The 36 competitors left Gijon on Sunday for the 2e stage of 515 miles to Royan, via the Sisargas Islands.
On board the boat « Express »
The sun was finally straight on this 55e edition of the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec. After a general reminder, a light air of 5-6 knots, and therefore the laughing stock of everyone, allowed the Figaro Beneteau 3 to set off at 2:22 p.m. from Asturias for their journey to Charente-Maritime. First heading for the Sisargas Islands, located 150 miles to the west, in the province of La Coruña. The first hours of the race were expected to be peaceful in ethereal airs that were to dissolve into the night. Things were to get tougher as a low pressure system approached around 4 a.m.
A key moment for one of the favorites, Basile Bourgnon (Edenred) : « We’ll have to be good right away. The stage should be decided by the difference we make from the first night. As a front passes by that appears hairy, with more than 30 knots. In strong winds, the speed differences are not huge. Everyone knows how to move a boat forward. The first to touch this front will arrive in front to go around the islands. » The leader of the provisional general classification did not want to change his racing philosophy: « I’m going to act as if I were on a first stage, without thinking about the ranking. My wish is not to make any mistakes. I can be fifth and be very happy with my race, with the feeling of having been applied as on the first stage. The goal is to remain consistent to show that I have matured.. »
Romain Bouillard (Let’s reach for the moon) had experienced a difficult first stage by choosing the western option and finishing 27themore than 3 hours behind the leaders. He had no intention of trying extremes this time: « It’s going to be a speed race without really any divergent options on paper. But, sometimes, between the forecasts and reality, there are always differences on the water. We’ll also have to look at the trajectories, a subject to put at the top of the priority pile. The wind should be medium most of the time, from the northwest to the northeast. Be careful at the beginning not to get blocked by being too close to the coast. The Solitaire is still long. I’m going to make sure on this leg and if there’s a big shot to play on the last one, I’ll go for broke. »
Jules Delpech (Orcom), one of the outsiders cited to win the jackpot at the Normandy start, had also had a caramel between the Bay of Seine and Spain, 25ewith 2 hours and 20 minutes of outlay. He wanted to be wiser in his choices: « I no longer have the right to make a mistake, I have blown my cartridge. I will try to replace the risk cursor because I tend to choose my options and not hesitate to do them. I will adjust all that. By doing things perhaps more simply. Doing what I know how to do by feeling the tactical blows. At the end of the road, it should go well. The front will not be extreme but active, in conditions that are not easy to handle. »
Edouard Golbery (Verdier-Seastemik) is only 26 minutes behind the leader. Happy with the start of his second participation in the Solitaire and ready for the fight: « We will have to get as far away from the coast as possible to be well offshore when the front approaches. When you get there, in these nocturnal transition zones, you will get caught out a bit. You will have to be ready with sails and halyards well stowed. The wind should be strong for some time in a cross sea. »
Tom Goron (Navaleo), Quentin Vlamynck (Shooting Stars), Jules Delpech and Alexis Thomas (Wings of the Ocean) led the fleet by a few cables three hours after crossing the line. Opening the road to this new adventure without an ounce of pusillanimity.
