The arrivals are coming one after the other this Thursday in Gijón (Spain), where the outcome of the first stage of the 55th edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec was played out, won by Lois Berrehar (Skipper Macif 2022) before the jury, ahead of Basile Bourgnon (Skipper Edenred) and Jules Ducelier (Skipper Région Normandie). A look back at this first stage with the race participants as they arrived at the pontoon.
Loïs BERREHAR (Skipper Macif 2022), 1st position:
"I had to go and get this victory! I've been taking part in La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec for six years and this is my first stage victory! It came down to nothing. We sailed well. Alexis Loison was impressive in the first part. Basile and I were good with the manoeuvres and strategies. The night passage of the Cotentin tip was tough with Basile and Tom Dolan, with lots of rocks and manoeuvres. My goal was to win a stage, now I can enjoy myself on my Figaro!"
Basile BOURGNON (Edenred), 2nd position:
" I don't think I turned in a bad performance. It was the first time I felt I had total control of a stage, even if the end played tricks on us! I'm really happy with the cleanliness of this sailing. That's what I was looking for this year. I didn't know where Alexis Loison was, that's the advantage and the constraint of this race. I was really focused on my speed and the competitors around me. It was when I saw Alexis' spinnaker at the end that I knew we were in front with Loïs. Such a grouped finish was complicated, we were quite in front with Élodie and Loïs and there was a general regrouping in Gijón, but we were able to pull through and it wasn't undeserved! "
Jules DUCELIER (Normandy Region), 3rd position:
A little before arriving, I was checking the time to see when we were going to arrive because I was a little alone between the leading trio and the pack behind, and then, when it stopped and then started again, it was a little surprising, but it ends well. I'm a little tired but very happy! I'm not going to give up on the other stages, especially for the place of 1st rookie. Afterwards, there are people behind... But each stage after the other. The more it goes on, the harder it will be for me and for everyone, but especially for us rookies who don't know the race and its sequences of states. That's where it will come into play at the end. The first stage is done, now I'm going to prepare for the rest! "
Arno BISTON (Tizh Mor), 4th position:
“It was a stage full of twists and turns, you could say that. I was quite happy with the start of the stage. I was pretty much in the game and I felt quite comfortable, a little less so in the central part of the stage and then there was this incredible finish where we know that all the cards are reshuffled for the second stage. I think it's an ideal finish, at least for me, it's certain that we'll stay on a positive note to build on what's to come.”
Thomas De DINECHIN (Almond), 5th position:
“First Solitaire du Figaro Paprec for me and first stage of my life. I came to this Solitaire with two objectives: to do a good stage and to get a rookie or general podium. So the good stage, it is made on the result. I finished sixth, I am happy, I missed a little shot at the very beginning of the stage in Barfleur, but behind, I am in the match all the time so I do not stick to the first except on the finish at the end. In any case, I find that I manage to be in the match, I have the speed, so it is very encouraging for the rest. On the finish, I am not far from making the hold-up 0.3 miles from the finish line. I have the big names who are behind there is Basile, Lois who is starting to put the pressure behind there is one who luffs me, who jibes. I was a little under pressure, they both did a great race, they did a two-up match in front. They do one and two and it's very good. I have a good place and a Rookie podium too so it's great. It's really super positive and I had a blast at sea. That was really the main thing, that was the goal. I took care of the guy, I knew the potential was there, I expressed it well. There's really a way to do cool things."
Romen Richard (Passion Santé Trans-Forme) 6th position:
“I didn’t want to take too many risks on this stage, I decided to play the shots that I felt good about and when I had more doubts, I chose to stay a little more with the fleet. I had some very good phases and the problem is that there were some very bad phases that totally ruined the good ones. So it’s a bit of a yo-yo every time for the general classification.
In the end, I had a bit of luck. For once that happens in Figaro, I see the general regrouping and I see that the fleet is stopped so I decide to go underneath and I manage to catch up with almost the entire fleet. I almost believed at one point that I was going to win the stage, but it was decided by very little.
I am happy with the final result, but in terms of the way, I can do a lot better so we will try to sail better on the second leg. I had quite a few small technical problems on the boat, it was the first time I climbed the mast alone at sea. In summary, I had quite a few ups and downs with a leg that was a bit complicated for me physically.”
