On his 18th La Solitaire du Figaro, racing though his own backyard last night and early this morning French ace Alexis Loison leads the first stage of the 55th edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Parec. After putting the notoriously strong tidal currents of the Cherbourg-Cotentin peninsula late last night and early this morning and Alderney’s Raz de Blanchard this morning, Loison – at 39 years old the veritable jedi master of racing in the English Channel – had a lead of just over half a mile with some 45 miles to make to the turn south at Wolf Rock lighthouse.

A many times class winner of the Rolex Fastnet race racing two handed and past overall winner, Cherbourg’s Loison grew up racing and training on these infamous tidal waters. He has said in the past, “For a sailor the Channel is one of the most educational place in the world. We get surprised all the time, going from radiant sunshine to a storm, a sudden mist, a strong gust of wind. Paul Vatine (famous Le Havre sailor who died on the Transat Jacques Vabre in 1999) has said it before and he is not the only one: “When you know how to sail in the Channel, you can sail anywhere”. The passage of the Raz Blanchard and its strongest currents in Europe are unforgiving.”

Loison has a small lead over Lois Berrehar (Skipper MACIF 2022) who was third overall last year as the breezes eased after topping 25 knots and more on the 37 strong fleet’s first night at sea after leaving Le Havre yesterday afternoon.

Ireland’s Tom Dolan is nicely poised in fifth at 1800hrs this evening having been as low as 13th during today. The skipper of Smurfit Kappa-Kingspan is one of the quickest among the leading peloton presently. Spain’s Pep Costa (VSF Sports) is 14th one mile behind Dolan who he raced across the Atlantic with earlier this season on the Niji40 Class 40 race to Guadeloupe.

Germany’s Sanni Beucke (This Race is Female) has had a solid first night and day yo-yo ing between 19th and 21st.

“Alexis Loison stayed with a more southerly position, others, like Basile Bourgnon (EDENRED) more northerly. Now they are on a long port tack heading west-northwest, the wind is gradually shifting to the left. They should now be getting to Wolf Rock in a single tack,” explains Yann Chateau, Race Director. “Those who opted for the north (like Dolan) have had a shorter route but benefit from a less good angle than the others to go quickly to Wolf Rock. Those on the southern option have extended their route a little but have a better angle and are faster,” Chateau continued.

The fleet is expected at Wolf Rock from midnight local time (BST) then they will be in a southerly flow of around 20 knots, with gusts of 25 knots. The rocky light off the tip of Cornwall will reward the winner of the Intermediate Sprint of the first leg of the race.

The sailors will then begin the descent towards Gijón still in a southerly flow means it will be upwind across Biscay.

"By the north of Brittany the projected routings extend over more than 100 nautical miles laterally west to east. I can't wait to see the options that will emerge and how things will evolve tomorrow," smiles the Race Director.”

Louise Acker (Région Bretagne – CMB Océane), has reached Cherbourg under her own steam and was forced to abandon this first leg after hitting a rock last night.

On the Défi Parec, the double handed étape race on the same course to Gijon, Britain’s Ellie Driver and David Paul (Chilli Pepper) are in fifth some 7 miles behind the French leaders, Mexico’s Carlota Alonso Alexnader and JC Belausteguigoita (Ehécatl) and seventh and the USA’s Cat Chimney and Aina Bauza Roig of Spain are eighth on American Sailboat Racing Foundation.

Basile Bourgnon (EDENRED): “The sea is a little flatter this afternoon. That allows us to take a series of naps to recharge our batteries. We have about 1 to 1.5 meters of swell. That’s not necessarily a problem. The wind is blowing at about 13 knots on average. We’re close-hauled, on a direct tack.”

Chloé Le Bars (Endoreizh): “I’m taking some time to rest a little after a very rough night. I have a small leak through the hatch of my foil. I’ve emptied 20 buckets since the start. As the boat is flatter, the water is coming in much less. The conditions are finally nice with about fifteen knots. I’m to lee  of the biggest group, there’s still a little downwind but after my slightly botched start, it’s fine for me. I’m trying to position myself under the fleet to try to come back. We should have a gennaker hoist at the end of the day, I hope the angle will be good to be able to deal with the pack above. The weather forecast doesn't look too good for the rest but we'll make do."