39 replies to this topic

[Presuming Ed]

http://www.lasolitaire.com

https://twitter.com/#!/LaSolitaire2012


1st leg looks brutal. 504 miles.




Not so sure about this sleeping position....




Entry list. Would be good to see one of the #aoasolo Artemis sailors get a good result.


Biarnes Vincent
PRATI'BÛCHES

Bomby Henry
ARTEMIS 37

Bouillard Didier
JEHOL

Chabagny Thierry
GEDIMAT

Cherry Nick
ARTEMIS 77

D'Hooghe Eric
VOYONS LARGE

Dalin Charlie
KEOPSYS

Delahaye Fabien
SKIPPER MACIF 2012

Duthil Frédéric
SEPALUMIC

Elies Yann
Groupe Queguiner / Journal des entreprises

Girolet Matthieu
ENTREPRENDRE LAFONT PRESSE

Goodchild Sam
ARTEMIS 23

Grégoire Jeanne
BANQUE POPULAIRE

Guillou Damien
LA SOLIDARITÉ MUTUALISTE

Hardy Adrien
AGIR RECOUVREMENT

Horeau Corentin
BRETAGNE – CRÉDIT MUTUEL ESPOIR

Joschke Isabelle
GALETTES SAINT-MICHEL

Jossier Nicolas
IN EXTENSO experts comptables

Lagravière Morgan
VENDEE

Livory Yannig
ONE NETWORK ENERGIES

Lobato Francisco
ROFF

Loison Alexis
GROUPE FIVA

Lunven Nicolas
GENERALI

Macaire Xavier
SKIPPER HERAULT

Marchand Anthony
BRETAGNE CRÉDIT MUTUEL PERFORMANCE

Meilhat Paul
SKIPPER MACIF 2011

Morvan Gildas
CERCLE VERT

Mouren Jean Paul
GROUPE SNEF

Nicol Jean-Pierre
BERNARD CONTROLS

Normand Thomas
FINANCIÈRE DE L'ECHIQUIER

Picault Sebastien
KICKERS

Richomme Yoann
DLBC

Ruyant Thomas
DESTINATION DUNKERQUE

Sineau David
BRITANIE COSMÉTIQUES

Songe Moller Kristin
KRISTIN

Tabarly Erwan
NACARAT

Villion Julien
SEIXO PROMOTION

[Icedtea]

What's this years route?

[Presuming Ed]

Leg 1. Start 24 June




Leg 2. Starts 1 July




Leg 3. Starts 8 July.

[roca]

thanks Pres Ed for posting this, I was going toin short to open a topic for the great race. very early start this season.

So my favouriete are:
-delahaye, macaire and ruyant for the win, plus lunven and tabarly for the top 5

no artemis in the top 5, probably not even top 10

ps: it would be cool if they cross the volvo fleet on sunday

[Cyrille Hydrogene]

thanks Pres Ed for posting this, I was going toin short to open a topic for the great race. very early start this season.

So my favouriete are:
-delahaye, macaire and ruyant for the win, plus lunven and tabarly for the top 5

no artemis in the top 5, probably not even top 10

ps: it would be cool if they cross the volvo fleet on sunday

The early start was chosen not to clash with the Olympics this year. It's a strange decision. Every year, the Figaro is a the same time as the biggest sport event in France: the cycling Tour de France

I would love to see Thomas Ruyant winning this year. but I'm also keeping an eye on Lunven, Elies or Delahaye.

Except for the 3 Artemis boats and 2 others, not many non French this year...

[popov]

Fransisco Lobato, best non-french outsider for sure!
And keep an eye on Jeanne Gregoire... a first win (leg) would be well deserved!

[roca]

Fransisco Lobato, best non-french outsider for sure!

ok, so I take isabelle joske for best non french in front of lobato
for sure is a big word...

[popov]

Fransisco Lobato, best non-french outsider for sure!

ok, so I take isabelle joske for best non french in front of lobato
for sure is a big word...

Pardon my french Roca!

[Lexpat]

A repeat of AG2R Transat ? Morvan Gildas / Cercle vert and Erwan Tabarly /Nacarat .

[Icedtea]

Disappointed there was no Irish Stop this time round, would have loved to go up for a look again

[Ivan33]

La Solitaire going start soon...I can't wait to follow this race.
I hope there will have surprises (not a repeat of AG2R)

On website, there are link to participate on virtual race : http://www.lasolitai...ive_skipper.php
someone going participate ?