Chloé Le Bars (Endobreizh) 7th position:
"I didn't get off to a good start, I didn't have a good start to the race, I never found the moment to succeed in dissociating myself from the group to try to do something and come back a little better placed in the group.
I didn't have enough speed to overtake anyone, I was on a par with the others all the time and at the end, I had a little helping hand from fate. The squall came at us with Arno (Biston) and we joined the group. Then, we got through to the finish so that's cool but it's true that there were a lot of little problems, it was a bit flooded in the boat and it scared me because it was right next to the batteries. So it was a bit stressful all the same to tell myself that my batteries were a bit underwater. Otherwise, the stage was very tiring, very intense, I managed to sleep quite a bit at the beginning but not the last two days, so I'm a bit tired.
Elodie BONAFOUS (QUEGUINER - La Vie en Rose), 8th position:
"I'm arriving with a fair bit of disappointment, I'm happy with my race, I feel like I sailed really well. I believed in it until I got to the front where it had to go completely nuts so I admit that I'm pretty gutted. It's not a big deal because I'm happy with what I did. In terms of time it's a stage that counts for nothing, but it's more in my head, I was happy to start with a podium, but I think I'll put it into perspective pretty quickly. We'll set off again for the next one with even more of a desire to get revenge for this little final Trafalgar."
Tom DOLAN (Smurfit Kappa - Kingspan) 9th position:
"Even if it's often the case here in Spain, I didn't expect so much commitment and for things to go so crazy at the end of the stage! But I'm happy with my stage overall and my weather management. I opted for the eastern option, and to pass the ridge by its eastern end. I'm tired but also in great shape and happy to get the Vivi Trophy back! For the next few days, my plan is recovery!"
Adrien SIMON (Faun) 10th position:
“It was a great stage, I had a lot of fun. I sailed pretty well even if it was a bit of a mess at the end, I didn’t do too badly overall, I made it to the top 10. I’m pretty happy for a first stage of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec. If someone had told me that at the start in Le Havre I would have signed up straight away. I’m really happy, we’re not losing any time to the competitors, we’ll have to rest and go full throttle for the second stage.”
Martin LE PAPE (Tomorrow) 11th position:
“I want to say that it's as if it were a stage that didn't exist in terms of time. It's true that it's a bit frustrating because, when you've done the stage at the front, you think that you would have liked to score a few points and that's not the case. But there are two good things, on the one hand it's as if we took the same ones and started again and on the other hand, since I was going fast and I was in the running, there's no reason why it wouldn't go as well in the second stage.”
Paul MORVAN (Foricher Les Moulins - Bagatelle) 12th position:
“It was hard, honestly, I suffered a bit at the start of the first leg. Now, I have two runners that broke when I arrived in England. So I'm already happy that the mast is still there and to have arrived because honestly, I don't know how it's still standing. The runner broke when there was 20 knots of wind, under gennaker. Honestly, I think the mast almost fell. Afterwards, it was tough when there was wind on the runners but I held on tight, I managed to get the upper hand mentally. It was fun at the end under spinnaker, the conditions were good, I had the leaders who were almost always in sight or in sight of AIS so that was really stimulating. The last two days were really nice even if the start was a bit harder. The finish put the cards on the table a bit flat. I think I must be 3 or 4 minutes behind the leader so that's nice. Now I have work to do on the boat because I want to do a stage at 100%. I can't wait to leave next Sunday with a ready boat."
Quentin VLAMYNCK (The Shooting Stars) 13th position:
“My start wasn’t great and then I had a little technical problem just before Wolf Rock. I had to go to the end of the bowsprit, at night to get back on the tack. I lost two miles, and then it took me 48 hours to catch up, it was long. It didn’t end the way we had imagined. This morning, on the weather report, we heard that there was possibly less wind at the finish. It’s not great to be between 15th and 20th, but on the other hand, there are very few time gaps so that’s cool. Now, we just have to start all over again, there are two stages left.”
