Figaro / "End of an era", Artemis withdraw from british sailing - Itw

A unique opportunity to associate with one of British sport’s most innovative training programmes becomes available today with the announcement by the UK-based fund manager Artemis that it is ending its 10-year sponsorship of British sailing.

Credit : E Allaire

Cherry still fighting for Generali Solo podium dream with two days of inshore races left

After a tough offshore race in which establishing a strong early position in the fleet was the key to success, top British skipper Nick Cherry has slipped two places on the Generali Solo Méditerranée leaderboard.

Crédit : A Courcoux

Arriving in Barcelona after two days of light airs, then big breeze and little sleep, Cherry finished 15th of 22 competitors. His second offshore result sees him now fifth in the overall standings, 47 points behind leader Alexis Loison of France.

Figaro / Full on conditions see Cherry prosper in first Generali Solo inshore race

The multi-stage Generali Solo Mediterranée got off to an eventful start in Sete, France. Twenty-two skippers took to the water for their first inshore race at 0900 BST, including Artemis Offshore Academy Alumni Nick Cherry, Sam Matson and Alan Roberts.

Next stop Tor Bay for the British skippers in the Solitaire du Figaro – Eric Bompard Cachemire

For the second year in succession the Solitaire du Figaro – Eric Bompard Cachemire – the French test-bed for the Vendée Globe solo round the world race – is coming to a British port and in three days the skippers will start to arrive.

Credit : A Pilpre

ITW / "I’m excited", Jack Bouttell’s back and going for a Figaro hat trick in 2015

The first British sailor to take home the coveted Solitaire du Figaro Rookie prize in 2013, a then 22-year-old Jack Bouttell, was deemed the shining new star of solo offshore racing. Now aged 24, Jack has added a second Solitaire du Figaro and a Volvo Ocean Race leg win to his offshore arsenal and is sailing fast towards his third season on the Classe Figaro Bénéteau circuit. 

Credit : A Sanchez

Figaro / A cold start to the 2015 season for the Artemis Offshore Academy Rookies in Lorient

The sky is grey, matching the gruesome concrete of the giant Second World War-era German submarine pens on the dockside at Lorient, as the Rookie sailors of the Artemis Offshore Academy arrive for another session of cold January training.

Credit : E Allaire

#LaSolitaire / Figaro Master Metronome Beyou wins 45th Solitaire du Figaro, his third

When he crossed the finish line off Cherbourg-Octeville at 11h20m50s (UTC +2hrs) this morning to win the 45th edition of La Solitaire du Figaro overall for the third time Jérémie Beyou, sailing Maître Coq, wrote himself into the solo race's record books, joining only three skippers to have triumphed overall three times.

Credit : A Courcoux

#laSolitaire / Sam Matson maintains his Rookie division lead and sits 14th overall after Leg 2

At 02:59 BST this morning, British solo skipper Sam Matson (Artemis 21) surfed into Roscoff, France under a moonlit sky to finish the second leg of the Solitaire du Figaro 18th overall and third Rookie. Having raced two of the four legs that make up the full 2014 mile Solitaire course, Sam maintains his overall Rookie lead by 18 minutes and 14 seconds and sits an impressive 14th overall on the Solitaire du Figaro leaderboard after two legs.

© Artemis Offshore Academy

#LaSolitaire / Yann Eliès was leading leg 1 when his mast broke ! (ITW & Vidéo)

Yann Elies (Groupe Queguiner Leucemie Espoir) was leading Leg 1 of La Solitaire du Figaro until 1218BST when his mast broke as he rounded the Wolf Rock lighthouse.

Credit : A Courcoux - More pics here

#LaSolitaire / The first leg starts off Deauville on Sunday ... to finish in Plymouth

There is no gentle introduction to the first leg of La Solitaire du Figaro-Eric Bompard cachemire which starts off Deauville on Sunday, the 38 skippers are straight into the cut and thrust of the match, a 484 miles leg criss crossing the Channel to finish in Plymouth, Devon which hosts the race for the first time ever.

Credit : M Flipo

Fastnet Race / Figaro class line honours for double-act Curwen and Dalin : "The race was awesome !"

After a tight tactical battle at the front of the 9-boat Figaro fleet in the classic Rolex Fastnet Race, spanning 608-miles from Cowes to Plymouth via Fastnet Rock, Artemis Offshore Academy skipper Nikki Curwen and Charlie Dalin (Artemis 77) took line honours to win the Figaro Class – marking the first time in the history of the Rolex Fastnet Race that the class has been given its own division. Five minutes later, the next two Figaro boats approached the line and with just metres to go Ed Hill and Gilles Chiorri (Artemis 37) pipped French crew Xavier Macaire and Yves Ravot to second place, with just five seconds to spare!

Credit : Artemis Offshore Academy

Solitaire du Figaro / Jack Bouttell takes home his 2nd Rookie leg win, now leading the Rookie division overall

In the early hours of Sunday 16th June, Artemis Offshore Academy Rookies Jack Bouttell (Artemis 77) and Ed Hill (Artemis 37) and Graduates Sam Goodchild (Shelterbox – Disaster Relief), Nick Cherry (Magma Structures) and Henry Bomby (RockFish) concluded the penultimate 436 mile Leg 3 of the 1,938 mile Solitaire du Figaro – from Gijon (Spain) to Roscoff (France) via Ile d’Yeu. At 1103BST Morgan Lagraviere took line honors after 2 days, 12 hours, 3 minutes and 55 seconds at sea, finishing the race some 24 hours ahead of schedule, followed by Nicolas Lunven and Xavier Macaire in third.