I will be on starting line, it's a good idea from La Solitaire and the game looks good

[Cyrille Hydrogene]

La Solitaire going start soon...I can't wait to follow this race.
I hope there will have surprises (not a repeat of AG2R)

On website, there are link to participate on virtual race : http://www.lasolitai...ive_skipper.php
someone going participate ?

I will be on starting line, it's a good idea from La Solitaire and the game looks good

The game looks quite good, much better than the manyplayer system with square grids. I'm in!
My boat is "Hydrogene". See you on the water on Sunday.

[the paradox of thrift]

Is anyone else having trouble seeing the tracker?

[Panoramix]

Is anyone else having trouble seeing the tracker?

I can see it.

Yann Elies has taught everybody else how to "hug" the north coast of Brittany to sail against the stream. He is a local and has passed close to some rocky bits of the coast.

They are now going down the "chenal du Four" (don't know how it's called by anglophones, feel free to enlighten me!).

[Presuming Ed]

We call it.... the Chenal du Four.

 306957_10151215815742729_1910339824_n.jpg   65.56K   15 downloads

[LeoV]

Lovely stretch of water that is , passed is once at night... very special.

Something interesting going on at :
25/6/12 9.30 fr en 10.30
set timing at 5 mins ...

[Panoramix]

We call it.... the Chenal du Four.

Ah that's easier then! I suppose historically not an important enough route to be anglicised.

Lovely stretch of water that is , passed is once at night... very special.

Something interesting going on at :
25/6/12 9.30 fr en 10.30
set timing at 5 mins ...

Better not miss the tidal gate though or it can get boring to stare at the same bit of coast for 6 hours!

[Ivan33]

The game looks quite good, much better than the manyplayer system with square grids. I'm in!
My boat is "Hydrogene". See you on the water on Sunday.

Yes, good game, I like system. I see your boat, but you are before me...so far.... ^^
Already 6 gates; boats are particularly close ! Good race, for the time.

[onimod]

Crazy park-up reset going on in the bay right now:
http://www.lasolitai...phie.php?leg=1#

[Ivan33]

Anthony Marchand leaves the race...hard
http://www.lasolitai...te.php?actu=331

[onimod]

Under 40nm to go and less than 0.5nm between the front two

[Ivan33]

Congratulations to Yvan Eliès, Morgan Lagravière and Fabien Delahaye...amazing race !
And congratulations to virtual skippers on official videogame....I try to make the race, but there a high level of gamers....Very interesting to play on this game ^^

Can't wait the leg 2, Sunday !

[LeoV]

Great for Elies, Lagraviere, totally unknown to me, rooky ?

[Cyrille Hydrogene]

Great for Elies, Lagraviere, totally unknown to me, rooky ?

Lagravière was the best rookie last year, he finished 7 or 8th overall, an amazing performance for a beginner on such a highly competitive race! He was a dinghie sailor before that, backup crew on 49er in the Beijing Olympics. He sure looks very talented!

I saw him sailing last year at the start of a leg of the Figaro solo (I was on a Hobie 18, having a hard time keeping up with him), all boats were beating upwind along the coast, and he was one of the only skippers who took another route, further offshore, which put him in a very good position later. It shows he is ready to take options, not only sail fast and sail with the pack.

[LeoV]

Thanks, last year I had a off day following the Solitaire. And I have to follow it actively, as no sailing mag reminds me
Just does not happen a lot that a new guy finishes on the podium.

What was the gossip in the French mags ?

[Presuming Ed]

[Presuming Ed]

And they're off on leg 2.

 582568_442434492456070_857578094_n.jpg   43.13K   7 downloads

[Ivan33]

The winner of the Solitaire should finished tonight. Cercle Vert is always the first for now...=)

The virtual skippers are far behind the real, but the race is amazing !

A beautiful video :

[roca]

very nice race this second leg too.
It seems the old foxes of the class are ruling, with yann elies and lunven looking very strong for the general. tabarly also in for a consistent finish

one word must be spent for jeanne gregoire: what a race for her, once more kiking the guys butts (and isabelle joske too).

[roca]

second leg finished,
yann elies in strong first position with just one leg to go. probably only the top four still with a winning chance for general.
2nd and 3rd at 10 seconds!! difference after 2 legs and almost 1000 miles. incredible race as usual

[Presuming Ed]

Leg 3 started.

 424998_10151248816052729_172932149_n.jpg   85.54K   8 downloads

[onimod]

Nicolas Lunven looking good at the moment with enough of a lead over his immediate competitors in the overall standing.