Gaston MORVAN (Brittany Region - CMB Performance) 14th position:
“This stage wasn’t easy, I think it was harder for me than for a lot of others because I had a lot of technical issues that handicapped me, that made me steer the boat a lot, spend time making it move forward and it wasn’t easy. I put a lot of energy into it trying to fix the little issues. I had to put the race on hold for a lot of time. Otherwise, I made a few well-placed shots, but I don’t know what to think of this race. We’re going to have to forget about it a bit and tell ourselves that La Solitaire starts on Sunday. This first stage leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. But despite everything, there were some nice moments. Yesterday was good, there was beautiful light, it was great. I didn’t always enjoy it but after that, that’s the game, I’ll enjoy it more in the next stages. Physically, I’m pretty knackered. I have rarely been so burned out, I really couldn't let go of the helm. As soon as I fell asleep, I lost ground on the others. My brother is just ahead. I climbed to the top of the mast, it will remain a good memory.”
Pep COSTA (VSF Sports) 15th position:
“ It was hard work. It was tough, but I was up there. It worked out well. A pity that at the finish, it was so closed. I didn't do well passing the mark. I made a mistake, so dropped back a place. I think I could have made it to the top five, so it's a bit tough on me, but that's the way it goes. Apart from that, I'm pleased to be here. The time differences are tiny and sometimes even non-existent, so that's all very positive. On Sunday, it’s going to be a bit like starting from scratch, which is nice.”
“It was a lot of work. It was tough, but I was in the front. It worked out well. It's a shame at the finish, it was very close, I negotiated the finish line badly, I made a mistake and I lost a place. I think I could have reached the top five, so it's a bit tough for me but that's how it is. Apart from that, I'm happy, the time gaps are minimal or even non-existent, so it's very positive. Sunday is like starting from scratch, which is nice.”
Hugo DHALLENNE (YCSL - Primatice - SLB Pharma) 16th position :
“The first stage was super interesting with coastal waters at Barfleur at the start and then a bit more open water. I took a small fishing trap at Barfleur, just before Cherbourg. I also made a big trawler mooring before Wolfrock. Otherwise, it was a lot of strategy in the gulf, knowing when to pass the front and then, landing here in the soft water, so very complete.”
Victor LE PAPE (Brittany Region - CMB Espoir) 17th position:
“I'm really happy with my race, a little disappointed at the finish because it's true that the expected place is not the same but on the other hand, the time difference is minimal and if you look at the copy I submitted, I'm pretty happy with what I did. I came third in the intermediate sprint at Wolf Rock, I did some great moves, I had a great race. I'm a little late in sleeping, but it's pulling. We were heading for somewhat soft conditions. Honestly, I didn't see the soft wind, there was wind almost the whole time. But I ate well, drank well, I rested well. It was a pretty good stage but it wasn't easy on the body, we got really shaken up. The boat is fine, now we're starting from scratch, we did four days for nothing!”
Maël GARNIER (SELENCIA - CERFRANCE) 18th position:
“First of all, before talking about the end which was quite unusual, we got off to a good start from Le Havre. It was nice: I went third at the first buoy so I was in it from the start. Afterwards, I had a little problem hoisting the spinnaker, I misfired something, it didn't work out the way I wanted but I stayed in the right group and all the way through, I was in the top 10-15. I didn't burn myself out too much, I made good positions. I was happy with my speed, I stayed grouped with the leaders not far behind and at the end, I was this close to making a nice little comeback. I think I had a good place in the top seven or eight. Unfortunately, it was a close call but it was nice, I saw whales, orcas, dolphins. We're starting from scratch almost on Sunday. What we have to remember is the way I sailed on the stage and I am happy.”
Charlotte YVEN (Skipper Macif 2023) 19th position:
“We arrived in Gijon in the doldrums, the end of the race was played out in the calm. We're starting to get used to it on the Solitaire du Figaro. I'm going to drop a line to the Race Director to tell him that it's not nice! Because it's not very funny (laughs). But as a result, it really narrowed the gaps between the leaders and me who was a little behind, so it's a great stage. And it's Loïs who wins so I'm very happy for him!”
