This summer, Jonny Malbon will be helming Artemis in the 40th edition of the famous “Solitaire du Figaro”, a classic single-handed 1,700-mile race broken down into four legs and visiting Brittany, Ireland, Spain and the Vendée region of France. In identical monohulls, the 55 skippers will fight for every boat length, coping with sleepless - “white” - nights and nerve-racking final sprints. We take a closer look at this French institution.
“So, who’s leading in La Solitaire?” Each year in August, those few words could easily be granted the title of “question of the month” among French sailing enthusiasts, following the gruesome singlehanded, one-design race as if it were a thriller. Multiple factors tend to explain why this unique offshore classic is so riveting, and the closeness of the competition is certainly not the least of those… Another one obviously is the presence of France’s sailing legends in the line-up, battling it out against the most talented youngsters of the offshore racing scene on a level playing field.
On the Figaro, there is no pedestal - at least not before the final points are counted - and the “star system” does not apply on the pontoons, where skippers talk, share anecdotes, replay the race or discuss the nuts and bolts of racing on equal terms. Of course, from the public’s perspective, a triple winner will always cast his shadow on the rest of the fleet and some Rookies (“Bizuths” in French, as first time Figarists are known) might go unnoticed, but from the inside, whatever name it may bear, a transom is just something to catch up with and leave in one’s wake.
An open history book
When Michel Desjoyeaux came back to “La Solitaire” in 2007, he already had won it twice and his CV included a Vendée Globe win, a triumph on the Route du Rhum, and another one on The Transat. With a brand-new IMOCA 60 to put through her paces prior to the 2008 Vendee Globe, was there any need for the ‘Professor’ to spend his summer on a 10-metre long one-design, did he really have anything to prove?
The short answer was no, but Michel nevertheless hung his medals in the locker room, hoisted the sails and took on a fleet amongst which a considerable number of very talented young guns saw the chance of beating the legendary skipper as a source of extra motivation. That summer, Desjoyeaux won his third Solitaire, and the race won yet another piece of glory. In 2003, the “Jackal” Armel Le Cléac’h was only 26 when he beat Alain Gautier - winner of the second Vendée Globe and king of the 1989 Solitaire - by only 13 seconds after 2000 miles and countless sleepless nights. In 1979, Patrick Eliès, Yann’s father, won all four legs and that feat has never been equalled yet.
Last summer, Nicolas Troussel captured his second victory in three years, after having pursued an incredibly bold strategic option in 2006, generating the biggest time difference between the front and the back of the fleet ever seen throughout the race’s history. One could also mention the beating endured by the fleet in the Irish Sea in 1978, an edition during which Pierre Saint Jalm woke up on the rocks at Cape Lizard; his life was saved by a passer-by who managed to call the coast guards in time. The list goes on, and the Solitaire which will celebrate its 40th birthday this summer is unrivaled in terms of captivating tales, emotion or amusing anecdotes.
Established in 1970
The concept of what was to be renamed the “Solitaire” was born in a Parisian restaurant during the autumn of 1969 over a lunch shared by two journalists both with a passion for sailing. Jean-Michel Barrault and Jean-Louis Guillemard, working for the French daily newspaper L’Aurore, had been given the mission to rejuvenate the image of the publication, reputedly very conservative and somewhat reactionary. Why not then create an event sporting the newspaper’s name, a competition the public could follow and engage in? Tabarly had become an overnight national hero after his win in the 1964 OSTAR (single-handed transatlantic race), France had begun a love affair with competitive sailing, maybe it was the prefect time to launch a summer offshore solo race.
Barrault and Guillemard quickly agreed on the founding principles - long legs, controlled budgets and no handicap system for a better public understanding - and in 1970 the first edition of the “Course de l’Aurore” took place. At the time, any production boat complying with the half-tonner class rules could enter, which meant the fleet was at the same time homogenous and representative of what the average cruising enthusiast could easily get his hands on. The two journalists had another brilliant idea: competitors were to give their position at regular intervals so that the public could get hooked on the developments on the water and actually follow the race - it may seem obvious today, but this was certainly not common 40 years ago! As far as the course was concerned, the first leg took the fleet from Brest in Brittany to Laredo in Spain, and the Bay of Biscay was at the centre of the event right from the start. Later, the Irish and Celtic seas would become an essential part of the mix, the ‘Solitaire’ being split into four legs, Brittany, Northern Spain, Ireland and Vendée being the trademark playground of that traditional race.