[Presuming Ed]

 561415_10151254124907729_2068481315_n.jpg   76.33K   8 downloads

[roca]

great racing as usual. closer than ever.
now delhaye and lagraviere fighting for first in leg and for 2nd in general (they had just 3 minutes difference), at 0.1Nm distance after 2 days racing.

http://www.lasolitai...p01_albums.php#

great picture eh?

yann ellis seems in control for the general, as he has half an hour advantage and he is close/controlling the two above and lunven. Very difficoult that he looses that amount if winds keep regular. He is experienced and tough.
So another night at sea for these almost unknown heroes, 50 houres into the leg and probably another 20 to go. Now the thoughest part starts, but they will all keep pushing to the limit, I am sure

another great race by the 2 wonderwomen jeanne and isabelle, once again close to top ten. Jeanne can make the top ten also in general!! (and it is not even the first time, she made a 5th!)

interesting feature of the tracker shows that the first 25 are sailing at sight!

[onimod]

Yann Elies doing it in style now - a couple of hours to go and he's leading from the front.

[Presuming Ed]

1 Yann Elies Groupe Queguiner / Journal des entreprises 8 jours, 11h 6m 53s
2 Morgan Lagravière VENDEE 8 jours, 11h 40m 41s
3 Nicolas Lunven GENERALI 8 jours, 11h 43m 17s
4 Fabien Delahaye SKIPPER MACIF 2012 8 jours, 11h 47m 15s
5 Gildas Morvan CERCLE VERT 8 jours, 12h 14m 30s
6 Erwan Tabarly NACARAT 8 jours, 12h 15m 10s
7 Yoann Richomme DLBC 8 jours, 14h 33m 38s
8 Jean-Pierre Nicol BERNARD CONTROLS 8 jours, 20h 56m 44s

[roca]

great win by yann elias. very very fast
lagraviere real new star of the class.
delahye proved a bit weaker than expected to me, as many other minists.
sorry for pres ed but not one artemis in top 20...

[roca]

now,
I must say that after all the words about offshore OD, how that makes even and interesting races, how solitaire is the bast race in the world and so on in the past weeks, I am a bit disappointed by how in reality nobody really cares about this race here, or is it just that OD offshore is good to see but nothing to say? 30 pages on a volvo leg and 2 pages here for the 3 legs of solitaire? If I were knut I would be very worried. I am really disappointed even if it proves me right. I am fiercly against OD VOR, and now even more, and even if I am one of the few who appreciates the solitaire as one of the best races in the sailing world.
I have tried to make some comments and I would have loved to see informed sailors putting some more knowledge with our forum, or opinions or facts.

If I did not miss it I think that the whole solitaire figaro did not even make a picture in front page in three weeks. This also is surprising.
maybe now quantum will help make up for this at least

[Presuming Ed]

AOA sailors showed occasional flashes, but struggled for consistency. Just goes to show how tough the race is. The guys can sail - Cherry has won the UK Match Racing nationals.

I think the lack of interest is because it's a predominately French affair, & if you don't know the characters there's little motivation to follow. In any sport, fans feel connected - talking about "us" and "we" when referring to their team. I lost interest in the VOR when it became obvious that Abu Dhabi was a dog - the Ian Walker/British crew members gave a connection. As soon as it was clear that the boat wasn't competitive, I had no further reason to follow the race in any detail.

So no American sailors means no real connection to the Figaro for the majority of participants here.

[moody frog]

AOA sailors showed occasional flashes, but struggled for consistency. Just goes to show how tough the race is. The guys can sail - Cherry has won the UK Match Racing nationals.

I think the lack of interest is because it's a predominately French affair, & if you don't know the characters there's little motivation to follow. In any sport, fans feel connected - talking about "us" and "we" when referring to their team. I lost interest in the VOR when it became obvious that Abu Dhabi was a dog - the Ian Walker/British crew members gave a connection. As soon as it was clear that the boat wasn't competitive, I had no further reason to follow the race in any detail.

So no American sailors means no real connection to the Figaro for the majority of participants here.

Totally correct,

Now from a 40 years follower of that race, I felt this edition as less exciting than previous ones.
Only Yann Elies looked to me in the Figaro fourth mode, sail fast and conservatively then get into dual-boot mode at the right time - get into highly tiring turbo mode only when you can maximize gains in a short period - and there were may be less of those opportunities this year I felt.

You rightly talk of characters and while the standard sailing level is very very high, there might have been less "special"characters this year.

Some also commented that the AIS was taming the game down.