La Solitaire du Figaro Preview

1999 Solo Figaro

On the water, 'La Solitaire du Figaro' is the world championships of single-handed yacht racing, and 58 competitors have registered to take part in this the 30th Anniversary edition of 'The Solo Figaro' held between 1st - 21st August.

To sum up the uniqueness of this long-standing event, 'The Solo Figaro' is like a search for the Holy Grail, competed for by professionals and amateurs, male & female, who are in effect running a marathon but at the pace of a sprint. This race attracts a complete mix of skippers from many different backgrounds and now more countries outside France. The race ports include Brest (France), Bayona (Spain) & Douarnenez (France). This year 'The Solo Figaro' will pass close by the shores of Falmouth where they will round a marker buoy inshore before heading back to Brest.

Amongst the 58 competitors are 3 very experienced women: Karine Fauconnier, who is on her third Figaro; Michèle Paret and Anne Monmousseau. Old hands such as Philippe Poupon, three times winner of 'The Solo Figaro'; Jean Le Cam, who has participated 16 times and won twice, and Eric Drouglazet, who leads this years 'Championnat de France Solitaire' - the Championship of the Solo Figaro circuit.

The newer generation dedicating their sailing talents to a victory in 'The Solo Figaro' include Yann Eliès, Gilles Chiorri, Marc Guessard, Thomas Coville, Gildas Morvan, Sebastien Josse and Jérèmie Bayou. A new wave of first time competitors, such as Sidney Gavignet, Nicolas Troussel and Charles Caudrelier-Bénac,12 in all, will be close on their heels.

From outside France, 4 skippers are entered, including Ireland's Damian Foxall in 'Barlo Plastics', who won the last leg of 'The Solo Figaro' in 1998. Foxall is ranked 12th in 'Barlo Plastics' after the Grand Prix style races leading up to this main event, and is the only non-French entry who is a serious threat to the French for the title. Foxall is considered as one of the French, having dedicated himself to the Figaro circuit for the last three years, two of which have been campaigned with Barlo Plastics, and has been training at their 'Port La Foret' camp for short-handed racing, which is on a par with Olympic standards.

On shore, there will be a 'village' in Brest and Douarnenez specially created for 'The Solo Figaro'. With a 'paddock' reserved for the skippers, press, sponsors, VIP's and organisers, and a greater surrounding area for the general public, including information points, a giant screen, product stands, 2 restaurants and 3 bars, the 'village' will be open for the duration of the race.

A special website on the Internet has been created by WindReport and Sail Online - www.lefigaro.fr/solitaire - which will display images, weather reports, interview recordings and race updates each day, as well as holding background information on the race itself, each skipper and sponsors.

Below is the final list of all 58 competitors for the 1999 'Solo Figaro' and their current positions in the 'Championnat de France Solitaire':

1 2 DROUGLAZET Eric Carven Defenders 29 7ème
2 3 BIDEGORRY Pascal Europ Assistance 33 5ème
3 4 LE CAM Jean non communique au 15/07 29 16ème  - 2
victoires
4 5 MORVAN Gildas Cercle Vert 29 4ème
5 6 CHIORRI Gilles meteoconsult.fr - Prosodie 6 4ème
6 7 GUESSARD Marc Nantes & Saint-Nazaire 44 5ème
7 8 ELIES Yann Groupe Generali Assurances 22 3ème
8 9 BEYOU Jérémie Volkswagen Castrol 29 3ème
9 11 COVILLE Thomas Zurich 56 2ème
10 13 COINTO Ronan non communique au 15/07 29 4ème
11 14 BALOGH François Marine-Figa 14 2ème
12 15 FOXALL Damian Barlo Plastics Irlande 3ème
13 17 GAVIGNET Sidney TBS 92 1ère participation
14 19 LEGLOAHEC Cyrille Ville de Pornic 44 1ère
participation
15 20 L'OLLIVER Jean-Baptiste Halles Mandar 20 3ème
16 21 MARIETTE Christophe Just Mariette 92 1ère
participation
17 22 MARSSET Bertrand Passion "Ah!
ben...non,non,non,non." 50 2ème
18 27 SEETEN Joé Chocolamour 59 5ème
19 28 POUPON Philippe Fleury Michon 17 13ème - 3 victoires
20 29 de BROC Bertrand Guyader 29 10ème
21 34 CLAUW Fabien Espace Coiffure Guy Perrin 33 3ème
22 36 GARCIA Guillermo Yate Espagne 2ème
23 37 RABOTIN Franck Ille et Vilaine 35 2ème
24 38 VINCENS Edgard Hi-mages 33 2ème
25 39 NABART Laurent Corsica 20 1ère participation
26 40 JOURDREN Bruno Nintendo 64 29 2ème
27 42 JOSSE Sébastien Espoir Crédit Agricole 6 2ème
28 44 CAUDRELIER BENAC Charles Groupe Pierre Le Goff 29
1ère participation
29 46 GRIMONT Damien Soletanche - Bachy 35 3ème
30 47 COATNOAN Christophe Groupe Partouche 76 2ème
31 49 EINHORN Jacques Capri Résidences 56 3ème
32 50 GUYADER Loïc Agence Appere / Ordirope Atlantique 29
2ème
33 51 FAUCONNIER Karine Ville de St Raphaël/Itinéris
Vocation 29 3ème
34 52 LE BAS Christophe non communique au 15/07 50 4ème
35 55 LEMONNIER Yannick Mac Donald's La Rochelle 17
2ème
36 59 PAGES Yves Halte au dopage 29 8ème
37 61 PARET Michèle Carrefour Prévention Genève 6 2ème
38 91 GARCIA Bruno Impact Espagne 3ème
39 93 RIOU Vincent Retif 29 3ème
40 94 FORASTE Fabrice Soleri 29 1ère participation
41 95 AUDIGANE Sébastien Galanz fours à micro-ondes 29
3ème
42 96 BOTHUON Michel Ciments Calcia 29 2ème
43 97 MOUREN Jean Paul Marseille Entreprises Qualité 13
12ème
44 99 EPRON Jean-Baptiste Ré-Ascop / Port de Trébeurden 75
2ème
45 101 COURBON Yves Aventures Sailing 75 2ème
46 110 PELLECUER Laurent non communique au 15/07 34 3ème
47 123 de NEVE Daniel Bombyx 93 1ère participation
48 132 GALMICHE Erick C.S.R.M. Picardie 80 3ème
49 139 BOS Christian Kolorian 56 1ère participation
50 140 BAUDU Eric Sodatec Technologie 29 2ème
51 142 TROUSSEL Nicolas Côte d'Armor-Le Télégramme 29
1ère participation
52 147 GODARD Christophe Rungis marché international 91
3ème
53 150 GUERIN Ronan L'Artisanat 44 4ème
54 201 MONMOUSSEAU Anne non communique au 15/07 35 2ème
55 203 KOCH Antoine Saunier Duval 75 1ère participation
56 206 SPINA Alberto Technicomposit Italie 1ère participation
57 210 de FRANCE Jehan-Godefroy progicorp.fr / Ville de
Perros Guirec 22 1ère participation
58 212 CARAES Jacques Partner System - Sun 29 6ème

For more details on Damian Foxall's 99 Campaign with Barlo Plastics or 'The Solo Figaro' Race itself:
www.offshorechallenges.com
www.barloplasticssailing.com
www.lefigaro.fr/solitaire
For further information or photography by Thierry Martinez, contact:
Mary Ambler/Mark Turner
Offshore Challenges
Tel +44 (0)7887 643 583
Fax +44 (0) 207 681 2759
Email: mary@offshorechallenges.com