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Displaying items by tag: Galateia

2022 has been a busy year so far for Ireland’s top offshore racer Justin Slattery — and it’s not slowing down anytime soon.

While the double Volvo Ocean Race champion crewman won’t be taking part in this weekend’s Round Ireland Race, that’s only because he’s starting the Newport Bermuda Race later this week (follow the race tracker when it gets under way this Friday 17 June).

As regular Afloat readers know, the Cork man was on Rán when it won the UK IRC Nationals on the Solent this past weekend.

Smiles all round for the team on Niklas Zennström's Carkeek FAST40+ Rán (including Ireland's Justin Slattery, fourth from left) after winning the 2022 IRC National Championship + class victory in IRC One Photo: Rick TomlinsonSmiles all round for the team on Niklas Zennström's Carkeek FAST40+ Rán (including Ireland's Justin Slattery, fourth from left) after winning the 2022 IRC National Championship + class victory in IRC One Photo: Rick Tomlinson

It was just the latest in a series of stellar results that started in January with victory — and a new record — in the RORC Transatlantic Race with the super-maxi Comanche.

The following month, Comanche with Slattery on deck came second overall in the Caribbean 600.

Staying in the West Indies, he joined the crew of the world’s largest carbon composite sailing yacht, Hetairos, setting a new monohull record in early March’s Round Antigua Race and defending the St Barths Bucket title a few weeks later.

Comanche won the IMA Trophy and set a new race record after arriving in Grenada in record time | Credit: James Mitchell/RORCComanche won the IMA Trophy and set a new race record after arriving in Grenada in record time | Credit: James Mitchell/RORC

Crossing the Atlantic, Slattery was part of the winning crew of the WallyCento yacht Galateia at Mallorca’s PalmaVela regatta last month — and more recently was back on Rán, Niklas Zennström’s FAST40+, as it dominated the fleet at the RORC Vice Admiral’s Cup.

Slattery’s calendar for the rest of 2022 looks just as packed. Following the Newport Bermuda Race, he returns to Palma at the end of June for the Superyacht Cup to compete on the J Class entry Ranger.

He’ll be on board Rán Racing’s TP52 for the Channel Race in July, as well as the Rolex Middle Sea Race in October.

August brings Hamilton Island Race Week, where he’ll join the crew of Andoo — the new name of the 100-footer Comanche. Andoo is also scheduled for the year-ending Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

And in September he’s back in the Mediterranean on Galateia for both the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup at Porto Cervo, Sardinia and Les Voile de St Tropez in early October.

With his performances so far and an epic rest of the year lined up, January’s Sailor of the Month (International) will surely be a regular feature on these (web) pages over the months to come.

Published in Offshore

Ireland & La Solitaire du Figaro

The Solitaire du Figaro, was originally called the course de l’Aurore until 1980, was created in 1970 by Jean-Louis Guillemard and Jean-Michel Barrault.

Half a decade later, the race has created some of France's top offshore sailors, and it celebrated its 50th anniversary with a new boat equipped with foils and almost 50 skippers Including novices, aficionados and six former winners.

The solo multi-stage offshore sailing race is one of the most cherished races in French sailing and one that has had Irish interest stretching back over 20 years due to the number of Irish stopovers, usually the only foreign leg of the French race.

What Irish ports have hosted The Solitaire du Figaro?

The race has previously called to Ireland to the following ports; Dingle, Kinsale, Crosshaven, Howth and Dun Laoghaire.

What Irish sailors have raced The Solitaire du Figaro?

So far there have been seven Irish skippers to participate in La Solitaire du Figaro. 

In 1997, County Kerry's Damian Foxall first tackled the Figaro from Ireland. His win in the Rookie division in DHL gave him the budget to compete again the following year with Barlo Plastics where he won the final leg of the race from Gijon to Concarneau. That same year a second Irish sailor Marcus Hutchinson sailing Bergamotte completed the course in 26th place and third Rookie.

In 2000, Hutchinson of Howth Yacht Club completed the course again with IMPACT, again finishing in the twenties.

In 2006, Paul O’Riain became the third Irish skipper to complete the course.

In 2013, Royal Cork's David Kenefick raised the bar by becoming a top rookie sailor in the race. 

In 2018, for the first time, Ireland had two Irish boats in the offshore race thanks to Tom Dolan and Joan Mulloy who joined the rookie ranks and kept the Irish tricolour flying high in France. Mulloy became the first Irish female to take on the race.

Tom Dolan in Smurfit Kappa competed for his third year in 2020 after a 25th place finish in 2019. Dolan sailed a remarkably consistent series in 2020 and took fifth overall, the best finish by a non-French skipper since 1997 when Switzerland’s Dominique Wavre finished runner up. Dolan wins the VIVI Trophy.

Dolan finished 10th on the first stage, 11th on the second and seventh into Saint Nazaire at the end of the third stage. Stage four was abandoned due to lack of wind. 

Also in 2020, Dun Laoghaire’s Kenneth Rumball became the eleventh Irish sailor to sail the Figaro.

At A Glance – Figaro Race

  • It starts in June or July from a French port.
  • The race is split into four stages varying from year to year, from the length of the French coast and making up a total of around 1,500 to 2,000 nautical miles (1,700 to 2,300 mi; 2,800 to 3,700 km) on average.
  • Over the years the race has lasted between 10 and 13 days at sea.
  • The competitor is alone in the boat, participation is mixed.
  • Since 1990, all boats are of one design.

2023 La Solitaire du Figaro Course

Stage #1 Caen – Kinsale : 610 nautical miles
Departure August 27 (expected arrival August 30)

Stage #2 Kinsale – Baie de Morlaix : 630 nautical miles
Departure September 3 (expected arrival September 6)

Stage #3 Baie de Morlaix – Piriac-sur-Mer : 620 nautical miles
Departure September 10 (expected arrival September 13)

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