From our special correspondent in Fécamp
The copy was perfect and the style well thought out. Rigor and panache carrying it blazing in the wind. Pierre Quiroga (
Skipper Macif 2019
) greedily offered the second stage of the 52nd edition of the Solitaire du Figaro, Wednesday morning, with 56 minutes ahead of his runner-up Tom Laperche (
Bretagne-CMB Performance
). The Mediterranean sailor has methodically built his success by respecting his precept, which is to follow his instinct. Signing his first success when it is his sixth participation, he could savor like anise candy the good trick he had just played on the competition:
“The victory is something special.
Winning a stage on the Solitaire is the most difficult thing to do.
Especially on a stage like this, so long and with such a gap.
I sailed my way, creating my own route.
All the planets have aligned for me on this course.
"
Sailing differently from others proves that you can sail well.
Pierre Quiroga
Leading the pack when arriving at Pointe du Raz, the new leader has never lost control:
“I have always been on the initiative in the trajectories. A notch out of step with the others. As it was always in a good way, it gave me confidence. I always had a small mattress in advance. And I knew how to create one with Tom (Laperche) in the pebbles at Aber Wrac'h, taking two miles from him. This lead, I managed to keep it and it gave me the necessary comfort to make the decision to leave the group. To make my own way by giving it my all. By telling me that at any time, it could go ahead. It made it a little late, but it did. "
The pursuers, like glowworms, could only follow the star of the moment:
“In fact, I could only make out small sails.
There is nothing offensive about it, but I did not see them on AIS
(other vessel detection device)
.
I told the VHF I was going north.
Finally, no one answered me.
So I didn't ask myself any questions.
Sailing differently from others proves that you can sail well.
"
Two monumental stages
Vis-à-vis Xavier Macaire (
SNEF Group
), one of his main competitors, Pierre Quiroga felt a little sorry for him:
“I learned about his computer problems. It's tough, it's a mechanical sport. I hit a saffron à la Solo Concarneau, Tom Laperche too, on the first stage. We're walking on eggshells. The last night I was at the front of the boat with a headlamp to avoid all the nets and traps. It’s bad luck for him. »
Gentleman in addition. He knows despite everything that nothing is played until the last cable of the Solitaire. Take a clerical step or depend on the whims of Aeolus and everything flies away.
“Until two miles from the finish, I was on autopilot, there was fifteen knots of wind.
A few moments later, the wind died down completely.
I found myself tugging around for an hour to go and cut that line.
Nothing is decided when we see ourselves beautiful, that's what makes the beauty of our circuit.
As I hardly slept, maybe an hour and a half in all and everything, the maneuvers have finished wearing me out, ”
adds the native Hyérois.
Read alsoSoftware in the harbor, perilous dive: the galleys of Macarius in the Solitaire du Figaro
Pierre Quiroga knows that the road is long, with two more monumental stages. He has four days to recover:
“I spent my three capes in the lead, the Raz de Sein, the Four and the Raz Blanchard. Leading the way in the pebbles, I think I will remember this for a long time. Now the first two steps will leave their mark. I arrive in bulk physically. We took a big hit in our sleep capital. It will be necessary to be calm and lucid to attack the continuation. "
The rest is Sunday. A journey between Fécamp and Roscoff via a brand in Wales. With now 1 h 36'55 '' ahead of Macaire and 13 '' more for Laperche, Quiroga will be able to take advantage of Morpheus' arms.
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