Romain LE GALL (Sailing Excellence Center - Secours populaire 17) 20th position:
“It was quite long anyway because we did three days of close sailing at the beginning, we did close sailing until yesterday afternoon if I'm not mistaken, so it was still long. On the other hand, I slept quite a bit, I wasn't in the running at the beginning, I managed to do something good and then I lost a lot of place in Alderney. I tried an option that didn't work at all. I stayed behind a bit and I had my plan in mind for last night, for the passage of the front, which allowed me to come back well. I thought I was doing well and I hadn't followed the rankings too much. And finally, I learned this morning that we were one and two with Alexis Loison. So, I'm a bit disappointed with the end because I would have liked to have finished second of course. But then, in terms of time, we all arrived at the same time so that's not what counts at all. Considering my stage, it's still positive, it could have been much worse than that. In terms of sleep, I managed to sleep well. Otherwise, I burst a water bottle right at the start, during the first hours of the race. So, I was a little scared, I told myself that I was never going to have enough water. And finally I managed to hold on until here.”
Alexis LOISON (GROUPE REEL) 21st position:
“Unfortunately the end of this stage did not reward the majority of the course. A few hours before, I could see myself doing a nice job.
I made a great comeback during the night, and then there was the passage to Wolfrock where I was really in the game. Then, I took back the lead of the standings. In the early morning, I really believed in it. I didn't hear the standings but I was called first to the call. I said to myself: this is positive. I saw that during the night, it had gone well. A small storm cloud at the end made me stop first and everyone passed me. But in the end, there was very little gap.
Come on, it's a blessing in disguise. At one point, I said to myself: not only am I not going to win the stage, but I'm also going to lose time in the general classification. In the end, let's say that the match hasn't started yet."
Tom GORON (NAVALEO) 22nd position :
“I got off to a good start. My goal was to stay in the right pack until Wolf Rock because I thought that was going to be the moment when I could be behind. I'm happy because I managed to stay in the right pack until Wolf Rock. Then, we rolled up on Monday night. I wasn't going very fast upwind. In terms of sleep, on the other hand, I slept quite a bit, the only night I didn't sleep was that night, otherwise I slept a lot. Generally speaking, I was lacking a bit of speed. When we started to hoist the spinnaker, I didn't really understand the weather at that time and I didn't make the right compromises like the others, where they luffed a lot and they knew how to jibe at the right time and luff again. I admit that I was a bit off the mark on that and I stupidly lost a lot of miles. Fortunately, in the end, the storm made me arrive not far behind. At one point, I was still a good ten miles behind the leaders.
But in the end I managed to have a good race, so I'm happy.”
Jacques DELCROIX (ACTUAL) 23rd position :
“I can learn from the first part because I had the fleet in sight and I had a bit of control over what happened. It was cool, I was happy with myself until the start of the descent of the Bay of Biscay. And then I lost contact with the fleet, so I have no idea what happened. In terms of sleep, I slept well but I had trouble eating the first few days, but after that, it was fine. I found a good rhythm and I'm not too exhausted. I'll be able to attack the second stage in the best conditions to challenge the best.”
Edouard GOLBERY (Verder - Seastemik) 24th position:
“It was a great stage! It was complicated in the Bay of Biscay. I thought I had buried myself by starting to the east. I hoped that the ridge would swell again and that it would trap the competitors from the west a little. It saved me a little, because at one point, I was 20 miles behind the leaders and I arrived 28 minutes late, it's great. I'm super happy. It was a great stage. I made a huge mistake at the start because I missed a course cardinal, just after the start. It's really a shame because I had a great course at the start and I don't know, I was in the top 10. Anyway, I was good. I was a little stressed and I think I didn't pay attention.
The option is, we had talked about it with Dominic Vittet. The idea was to stay ahead of the front which was rather weak and also to make an approach rather a little from the east to avoid the ridge on the approach to Gijon. I was scared because the front was much more active than expected. The guys came down going very fast, so we fell way behind, but all's well that ends well.”
Jules DELPECH (ORCOM) 25th position:
“The stage was interesting, a little strewn with pitfalls since I had a few problems. I took a pot in Barfleur which slowed me down a lot. I was second behind Alexis (Loison), I spent ten minutes with the pot. But it ended up leaving on its own just before I dove. Then, I made a bad move in Barfleur, I went into the Raz Blanchard when it wasn't interesting. That's a small tactical error, I think you have to admit them from time to time. That one wasn't pretty to do and then it went all the way to Wolf Rock, all in a bit of rough sea, it was still tough. It was hard to live with, there was a lot of movement in the boat, it wasn't pleasant, we were soaked, we couldn't do much.