Credit : Artemis Offshore Academy/B.Carlin

Solitaire du Figaro / Top results for Brits Jack Bouttell and Sam Goodchild : "I fortunately had a bit of luck"

On the evening of Wednesday 5th June, Artemis Offshore Academy Rookies Jack Bouttell (Artemis 77) and Ed Hill (Artemis 37) and Graduates Sam Goodchild (Shelterbox-Disaster Relief), Henry Bomby (RockFish) and Nick Cherry (Magma Structures), completed Leg 1 of the 1,938 mile Solitaire du Figaro. Racing from Bordeaux (France) to Porto (Portugal), the five British contenders tackled the 536 mile Leg with gumption, each sailing their own intelligent race in conditions varying from 40 knots around Cape Finisterre, to a total shut down after rounding the Cape, trapping many a frustrated skipper with just 40 miles of the Leg remaining.

Credit : Artemis Offshore Academy/B.Carlin

Figaro / Tomorrow Academy skippers start the Solitaire du Figaro. Graduates Henry, Nick and Sam aiming for the ‘best of British title’

The countdown has begun… Tomorrow, Artemis Offshore Academy Rookies Ed Hill and Jack Bouttell will start on their ‘solo sailing Everest’, the Solitaire du Figaro. Setting off on Leg 1 from Bordeaux to Porto (536 miles) on Sunday 2nd of June (1200 BST), Jack, Ed and Artemis Offshore Academy Graduates Sam Goodchild, Henry Bomby and Nick Cherry will be among a fierce field of 41 one-design Figaro Bénéteau boats skippered by some of the world’s most established solo offshore sailors, including race favourites Michel Desjoyeaux, Yann Elies, Armel Le Cleac’h and Nicolas Lunven, all raring to race over 1,938 miles of Atlantic battleground.

Credit : A.Courcoux

Figaro / Ed Hill and Jack Bouttell (Artemis Offshore Academy) selected to compete in the Solitaire du Figaro

A wave of joy and relief washed over Artemis Offshore Academy skippers Ed Hill and Jack Bouttell at the conclusion of the Solo Concarneau last week, before an even bigger wave of reality hit, as both Artemis sailors were told they had been selected to compete in the 2013 Solitaire du Figaro. This prestigious race beginning on June 2nd from Bordeaux, France, is the pinnacle event in the Class Figaro calendar, attracting some of the very best solo sailors in the world. Both Ed and Jack have given their all in the first part of their solo season to date, with the epic 1,938-mile Solitaire du Figaro being everything that they have been working towards.

Credit : Artemis Offshore Academy/B.Carlin

Figaro / Artemis Offshore Academy skippers in Solo Arrimer, starting tomorrow (ITW)

For Artemis Offshore Academy new recruits Ed Hill and Jack Bouttell, the Solo Arrimer starting tomorrow (Thursday, 11th April), will be comparable to facing your first Grand National against the likes of Bob Champion and 2013 winner Ryan Mania. This will give the Rookies a unique chance to learn from the ‘masters’ of solo sailing, as Michel Desjoyeaux, Yann Elies, Armel Le Cléach and Jérémie Beyou will also be on the start line, and their pedigree is unquestionable.

Credit : Artemis Offshore Academy

Figaro / Artemis Offshore Academy skippers in the Solo Arrimer

In two weeks time, Artemis Offshore Academy sailors Jack Bouttell and Ed Hill will not only take on the Academy graduate trio of Nick Cherry, Sam Goodchild and Henry Bomby, but will also have the opportunity to measure themselves against the cream of the single-handed Figaro crop, as Armel Le Cléac’h, who finished 2nd in the Vendée Globe, Nicolas Lunven, Jérémie Beyou, Gilles Le Baud and Yann Eliés are announced in the line up for the 320nm Solo Arrimer on the 11th April.

Credit : Th.Seray

Figaro / The ICOM Cup Méditérranée starts for Ed Hill, Jack Bouttell and Henry Bomby

Today, Thursday 7th March, marks the start of the first 2013 Figaro race for Artemis Offshore Academy sailors Jack Bouttell (Artemis 77) and Ed Hill (Artemis 37), who will set off at 15:00 CET as the starting gun is fired for leg one of their first competitive single-handed race, the ICOM Cup Méditérranée. Also sailing under the Artemis flag for his first race of the season is Academy graduate Henry Bomby (Artemis 23), with fellow graduate Nick Cherry acting as préparateur. 

Credit : Th.Seray

Figaro / 2013 Artemis Offshore Academy Development Squad Unveiled

After being put through their paces at the grueling 52-hour Selection Trials that finished 12 days ago, six of this year’s 16 hopeful candidates have now been selected to join the 2013 Artemis Offshore Academy Development Squad. 

Credit :Artemis Offshore Academy

Figaro / Artemis Offshore Academy Selection Trials are now open

Solo and short-handed racing is demanding, competitive and all encompassing, it requires a unique set of skills and few make it to the top echelons of the sport. Ellen MacArthur, Mike Golding, Dee Caffari, Samantha Davies and Alex Thomson are just a few of the modern-generation British sailors who have made an impact in this highly competitive discipline that is dominated by the French. The Artemis Offshore Academy offers British sailors the chance to train exclusively in this discipline, and now in its third year the Academy will be staging its annual Selection Trials.

Credit : D. Harding