The fourth and last leg of the 2018 Solitaire ended yesterday with the victory of Anthony Marchand FRA. Although only 9th in this last leg, Sébastien Simon FRA stayed on top of the overall rankings with a 16 minute-advantage on Anthony Marchand FRA. Finishing 7th in this leg, the best woman Justine Mettraux SUI concluded this solo regatta on rank 11 among the 36 teams. Nathalie Riou USA is 36th.
The final rankings, the news and the videos.

Yesterday evening, the start to the 4th and final leg of the Solitaire was given in Saint-Gilles, a sprint course over 160nm. This morning UTC, the leading Charlie Dalin FRA had 60nm left to the finish. The fleet is closely together. The best woman Justine Mettraux SUI on rank 12 is only 1,9nm behind the leader. ETA is this afternoon.
The race tracker, the news and the video of the leg 4 start.

Yesterday morning, the 3 leg of the Solitaire was concluded in Saint-Gilles FRA, again with Sébastien Simon FRA as winner, extending his overall lead on 35min. He will hardly loose this advantage in the final 4th leg of only 160nm. Behind the leader, the fight for the podium will remain fierce. Xavier Macaire FRA on rank 2 is only 12min ahead of rank 4 (Anthony Marchand FRA). The best woman Justine Mettraux SUI moved up on rank 14.
The ranking list, the news and the videos.
The start to the final leg will be given this evening at 18h UTC.

This morning 7h UTC at press deadline, the leading Sébsatien Simon FRA had only 10nm to sail to finish the race .... but nothing has been decided yet: Pierre Quiroga FRA on 2nd is only 0,8nm behind and Fréderic Duthil FRA on the 10th place is only 2nm back. The best woman Justine Mettraux SUI has a 3,9nm backlog and is 24th. In the light wind and the tide current, everything is possible. By noon, the dice will be cast.
The race tracker, the news and the videos.

Since last Saturday, the Solitaire fleet has been underway in leg 3 from Spain to Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie (French Atlantic Coast North of La Rochelle). Up to now, light winds dominated the scene. The leading Thierry Chabagny FRA was 120nm, roughly one day, from the arrival this morning with a 3nm advantage on a closely sailing persuers' group. Pierre Quiroga FRA on rank 2 is onnly 4nm head of the best woman Justine Mettraux SUI on rank 13. The ETA is early Wednesday morning.
The race tracker, the news and the videos.

Leg 2 of the Solitaire ended yesterday at the Spanish Northwest Coast with the arrival of the last boats. With his victory, Sébastien Simon FRA took at the same time the overall lead. The best-ranked woman Justine Mettraux SUI advanced on rank 15, as we reported yesterday.
The start to leg 3 back to France will be given on Saturday.
The news and the videos.

After a fast ride across the Bay of Biscay, the fleet reached the port of call of the Solitaire leg 2 at the Spanish Northwest Coast this morning. Sébastien Simon FRA was the winner 20 minutes ahead of Xavier Macaire FRA, and another minute Eric Péron FRA on 3rd. Anthony Marchand FRA, winner of leg 1, followed as 4th with a 26 minutes' deficit. The new overall leader is therefore Simon FRA with a 26 minutes' advantage on Xavier Macaire FRA. The best woman Justine Mettraux SUI finished on rank 14 and slightly improved her overall position on rank 15. Nathalie Criou USA on rank 36 was still 102nm from the finish this morning UTC.
The race tracker, the overall ranking list, the news and the videos.

After the ardous passage of northern Brittany with light winds and a strong tide counter current, the fleet has now reached the Gulf of Biscay with a freshening rear wind, allowing average speeds around 12kn.
Sébastien Simon FRA is now leading with a 2,3nm advantage on Eric Peron FRA. On rank 3 follows Pierre Le Boucher FRA. Justine Mettraux SUI moved up on rank 11 with a backlog of 6,1nm this morning UTC. Nathalie Criou USA is 36th with a 60,7nm deficit. Two days are left to the arrival.
The race tracker, the news and the video of the day.

