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View Full Version : Bon Voyage, Nathalie!



Philpott
05-13-2017, 09:36 PM
While we prepare for the Farallones, Nathalie leaves for France:

Jonathan Gutoff
05-23-2017, 07:49 AM
For those who like to watch.
http://envoleeadventures.blogspot.com/2017/05/arrival-at-pauillac.html?view=sidebar
http://www.lasolitaire-urgo.com

Foolish
05-24-2017, 09:02 AM
This is really fascinating, to watch Nathalie enter the big time race scene. She's living my dream. It's unfortunate that with the new boats coming it will become virtually impossible for a regular Joe to enter the Figaro series in the future.

I've gone through her entire blog and learned an awful lot. I'd suggest you all do the same. She's made the classic mistakes that anyone of us could have made with course errors. And coming DFL - how many times have we all done that?

A donf Nathalie! You've joined my hero list.

AlanH
05-24-2017, 12:16 PM
And to think that I inspected her and her Express 27 for the 2013 LongPac! LOL:rolleyes:

GO Natalie!

Gamayun
05-24-2017, 07:38 PM
Bon voyage et bon courage, Natalie!!!

Great blog writing :)

Foolish
06-05-2017, 11:27 AM
bad news
Flash: The Franco-American solo skipper Nathalie Criou (Richmond Yacht Club Foundation) has contacted Race Direction to signal her decision to abandon Stage 1 of La Solitaire URGO Le Figaro for safety reasons. She had already accumulated a significant time deficit on the leaders and so in light of the stormy weather conditions expected and the need for the race organisers to provide safety cover for the whole fleet it was decided she should head directly to Gijon without passing the Rochebonne turning mark which the leaders were approaching early this evening.
She has been advised of the best course of action to remain safe in the most manageable conditions possible with the race fleet informed of her positions and course in order to monitor her progress. Her elapsed time for the stage will be equivalent to the time of the last finisher plus two hours.

pogen
06-05-2017, 04:32 PM
Merde!

Hope she is OK, probably a good move to stay safe and not trash the boat or herself.

Good luck!

Foolish
06-19-2017, 04:02 PM
Holy Cow! Her description of the first leg is a must read:
http://envoleeadventures.blogspot.ca/2017/06/leg-1-start-and-gironde.html?view=sidebar
http://envoleeadventures.blogspot.ca/2017/06/leg-1-rough-night.html?view=sidebar

Two things I note.
First, just how incredibly well the Figaro Beneteau II handled 50 knots of wind. The boat really is built for it. Lord how I want one.
Second, just how incredibly well Nathalie handled 50 knots of wind. She must be built for it too! What an adventure!

Dazzler
06-19-2017, 09:09 PM
Attention, si'l vous plait!
I hope others are following Nathalie. She has quite literally jumped feet first into the most competitive singlehanded fleet in the world. Read her posts at http://envoleeadventures.blogspot.com/2017/06/leg-1-rough-night.html?view=sidebar. Amazing stuff.

Least you might think she's not doing so well, SHE'S DOING IT! And if you replay the tracker from Leg 3 (the sprint leg) it appears a number of competitors left the harbor at Concarneau well after their finishes to go out and greet her at the finish line, a testament to the camaraderie of the Figaro.

A wonderful feature of the Figaro is that there are cash prizes for things like being first to round various marks of each course (what a concept!). And, there's a 1000 euro prize for "tenacity." Our Nathalie has been awarded, by a five judge panel, the 1000 euro prize Le Trophée de la Combativité Suzuki (literally translated "The Fighting Spirit Trophy" from sponsor Suzuki). Congratulations Nathalie!

En Francais, but worth watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP1IgbHn4KY&feature=youtu.be

Foolish
07-05-2017, 01:22 PM
Great writing for all of her race legs. Felt like I was on the boat with her. But that would be cheating.

Also worth reading Mary Rook's blog http://www.maryrook.com/blog/

AlanH
07-06-2017, 11:30 AM
Goes to show how blisteringly competitive the Figaro is. Good on ye, Nathalie!