Solitaire du Figaro
Pressure increases for Leg 3 start
dimanche 8 juillet 2012 –
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The 36 skippers (Anthony Marchand did not line up despite his earlier hopes to resume racing) first negotiated a 10-mile inshore course before setting off towards Brittany on the first coastal leg of this 486-mile stage. At the end of the dog-leg, Nicolas Lunven (Generali) was in front of Sam Goodchild (Artemis 23). Paul Meilhat (Skipper Macif 2011), Nicolas Jossier (In Extenso Accountants) and Jean-Pierre Nicol (Bernard Controls) each made good starts but had dropped back by the Geolink buoy.
After the first run, the leaders’ positions at the Radio France buoy remained unchanged, with third placed Morgan Lagravière (Vendée) followed by Fabien Delahaye (Skipper Macif 2012) as Lunven led the fleet away from the Vendée stop-over port in a 12-knot westerly. Nick Cherry (GBR, Artemis 77) had a poor kite drop at the leeward mark and found himself in last position, but has been steadily regaining places over the afternoon. By this afternoon’s position report Lunven was fractionally leading Morvan by less than 0.1 miles, with Goodchild the same distance to the south, in third. Yann Elies, provisional leader of the overall standings, is in 12th position, with two miles covering the fleet. The sailors are now heading towards the Glénan Archipelago off Concarneau, first racing past Belle-Ile, around 60 miles away.
Les dix premiers à la bouée Radio France :
1 - Nicolas Lunven (Generali) 2 - Sam Goodchild (Artemis 23) 3 - Morgan Lagravière (Vendée) 4 - Fabien Delahaye (Skipper Macif 2012) 5 - Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert) 6 - Thomas Normand (Financière de l’Echiquier) 7 - Erwan Tabarly (Nacarat) 8 - Vincent Biarnes (Prati’Bûches) 9 - Fred Duthil (Sepalumic) 10 - Jeanne Grégoire (Banque Populaire)
Dans la même rubrique
Solitaire du Figaro : Gildas Morvan won leg 2 from Gijon to Vendée
Solitaire du Figaro : Yann Eliès is crowned king of Gijon
Solitaire du Figaro : Cherry takes the best start as Morvan leads out of grey rainy Paimpol
Figaro-Bénéteau : Transmanche Success for Sam Goodchild and Nigel King