All aboard (the same boat)
In 1980, the “Figaro” daily newspaper took over the title, and the event took the name under which it’s still known today. The pros and soon-to-be offshore stars lined-up en masse, racing prototypes that each year became more and more refined - the early 1980s saw names like Peyron, Poupon, Auguin, Péan (to name but a few) make the summer headlines. In order to keep a level playing field, a specific boat was introduced in 1990 and the Figaro Bénéteau became the only design allowed to compete in the Solitaire, which speaks volumes about the success of the race itself - what other event can claim to have generated its own yacht? Parlier, Cammas, Le Cam, Desjoyeaux, Poupon, Vittet… they all won in the 1990s, by which time the race was long-established as a classic.
The new one-design launched in 2003 was perfectly timed and made the game step up a level, prompting the return of some legendary skippers willing to try their seasoned skills against an impressive fleet of young sharks, practising relentlessly all year long and repeating manoeuvres like musicians going up and down their scales. The famous Port-la-Forêt offshore racing school is definitely an offspring of the Figaro, which goes to show how important that race has been in the development of the French racing scene - yet this purely factual statement does not suffice to explain the “magic” at work every August. Dolphins playing around the fleet under the full moon or boats finishing within seconds of each other might give you an idea… but follow the race this summer on www.lasolitaire.com and you’ll get the big picture.
Jonny Malbon on the “Solitaire”
“The simple fact of lining up for such a race is humbling, taking a look at the list of past winners is like entering some kind of sailing hall of fame! Intimidating, but very motivating too. I was very nervous before my first solo race in the class this spring, the Transmanche, but coming in 50 minutes behind the winner after 18 hours at sea boosted my confidence. The weather was quite tough, and I was blown away by the boat which can handle 25 knots of breeze under full main and spinnaker. I must say the experienced Figaro racers impressed me a lot to, they sail full on and know the monohull inside out. I don’t think there could be any closer offshore racing: I now know that it will be a matter of minutes or even seconds only at the finishes, and that if you mess up a manoeuvre 10 boats overtake you in a snap! It’s merciless, and at the same time very friendly because everyone is very welcoming and open, they willingly share their experience or offer a helping hand. There is definitely such as thing as the ‘Figaro family spirit’ and I’m determined to embrace it.”
The Solitaire du Figaro… a user’s guide
Forget about sleep, be prepared to live for days helm in hand, within talking distance of your closest rivals at times. Be ready to lead by a seemingly comfortable margin, and to get overtaken by 15 boats as you mess up that crucial spinnaker drop after having spent 48 hours awake, feeding on the crumbs of cereal bars left in your pockets. Expect to be slapped around in the Celtic sea before being overwhelmed by the local population’s incredible welcome in Dingle (Ireland), get ready to experience Biscay’s wrath before spending way too long in a tapas bar in La Coruña - to share memories of that storm - without having taken the time to take those wet oilies off… Be sure you’ll find a fellow “Figarist” ready to help should you be in trouble at sea or before the start, expect to use words that would have gotten you in serious trouble in school when that kelp or fishing line gets tangled in your rudders, making you lose a vital 0.25 knots of boat speed. Most of all, get used to the idea that you’ll come back to the Solitaire, because that’s the way things go.
2009 course
- Leg 1 Lorient (FRA) > La Coruña (ESP) Start: July 30, Distance: 345 miles
- Leg 2 La Coruña (ESP) > St Gilles Croix de Vie (FRA) Start: August 4; Distance: 365 miles
- Leg 3 St Gilles Croix de Vie (FRA) > Dingle (IRL) Start: August 10, Distance: 485 miles
- Leg 4 Dingle (IRL) > Dieppe (FRA) Start: August 16, Distance: 511 miles
