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Boat
The Figaro Bénéteau 3
A new design for 2019 by renowned French architects VPLP and 2019 boat of the year the Figaro 3 is the first one design foiling race class.
The new boat is a complete re-leveller, a new game, attracting everyone from young ambitious sailors starting their offshore career to Vendee Globe challengers and experienced legends. There is a buzz around the pontoons and in the sailing world, who can adapt the quickest, prioritise best, who will win the 2019 Solitaire du Figaro?
The Figaro class is well known as a training ground for the best shorthanded sailors in the world. Being such an expert fleet, the class is ideally suited for sailors to keep their racing skills up to scratch, their minds sharp and pushing themselves to learn more.
Many Vendee Globe skippers come though the class and compete in the fleet regularly making the Figaro an extremely high profile and notoriously tough event.
Boat Spec
Length 10.10m
Beam 3.46m
Draft 2.5m
Carbon mast
Foil assisted
Twin rudder
Sail Wardrobe
Main sail (two reef points)
Jibs: J2 with reef & storm jib
Code Zero
A2, A3 & A sails
The Solitaire du Figaro
The Solitaire du Figaro is a tough demanding race that sees the who's who of single handed offshore sailing compete alongside some highly experienced sailors and rookies in a month long race of four legs that covers around 2000 Miles at sea, each leg usually being of four days duration and sailed around the busy coastal waters of the English Channel, the Bay of Biscay and the Western Approaches. The navigation, tides and weather aspects make the race particularly challenging for the sleep deprived single handed sailors who are racing boat on boat against 40 fellow competitors.
There have been 4 people that have won the Figaro 3 times throughout its history each having campaigned for over 15 years. Philippe Poupon 1982, 1985, 1995. Michel Desjoyeaux 1992, 1998, 2007 Jérémie Beyou 2005, 2011, 2014 Yann Eliès 2012, 2013, 2015 these are just some of the legends that have come out of the Figaro.
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