Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) wins La Solitiare Afflelou Le Figaro race, one of the toughest single-handed sailing events in the French Figaro racing circuit. The third place finish in Les Sables d’Olonne, 41 minutes and 55 seconds behind Fréderic Duthil (Distinxion) and Gérald Veniard (Scutum) respectively, was enough to secure him the overall time lead to clinch the title of winner. Three third places and one win on the second leg produced a sufficient gap with total time deficits to win the race overall.

Michel Desjoyeaux makes the Figaro history books on his 10th participation, joining Jean Le Cam and Philippe Poupon as three time winners of the event. Desjoyeaux covered the four races between Caen, Crosshaven, Brest, La Coruña and Les Sables d’Olonne, making up a total 1,659 miles in 247 hours, 20 minutes and 47 seconds.

Desjoyeaux adds yet another feather in his cap. Michel has dominated single-handed sailing for more than 15 years: winner of the Vendee Globe in 2000/2001, winner of the English Transat, winner of the Route du Rhum, and now three time winner of La Solitaire. Everything has been won, so what next? Another Vendee Globe in 2008!

Fréderic Duthil wins the fourth and final leg between La Coruña and Les Sables d’Olonne. The skipper ofDistinxionwith raised arms and a huge grin, crossed the finish line at 02h20m10s this morning to win the 4th conclusive leg of La Solitaire, covering the 340 mile course in 1 day 11 hours, 20 minutes and 10 seconds at 9.62 knots of average boat speed.

Duthil won the Prologue race, the first leg to Ireland, came second on the next leg (finishing 50 seconds behind Michel Desjoyeaux in Brest) and came 8th on the 3rd leg (2 hours and 9 minutes behind Corentin Douguet). This is the fourth time the former windsurf champion competes in La Solitaire and it is his best performance to date. Just before the start on Sunday morning in la Coruña, Duthil declared, “This is my kind of race! It is going to be wet but fun?it will be short, a sprint?well more like a marathon after 30 hours! I am happy about the conditions we are going to get; it is the kind that I go pretty fast on. So that is a good sign. I am not looking at the overall rankings anymore. My objective is to win the leg and forget about anything that has happened up until now.” This could not have been more of a premonition.

The overall top three places, subject to final jury decision, are Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia), Frédéric Duthil (Distinxion) and Corentin Douguet (E.Leclerc/Bouygues Telecom).