And then I took a slightly sharp option to the east with a small group of boats, that was the strategic plan we had defined. We ended up a little further east than planned because the wind forced us to. But once we were off, we were kind of forced to go there.
I am not unhappy with this strategic choice, but it did not end very well for me. I was with other boats that were not very far from me. They finished much better than me, an hour and a half ahead of me, so it is a little disappointing. We will have to debrief this to understand why.
Hugo Dhalenne and Jacques Delcroix were next to me, they were the only ones I had a bit on AIS and within VHF range. They finished an hour and a half ahead of me, there was no real reason. So there you go, I'm a bit disappointed by that. And otherwise, I'm happy to have arrived in a foreign land, we don't go there often so it's nice to be here. I'm happy to be able to set foot on land."
Alexis THOMAS (Wings Of The Ocean) 26th Position:
“The start was a bit complicated, we were all a bit late on the start, there was a lot of current, we got caught out a bit. However, I did well with Gaston, we passed the first two. My strategy was to go and find a front, pass it as quickly as possible and in fact there was a big soft zone. The front didn't come down on us and it advanced at the same time as us. So I went to find the front, I turned around, I went back to find the front, I did it lots of times. I'm waiting to see the map, but I think that's where the others advanced and got ahead.
Afterwards, I think we got caught up by the ridge which grew a bit on us and during that time all the guys who were to the east were going. It was an interesting race because suddenly, we were really in a big section, we were each able to exploit our strategy and cross our fingers at the end to see what would happen. And it didn't go well for me unfortunately, but it doesn't matter, it's only a Solitaire (ironic), two hours still hurts, even two and a half hours.”
Philippe HARTZ (Marine Nationale - GICAN) 27th Position:
"We'll come back another time for the general classification, even if you never know what can happen in the rest of the race. For my part, it started badly, I went into the channel with my head down, it's part of the game, but it's a bit stupid to start like that. And then afterwards, I didn't attack Barfleur very well, Alexis Loison showed us the way. Then, I went straight on. Alexis Loison showed us the way, frankly, I'm sad for him that he didn't win it because frankly, he showed the art and the manner. Now, it's part of the game. There are two stages left for me, I'm going to enjoy them. There, we took our time but it's at the end of the fair that we count the crap. I would have preferred to get into it in a different way but it's part of the game, it was nice yesterday with my little group, we told each other stories. It was really nice, beautiful sea, good weather, the weather was good, so I still had fun in the race but it's sure that the start wasn't as I would have hoped, that's sport, that's how it is."
Romain BOUILLARD (Let’s Get the Moon) 28th position:
“First stage of La Solitaire, it’s a discovery for me. I think it’s a great warm-up of what La Solitaire can be in general, where ultimately, there can be big gaps at the finish, very different options. But in any case, I had a lot of fun. I was there for that. I was given this advice, above all, have fun. I’m really happy to be in Gijon.”
Laure GALLEY (DMG Mori Academy) 29th position:
“The first leg was cool, I think the start was pretty good. I think I caught something in the keel that I didn't see on the camera. So, I kept it for a really long time, I really had a speed deficit, it was a bit frustrating... I ended up reversing for the sake of it and then I got rid of it, but it still took quite a while. And after the whole descent, I think I sailed pretty well. I was with Chloé and Charlotte. Then, I made a mistake in my maneuver, so I lost everything I had to make up on them. There are some positives though and I think the calm at the end allowed me to catch up a bit. So that's pretty cool!”
Thierry LEVAYER (ALOFI SAILING) 30th position:
“I had a great stage, until an hour from the finish when it became a bit of a mess with the squalls. We stopped, the wind changed, I lost eight places. It was a bit annoying after fighting the whole stage. Otherwise, I didn't have any particular problems, no technical problems. My lesson is that you have to fight until the end, but that's not everything, sometimes chance plays tricks on you.
Lomano TAKASI (Reauté Chocoloat) 31st position:
“I was completely tired, completely out of the game after the first 48 hours, really completely, and I had a pretty difficult first night with one of my sails falling into the water. I stopped for half an hour to be able to pick it up without tearing it. It's more of a miracle because it's in good condition. I then enjoyed going down into the Bay of Biscay with moments of pure contemplation with schools of dolphins, which was just magical. I'm happy to arrive in Gijon. I feel like I didn't leave Le Havre with the weather, but otherwise, it's great.”
