2018 Season To Commence With Solo Maitre Coq

March 12, 2018
Marking the beginning of the 2018 Classe Figaro Bénéteau season, Wednesday 14th will see the start of the Solo Maitre Coq with British skippers Hugh Brayshaw, Nick Cherry and Alan Roberts lining up on the start line in Les Sables d’Olonne, France.

After a busy winter of training, maintenance and physical preparation in the UK, Brayshaw and Cherry, both managed by The Offshore Academy moved their on-water training to France in early 2018, testing their speed and improving their boat handling against fellow Figaro skippers.

Along with the training, the boats have completed a strict process of measurement and scrutinising - carried out by the Classe Figaro Bénéteau Association, enforcing the strict one design class rule. This process sets a level playing field across the fleet from the outset of the season, guaranteeing boats comply with the rules of the strict one design class. An unusual step this time round has been to take hull skin samples to ensure boats have not had their shapes changed with additional filler, a strong message to the class that even in it’s last year of official class competition, the rules will be monitored just as strictly.   [The 2019 season will be raced in the brand new Bénéteau Figaro 3]
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The 2018 Maitre Coq will comprise a day of inshore racing on Wednesday 14thwith the offshore element beginning on Thursday.  The 350-mile course traditionally takes the competitors south towards La Rochelle rounding Ile de Re before heading north to round the lighthouse of Birvideaux and Belle Ile before returning southwards to the finish in Les Sables d’Olonne.  The first test of the season will see the fleet navigating the complex course over two nights at sea with the leaders arriving at the finish some time on Saturday 17th.

Ahead of the event, Hugh Brayshaw announced the continuation of support from German high-pressure pump manufacturers KAMAT who had supported Hugh for the 2017 La Solitaire URGO le Figaro event and have renewed their support for the 2018 season. Hugh commented “Having the continuation of much-needed support from KAMAT is a great starting point for my 2018 campaign. I had the opportunity last year to go to the KAMAT’s distributor conference, and talk with employees and partners about my racing and offshore experiences, making direct comparisons with the many challenges they face in day to day business. It’s great to have such a passionate company supporting my campaign”

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Whilst Hugh has secured budget to compete this season and confirmed his spot on the La Solitaire URGO Le Figaro start line later this year, The Offshore Academy is continuing the search for additional funding to complete Hugh’s campaign budget, with travel, accommodation, sails and equipment all needing additional funding.

The Solo Maitre Coq offshore race begins on Thursday 15th March at 1pm UK time – follow the race tracking and all The Offshore Academy’s latest news and updates at: www.TheOffshoreAcademy.org

 The Offshore Academy is supported by: