Kinsale Yacht Club

At 20:08:45 on Wednesday 11 August Adrien Hardy (Agir Recouvrement) crossed the finish line under the Old Head of Kinsale to win the third stage of La Solitaire du Figaro. He was followed by Yann Eliès (Generali -Europ Assistance) and Jean-Pierre Nicol (Bernard Controls). Read the report here.

The Solitaire du Figaro is an annual single-handed race held in multiple stages, and it is commonly regarded as the unofficial world championships of solo sailing. The race will cover 1,717 nautical miles.

Following a thirteen year absence Kinsale Yacht Club will host La Solitaire du Figaro from Thursday 12 to Monday 16 August 2010 This will be the nineteenth time that Kinsale Yacht Club has been a host port for the event, with an association stretching back to 1974. The last visit was in 1997 when Franck Cammas on "Athéna Assurances" won the 28th edition.

Five previous winners will attempt to go for a second title; Jeremie Beyou (BPI), Kito de Pavant (Groupe Bel), Eric Drouglazet (Luisina), Armel le Cleac'h (Brit Air) and Nicholas Lunven (Generali). Among the 8 rookies this year is the Swiss Bernard Stamm, distinguished in offshore racing, is the most unusual of the rookies and there are 5 non French competitors and 3 women including the return of Karinne Fauconnier. La Solitaire would definitely not feel the same without the unconditional entry of the talented most senior member, Jean-Paul Mouren, who will be racing his 24th Solitaire!

Relatively short at 349 miles, the 3rd stage of the race will be nothing but easy. Upon leaving Brest harbour, the Figaro Bénéteau 2 fleet will head out into the Chenal du Four along the Portsall rock plateau. Then follows an 89 miles stretch along the English Channel up the Cornish coastline to Wolf Rock, which must be left to port. The fleet will converge at the legendary Fastnet Rock, which must be left to starboard, after the 165 mile stint across the Celtic Sea, before heading eastwards to Kinsale.

The 41st edition of the race will conclude in Cherbourg in Normandy on the fourth and final 435-mile leg.

"Competitors will leave the Irish coast on a heading to the Fastnet Rock, some 45 miles away, which they will leave to port. Following this they will head down across the Celtic Sea and leave the Scilly Isles to port when they sea Bishop Rock lighthouse. Then there is a 100 mile stretch across the English Channel to reach the West Lizen cardinal, just to the north of the of the Vierge Island. This mark needs to be left to port before the 140 mile sail towards the Channel Islands”, explains the Race Director.

Finally, the last few miles of the leg between the islands will allow skippers to use strategy and play tactics for the second time in this edition. Here there will be more options to evaluate on how to each the Cotentin coastline. The sailors will need to maintain alert as the Raz Blanchard can play games and will no doubt hold us all in suspense right down to the final miles to the finish line. This will be the 7th time La Solitaire will finish in Cherbourg-Octveille.

For further details of the race: http://www.lasolitaire.com/news/