Camille BERTEL (Cap Ingelec) 32nd Position:
“A little disappointed with my result on this stage, of course. I didn't make the right choices and it took me a long time to get into the race after the bad start I had in Le Havre. Apart from that, it was a lot of fun. I found the course really cool, there were always plenty of options to go for and I really liked being constantly stimulated. It's rather a positive assessment because I don't forget that I'm already very lucky to be here, thanks to Cap Ingelec. At the end of this stage, with all my direct competitors, we arrived at the same time, we had to cross the line 5 minutes apart so nothing is decided, there's still everything to do.”
Stéphane LE DIRAISON (Flexirub) 33rd position:
“The results were mixed, there was some very good and some very bad. The very good was the good sensations of gliding, apprehension, the way of feeling the boat. What is interesting is that there are always groups of boats. Even if we miss, we find someone to battle with. So that is super interesting, I feel like I have learned a lot of things. Then the frustration is not having been enlightened by genius in my decisions which have often been quite bad. Just before the finish, there was a group of twelve boats that were blocked. So, there, I said to myself, that I was going to be able to make a little move so I pass the twelve and when I pass them, I said to myself, damn, the gate was missing! I had to gybe, set off again, cross paths with the whole fleet again. It was just to show that I was putting this pressure on myself to do well. I need to get back to the feelings and sail more calmly because mistakes like that are unacceptable. I didn't think enough. In IMOCA, I've never experienced that. Even if there was a bit of contact in the start phases, the fleet would quickly disperse. So, here, it's clear that contact is omnipresent. That's what I came looking for, I'm learning lots of other things. I was inspired by my experience in IMOCA where it's often very interesting to move away to go after. But I realized while doing calculations that we were going to add thirty miles to the route and we'll never make up for it. I think we shouldn't rely on luck and be more focused for the rest.”
Anaëlle PATTUSCH (NEMO) 34th position:
“A stage without a pilot, I lost it at the end of the first coastal section. I had to improvise a bit with ropes but I absolutely wanted to finish and hope to repair it. I really have to find a solution within two days before leaving for the second stage. Otherwise, I'm so happy to arrive in Spain, so happy to finish and go all the way, I'm super happy to be here. I learned a lot of things, especially about myself.”
Anthony QUENTIN (JPS CONTROL) 35th position :
"It was cool to do the Bay of Biscay for the first time. This one was a real one! The weather was complicated towards the tip of Brittany. I wasn't on the right side, I couldn't cross back. In the middle, I got eaten. It's a shame. I had wind the whole time but I enjoyed sailing thanks to Stan Thuret's podcast. He explains well that you have to enjoy sailing again without competition. I told myself that he was right. It helped me a lot for the end of the stage. The last leg was really good, it was incredible. "
Paprec Challenge
Hugo LE CLECH & Arthur MEURISSE (Better) 1st in the Paprec Challenge:
"We got off to a good, fast start and managed to open up a gap.
Finally, there were two options that emerged after passing Wolfrock. One group heading west to where we started and one group heading east;
With the uncertainty of the weather, we didn't really know where we stood.
It's complicated, we have the scores, the evolution of the miles ahead or behind, but we don't know where the others are.
We feared that our pursuers would take the front a little later, being a little better placed and a little more on the direct route.
But it clearly paid off for us, we fought until the end, we were very close to the solos, it was still a big motivator to fight with them.
Overall great, we had a great time, it's a good experience for next year and on our own this time!"
Ellie DRIVER / David PAUL (Chilli Pepper) 2nd in the Paprec Challenge:
“It was a brilliant race. Our whole fleet was so tight for the majority of the 600 or so miles and then we split away from everyone last night and could not see anyone and were wondering where we were going to pop out, so we are really pleased with our performance. It was our first sail together we had only met five days before the start, but David and I had great fun we really enjoyed the whole race.”
“It was a great race. The whole fleet was very close for most of the 600 miles. Last night we got away from everyone and couldn’t see anyone and were wondering where we were going to end up, so we’re really happy with our performance. It was our first race together, we only met five days before the race started but David and I had a great time throughout the race.”
