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Nicolas Troussel secures massive advantage on first Figaro leg

Posted 4 months, 6 days ago

Nicolas Troussel secures massive advantage on first Figaro leg
www.Sail-Search.com: Nicolas Troussel crossed the finish line of the first leg of La Solitaire du Figaro on board Financo yesterday afternoon just before 4 p.m., a massive 5 hours, 33 minutes and 44 seconds ahead of Christian Bos, the first of his 49 rivals. The Figaro sailors continued to arrive off Cape Ortegal throughout the night and Tuesday morning with Fabrice Amadeo on Aquarelle.com bringing a close to the fist leg, 21 hours and 35 minutes after the winner. Following Troussel and Bos, Frédéric Duthil finished third more than six and a half hours later. The wind then dropped frustrating any hopes of a comeback for the remainder of the solo sailors. “I am really exhausted and just concentrated and kept on top of the race the whole way” explained Troussel upon finishing. Financo’s massive advantage on the time leader board is reminiscent of the 2006 victory in Saint Gilles Croix-de-Vie when Nicolas alone with Thierry Chabagny following later, risked an extreme offshore option to cross the Bay of Biscay from Spain to France in very light conditions. The margin gained then was over seven hours over the third, more than enough to consolidate a win in the 2006 edition of the race. The astounding time lead leaves little hope for some of the race favourites. “Only a miracle can stop Nicolas Troussel winning this years race,” lamented Erwan Tabarly (finishing fourth and 7 hours, 26 minutes and 45 seconds behind on Athema). With two long legs to come, all hope is not lost for the competition; there will be some complicated passages and turning tides to negotiate on the approach to Cherbourg and the third leg, a massive 825 miles long, could reshuffle the cards for some of the more disheartened skippers. To finish in a top ten place on a Figaro is quite an achievement, particularly for two young rookies keen to make and impression. François Gabart (Espoir Région Bretagne) and Adrien Hardy (AGIR Recouvrement) finish sixth and seventh respectively, behind Tabarly and Jeanne Grégoire (Banque Populaire), just four minutes and 20 seconds apart opening up the game for the Rookie Ranking. Andy Greenwood (Imtech), third rookie to finish, will need to make up the 3 hours, 18 minutes and 40 seconds time difference to be in contention for the prize. The fleet of Figaro sailors is expected to arrive on the delivery trip to Vigo from this evening and will have a short time to recharge batteries before the start of the second leg on Thursday; Vigo to Cherbourg-Octeville. So what was the key to winning this leg, the second of 8 you have now competed in? I managed to get away from the fleet in the light air (Nicolas Troussel first leads on the 26th of July on the 19:00 position report, and remains there to the end). Then it was always going to be better toward the head of the fleet. I had a bit of breeze and was just able to make the most of it so made gains without doing anything particularly extraordinary, it just all happened naturally. There was a little group of us quite tightly bunched together, Christian Bos, Fred Duthil and myself. Progressively the leader made more gains on the second and so on. I think that I also did quite well in the light wind with my spinnaker, which is really good. It the end it comes down to very little, small details. I have a feeling that quite a few people got rest and slept and I remained pretty much alert the whole time…” What is the secret to concentrating so much in such light breeze? I really wanted to go for it on this leg. As usual I am always very motivated by La Solitaire du Figaro and this year I really want to do something good. How do you feel physically? Really tired, particularly as I have changed the headsail quite a few time today. I just can’t wait to be under engine and to deliver the boat to get some rest. I had 15-minute naps. Yesterday I must have had two or three quarter hour rests, today half an hour or so and the less on the first day. The gaps over your fellow competitors is going to be big, do you think this is pretty much a done thing now? “The gaps are big, particularly as I was able to reach the Westerly wind first. I must have covered 70 miles upwind whilst the others must have had 110 or 120. I also know that after two legs anything can happen. The last one is a mighty chunk of the race. We are also going to go through areas where anything can happen and gaps can be built. Even though I have done well today in Spain I do not consider that the race is won!” Christian Bos: “I really pushed hard on this race…” – second placed Région Midi Pyrénées – first words upon crossing the finish line off Cape Ortegal. It is really great, for the past two days I was well placed and it looked like it was all going to happen for those up front. I actually thought I was behind Fred (Duthil) and did not realise I was ahead until crossing the finish line in second place. Finishing 2nd or 3rd is already a major victory for me. Nicolas Troussel was just untouchable; he really is extraordinary. I had to really push and dig deep to get here. The night before and the whole day really I just stuck to the helm, even when the wind come in.” Frédéric Duthil: “You have to be philosophical about the whole thing” - first words with the skipper of Distinxion Automobiles at the finish of the first leg from La Rochelle to Vigo, cut short in Cape Ortegal… “I am a bit disappointed because it comes down to very little. Yesterday morning, Nico and Christian managed to get half a mile on me…you just have days like that where things do not go your way and where you just have to be philosophical about it. Strangely this morning, I was not too worried. I did not catch the puff of breeze they held on and then after two hours I just lost sight of them.” Full Story »

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