “ I went for a run this morning. It helps me think about something else, it’s good to exercise and to spend some time alone to reflect a bit.”
However, some skippers do not have the same amount of time to dedicate to relaxation. Three boats arrived injured in Gijon after having hit rocks around the Brittany coast. Yoann Richomme (DLBC) is one of them: “We had to get the boat out of the water to check the keel and we found a large crack on the bulb. There is fortunately no structural damage and thus no risk for the next two legs. We have had to put some filler inside it. We still have some work to do but everything should be back on track for Sunday’s departure. “
It will soon be the time to think about the coming leg, leaving on Sunday from Gijon to St Gilles Croix de Vie in Vendée. The sailors from the Artemis Offshore Academy will, this Friday night, attend their first weather briefing along with their team-mates from the Mediterranean Training Center. “It is very important to be able to share ideas on the weather patterns, and have different point of views according to the scenario” explains Sam Goodchild. “Nicolas Berenger prepares the weather briefing but we analyze it beforehand. For now, there is some light wind predicted again for Sunday and the beginning of next week. We might also have a high pressure area to cross again.” Weather conditions similar to the first leg, leaving the game wide open for the rankings.
Last minute info: Anthony Marchand withdraws for the second leg
With a hurting back – which caused its forfeit on the first leg – Anthony Marchand is forced to withdraw for the second leg of La Solitaire du Figaro, between Gijon and Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie. The skipper of Bretagne – Credit Mutuel Performance will returned to Britanny tomorrow, Saturday, to investigate furthermore the causes of his pain.
They said :
HENRY BOMBY – ARTEMIS 37:
« I am so happy to be part of this race. The first leg was very tiring mentally and very frustrating but I am eager to go back on Sunday. I’ve been working hard during winter to calm down my frustration when things do not go the way I want. I am very competitive and when I got stuck during 3 hours in the high pressure in the Bay of Biscay, it was very difficult for me to stay calm! I still need to work a bit on that but this will also come with experience. There is a wonderful atmosphere among the fleet. For example, Yann Elies came to me on my arrival in Gijon, in order to share about the race. We spoke about the leg, the difficulties encountered, he gave me some advices. That is just so pleasant to share with the others and with the best skippers of offshore racing. Everybody makes an effort to speak English.
SAM GOODCHILD – ARTEMIS 23 :
This is my second participation in this race, but I feel I have not been practicing enough solo-handed. With Nick, we have done the Transat AG2R double-handed, during which many skippers have practiced solo. You do not experience the same things. I am happy with the boat speed, I just need to make clearer tactical decisions. It was a tough leg and the second coming will apparently be the same with light wind and high pressure zone to cross. Even though I am quite behind the leader in time, the game is still open and my goal is to perform on the two coming legs. We debriefed together with Sam & Nick yesterday. It’s good to talk and exchange about what was positive or negative during the race. We learn from one another. Tonight, we will have the weather brief with the CEM skippers, and Nicolas Bérenger. This input is very important to exchange again on some questions we may have about the conditions expected.
FRANCISCO LOBATO – ROFF
This is my third season on this circuit. I am very impressed with the level of the fleet and the atmosphere is excellent between the runners. This race is really a great opportunity for experiencing offshore racing. I am the only Portuguese. I think the other fellow would like to participate in this race but offshore racing is less developed in our country than in France and considering the economy right now, budgets are hard to find. Regarding my first leg, I am very happy with my speed, especially on the first part, but less with my options that are always risky …. I am 4 hours behind Yan, it’s a lot. … My original goal was of course to make a nice overall ranking but it has somewhat changed. I want to be proud of myself at the finish. I no longer think in the standings. I have to make consistent choices.
NICK CHERRY – ARTEMIS 77 :
“I’m ready to go back! This is my first Solitaire, it’s tough, difficult, tiring, but I love it ! It was exactly what I expected except in the beginning where I was really well positioned, sailing near Gildas Morvan! I lost out in the end, but this is mainly due to a lack of experience compared to the others. I took care of myself but got quite tired at the end, I did not manage to find a slot to rest. Between the light wind and then the breeze, I couldn’t leave the helm! But my time is Gijon is dedicated to rest : there is no major work on the boat, I gather a lot of sleep and I even went for a run this morning. It helps me think about something else, it’s good to exercise and to spend some time alone to reflect a bit.
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