La Solitaire du Figaro, Eliés al comando in vista del traguardo
FigaroMonotipiaSolitaire du FigaroVela 1 Agosto 2009 Zerogradinord 0
[singlepic id=3582 w=300 h=204 float=left]La Solitire du Figaro – La Coruna – I solitari della Solitaire du Figaro sono ormai prossimi all’arrivo di La Coruna, dove è previsto arrivino in serata. A guidare la flotta, praticamente dalla partenza, è sempre Yann Eliès, alla sua prima uscita ufficiale dopo l’infortunio occorso durante la Vendée Globe, quando si fratturò un femore e venne recuperato da una corvetta della Marina australiana in pieno Oceano Indiano.
Momenti impegnativi si sono vissuti nel corso della notte, quando i concorrenti sono stati investiti da una burrasca piuttosto forte, non tanto per il vento, che non ha superato i 25 nodi, ma soprattutto per lo stato del mare, che ha presentato un moto ondoso piuttosto marcato. Quando la brezza si è attenuata ha girato verso nordovest e i Figaro hanno potuto spingersi verso la Spagna a velocità comprese tra i 13 e 14 nodi.
Come anticipato ieri, l’esito della frazione dipenderà da quale opzione tattica risulterà essere la migliore. Parte della flotta si è spinta verso ovest, in cerca di maggior pressione, mentre la rimanente ha preferito una rotta più conservativa. Al momento sembra comunque che la seconda scelta stia dando migliori frutti e Eliés è impegnato a difendere la leadership dai ripetuti attacchi degli avversari. Per il francese la vittoria non è ancora cosa fatta, se è vero che nella sua scia, in appena 5 miglia, sono compresi 12 avversari.
La Solitaire du Figaro, prima tappa
1. Yann Eliés, Generali, DTF 11.4 mn
2. Nicolas Lunvec, CGPI, +2.3 nm
3. Armel Le Cléac’h, Brit Air, +4.2 nm
4. Nicolas Berenger, Kone Elevators, +5 nm
5. Gildas Morvan, Cercle Vert, +5 nm
seguono 47 scafi
ELIES STILL HOLDING NARROW LEAD IN NAIL-BITING FIRST LEG FINISH
[La Solitaire Press Release] The 52 solo skippers competing in the first leg of La Solitaire du Figaro are nearing the finish line at Coruna this evening, after a typically hard-fought leg which has seen some distinct strategic choices. Leading the fleet since Friday evening is Yann Eliès (Generali), returning to competition for the first time since miraculously surviving severe injury during the 2008-2009 Vendee Globe. The racing is close however, and in such a competitive class nothing will be certain until the very end. Estimated time for the first finishers is from 19.00 local time.
As the fleet reached the middle of the Bay of Biscay last night the frontrunners could be divided into three groups: those following the rhumb-line, direct route in the centre, with smaller packs further out to the west and to the south. As they awaited the arrival of the next weather front it almost resembled a line-up for a re-start, with much depending on how the changing conditions were played. When the front hit it brought up to 25 knots of wind from the south-west and torrential rain, together with swells of a metre and more – robust, testing conditions for the fleet, but manageable nonetheless. Some relief was soon forthcoming as the breeze turned into the north-west, giving the skippers a slightly easier downhill run to the coast of Spain, at times planning along at 13 or 14 knots under spinnaker.
It has been a vintage leg of this classic race, with all the ingredients for which it has become famous. In such conditions the skippers cannot hope to be competitive under automatic pilot, and so stay on deck to steer and trim by hand, even after two days practically without sleep. Small wonder the accompanying official boats report that VHFs have remained practically silent. The suspense is there too…who will come out ahead – the gamblers who have gone far out to the west, hoping to get the new breeze earlier and trading extra distance for better pressure and slightly easier seas, or the small but select group in the south, hoping that enduring cross seas is a worthwhile price to pay for a better angle to the finish?
So far the group to the south seems to have fared better, and Eliès has managed to protect his narrow lead, though at times with up to a dozen boats within five miles of him, and the closest less than 2 miles in his wake. As the breeze moderates nearer the finish that will start to look like a very tight margin indeed. Of the international skippers, Nigel King has at times been the most westward of the fleet, and in the middle of the rankings, but will be relieved to see that in terms of boat speed he has been competitive. At the back of the fleet fellow British skipper Jonny Malbon (Artemis) will doubtless be reflecting on his climb up the steep learning curve he anticipated in Lorient – but no skipper could wish for a finer leg in which to make their debut.
La Solitaire du Figaro, first leg
1. Yann Eliés, Generali, DTF 11.4 mn
2. Nicolas Lunvec, CGPI, +2.3 nm
3. Armel Le Cléac’h, Brit Air, +4.2 nm
4. Nicolas Berenger, Kone Elevators, +5 nm
5. Gildas Morvan, Cercle Vert, +5 nm
followed by 47 sailors
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