Yesterday, the start to leg 2 of the Solitaire direction Spain was given in Saint-Brieuc in northern Brittany. Light winds and a tide countercurrent slowed the fleet down. This morning UTC, the 36 solo skippers were still very close together sailing upwind along the Brittany shore direction West. Gildas Mahé FRA leads one mile ahead of Anthony Marchand FRA, the winner of leg 1. Justine Mettraux SUI on rank 18 is 3,5nm back. Nathalie Criou USA is 34th.
The race tracker, the news and the video of the start.

Today, the start to leg 2 of the Solitaire 560nm across the Biscay Bay to Muros Noya ESP at the Northwest Spanish Coast will be given in Saint Brieuc FRA in northern Brittany. Everything remains open as the time gaps after leg 1 are very small. Anthony Marchand FRA as winner was only 18 minutes ahead of the 18th placed Justine Mettraux SUI. Nathalie Criou US is 29th. Here the rankings. After the start at 13h UTC, the 36 Solo Skipper will encounter an upwind stretch with counter currents, before veering to a reaching speedrace under spi around 20kn direction Cape Finisterre at the most northwestern point of Spain.
The preview.

After 3 days and 9 hours, Anthony Marchand FRA crossed the finish line of leg 1 of the Solitaire in Saint Brieuc FRA as winner with a small 3 minutes' advantage on Thierry Chabagny FRA on 2nd. Another minute back followed Charlie Dalin FRA on 3rd. In the closely packed midfleet, the best women Justine Mettraux SUI dropped on rank 18 only 7 minutes behind rank 10. Nathalie Criou USA still underway is 29th.
The ranking list, the news and the videos.

After rounding the Wolf Rock at the most southwestern point of England, the fleet is now underway in light winds direction Brittany / Grande Passe de Portsall, that should be reached by noon today. From there, the course will be directed East to round Guernsey before the port of call Saint Brieuc will be targeted.
The fleet was very packed this morning UTC with Sébastien Simon FRA as new leader 1nm ahead of Alan Roberts GBR and Xavier Macaire FRA. The first woman Justine Mettraux SUI on rank 11 has massively reduced her backlog and is now only 2,8nm behind. Nathalie Criou USA from Richmond is on rank 29 with a 94,3nm backlog.
The race tracker, the news and the videos.

The weather calmed down somewhat after the stormy beginning of the Solitaire and the fleet, still closely together, is now sailing upwind along the English Coast in still 15kn wind direction Wolf Rock, the most western waypoint of this first leg. Up to now, 6 of the 36 Solo-Skipper were forced to abandon the race. New in the lead this morning UTC was Corentin Douget FRA 0,1nm ahead of Sébastien Simon FRA on 2nd. Xavier Macaire FRA was not far behind (1,8nm) and was Alexis Loison FRA (2,1nm). Well positioned is still Justine Mettraux SUI as best-ranked among the 5 women on rank 12 with an 8,1nm backlog. Nathalie Criou USA from Richmond is on rank 30 with a 50,5nm backlog.
The Race Tracker, the news and the video of the day.

The start to leg 1 of the Solitaire - leading from France around the Fastnet Roch and back to France - was given off Le Havre yesterday in fresh winds. The rough passage across the British Channel caused a number of equipment failures, among others also with the favorites Gildas Mahé FRA and Fréderic Duthill FRA forced to abandon the race. The leading boats are sailing along the English Coast this morning UTC closely together. Experienced solo skippers are leading the pack: Xavier Macaire FRA is 0,1nm in front of Sébastien Simon FRA and 0,3nm ahead of Charlie Dalin FRA. Well positioned is also Justine Mettraux SUI as best-ranked women on rank 12 with a 2nm backlog.
The race tracker, the news and the video of the start.

Today at 12h UTC in Le Havre FRA, the start to the "Solitaire URGO Le Figaro", the most important regatta of the Bénéteau Figaro Solo Class, will be given. The race goes over four legs from Le Havre over England and Spain back to France, 1'700nm in total.
36 Solo-Skippers, among them 6 women, participate, among others Justine Mettraux SUI (with a short audio interview) or Nathalie Criou USA from the Richmond Yacht Club Foundation in her second Solitaire.
Fresh winds exceeding 30kn have been announced for the first 24 race-hours. The official preview. We transmit the start of the Solitaire live beginning at 12h UTC on www.sailing-news.ch.