After a busy and intense year 2013, the Figarists already have their eyes set on the program of the Figaro Bénéteau 2014 season. The Transat AG2R La Mondiale will fire the first shot in double-handed. It will be followed by the three major events of the French Solo Offshore Sailing Championship including a new final. With six promotional races to complete the calendar, the season looks very promising for one of the most famous solo offshore circuit. The official program of the Class Figaro Beneteau includes 4 competitions : The Transat AG2R La Mondiale, that will start on 6th April from Concarneau towards St Bartholomew is expecting no less than 20 duets for its 12th edition. Coming next are the 3 races of the French Elite Championship of Solo Offshore Racing .
Who will defeat the giant Gildas Morvan, crowned for the 4th time in 2013 ? To do such a feat, the sailors will have to show an unfailing regularity in the Le Havre Allmer Cup (end of May), La Solitaire du Figaro Eric Bompard cachemire (June 2014) and at last the championship final (August-September 2014) which will be an astounding first, as told by Didier Bouillard, the Class Figaro Beneteau president :
“To close our Championship, nothing better than an offshore race unprecedented in Figaro Beneteau 2. We are working on a round trip from the French Atlantic coast to the Azores (Horta). It will be fascinating on the water. The aim of our one-design Class has always been to present the best high-level circuit possible and avoid an escalating in equipment. A similar city to welcome the start and the arrival will be the guarantee of a controlled budget.” While discussions are taking place with several cities and clubs, the Class Figaro Beneteau remains open to propositions before announcing the dates and course during the Nautic show in Paris.
The promotional races
In parallel to these 4 main events, the solo sailors will have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of preparatory races : The Icom Cup, the Solo Maître Coq, the Solo Concarneau, the Spi Ouest France Intermarché fully crewed, the Transmanche and finally the Solo Basse Normandie.
