Solo challenge for Bomby after J80 worlds end early
DARTMOUTH yachtsman Henry Bomby has been preparing in France all week for one of toughest single-handed events on the sailing calendar.
The annual Solitaire du Figaro race is notoriously competitive and attracts some of the most talented solo sailors from France and across Europe.
Former Churston Ferrers Grammar School pupil Bomby at 21 will be the youngest in the race and will be joining fellow British sailors Sam Goodchild and Nick Cherry on the start-line.
All three of the British contestants are members of the Artemis Offshore Academy, set up to promote and further the careers of young sailors in the UK.
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Said Bomby: "The Artemis Offshore Academy has given me the opportunity of a lifetime to compete in my first Solitaire du Figaro with a well-funded campaign, a huge support team, and everything you could wish for.
"While of course the racing will be intense, tough and probably the most challenging I have ever done, it is also going to be a great amount of fun, and I hope I can truly savour every moment."
The race will see Henry competing against 35 other sailors on identical boats as they cover 1,400 miles.
The distance is split into three legs. This year the sailors will race from Brittany, down to Spain, back to the Vendee region before ending in Cherbourg on July 12.
Everything on the boats is tightly controlled, from the size of the sails to the weight of food, water and clothing they have on-board. The winner is based on the elapsed time over the whole race.
Bomby goes to France fresh from competing in the J80 World Championships in his home port of Dartmouth, which finished last Friday.
Racing should have continued until Friday, but was called off after Thursday's events due to heavy seas and high-speed winds touching 33 knots.
Bomby's Team Baltic finished in a creditable 20th place
The overall winners was Jose Maria van der Ploeg and his crew on board Nilfisk, who were crowned world champions without actually winning a race!
The nine races at The MIQ Logistics 2012 J/80 World Championship Powered by SLAM each delivered a different winner.
Van der Ploeg's team on NILFISK did not conceded a single result outside the top 14 during the regatta but nor did he finish a race within the top two.
Skilled consistency in crew work, boat handling, tactics and regatta strategy delivered a World Championship win for NILFISK with a four point lead over the second-placed boat, Rayco Tabares' Hotel Princesa Yaiza and six points over third-place Carlos Martinez' Mapfre.
The venue for the closing ceremony was Britannia Royal Naval College.
Competitors enjoyed dinner and wine in the senior gun room and the ward room at the college before moving on to the official prize-giving ceremony, which was held on the quarterdeck.
Commodore Simon Williams of BRNC said how much the college had enjoyed being involved with the World.
Paul Heys of Key Yachting thanked Britannia Royal Naval College, Mike Moody and his team at the Royal Dart Yacht Club, public relations man Mike Pearson, the massive team of volunteer helpers and all of the sponsors of the event: Principal Sponsors MIQ Logistics and SLAM. Supporting Sponsors Baltic Wharf, Brittany Ferries, Coast Graphics and Dart Harbour and prize sponsors Allspars, Café Alf Resco, Chandlery.co.uk, Lifedge by Scanstrut, Paul Barclay, Rowbury Gallery and the Royal Castle Hotel.
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