Pierrick LETOUZE - Lola BILLY (Normandy Offshore Program by Paprec) 3rd in the Paprec Challenge:
“This Paprec Challenge was really cool, as we had planned, we learned a lot of things. It was really great to do the same course as La Solitaire, but in pairs. It allows us to take turns, to discuss the weather, the settings. Really a lot of learning.
Especially since we hadn't really sailed much on the Figaro before. We received it two weeks before, so we didn't have all the keys in hand. The first night, it was a bit hard in terms of speed. Afterwards, I think we found solutions to sail close-hauled. We were going really fast. We searched a lot, we racked our brains.
On the other hand, downwind, it was a bit more complicated. There were two options. At one point, there were six of us boats all alone and we couldn't see anyone. We couldn't pick up anyone on the VHF anymore, so we didn't really know where we were. And finally, it ended with everyone in a little routine stuck in the slack. We thought we were going to come fifth at one point. We grumbled... A lot. But in the end, it went well in the end."
Pier Paolo DEAN & Tiphaine RIDEAU (DEANRACINGTEAM) 4th in the Défi Paprec: “It was our first offshore race with Tiphaine over such a long distance. After four days at sea we are really happy, it was quite hard in the sense that we had no experience, in terms of weather. We started off a bit blindly with just the experience of the Tour Voile. The stages on the Tour were rather short and we really enjoyed it. We stayed second the whole time until the last gybe. We tried to sail cleanly. We made some nice close-hauled tacks. We tried to sail cleanly and thought about how to make the boat move forward. Unfortunately we made a small mistake at the end which made us drop back to 4th position. Overall we are really happy with our race and this arrival in Gijon.”
Isabelle DELAPORTE & Sidney GAVIGNET (L'ARCHE EN FRANCE) 5th in the Défi Paprec: “It was a great race in nice conditions, quite varied but with a fair amount of wind. For me it was a learning experience. The front passage, the ridge passage, it was a great experience with these different passages to manage. I have an amateur profile, but I already do a fair amount of offshore racing. I will continue that for sure. I had already done several Figaro races so I knew the boat, it is a physical, super demanding, zero comfort, very low winches. You have to send it, you mustn't be afraid of hurting yourself a bit to do the Figaro, but it is a great boat. There, this night in the breeze, under full ball spinnaker, we had a great time, the boat really holds up really well, it is a very interesting boat in terms of adjustments”.
Tiphaine RAGUENEAU & Paul MEDINGER (REVER LARGE) 6th in the Défi Paprec: “It was great, it was a great stage. The conclusion is that there will be work to do, we weren’t very fast upwind. We can’t wait to see where the others went, where we lost… but otherwise it was great. We had a small problem with a foil that we had to repair and other small things, we filled the crash box with water without knowing why. We wondered whether to warn Yann straight away or not and I think we did well not to do it straight away, because the EPIRB went off but we were able to stop all of a sudden. Otherwise, we didn’t have any major technical problems so that’s also a good thing! Afterwards I think we made a lot of mistakes either tactically or in settings and that's what we're going to have to work on. Otherwise in terms of manoeuvres it went pretty well as a duo, I found it pretty easy. We didn't put ourselves in the red or really struggle with a manoeuvre. I'm happy not to have done it solo, I realised that I really wasn't ready and it makes me want to really work this winter and I tell myself that a double-handed Transat Paprec is indeed a good way to learn and it makes you want to.”
Carlota ALONSO & Jeronimo CERVANTES (Ehécatl) 7th in the Paprec Challenge:
" It was a real challenge (laughs). It was really good. We had everything: all types of wind and all conditions. With Jero, we really enjoyed it. It was tough, it took a lot of patience. We didn't make the right choices but at least we had some great days. There was wind yesterday, after the 24-hour calm. We had a good laugh, really enjoyed the race and we're happy to be here after four days at sea. "
Catherine CHIMNEY & Aina BAUZA ROIG (American Sailboat Racing Foundation), 8th in the Paprec Challenge:
“ It was a great experience to race with the other boats and to do the same leg as the competitors of La Solitaire. We had all the conditions, with a lot of current in some places. It was a fun race. ”