For her first participation to La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro, Liz hasn’t been lucky at all. After the 3 weeks solo regatta, people heard a lot about her. About sports results when she sailed well with courage and passion, or about determination after two dismastings in legs 2 and 3. Liz has lived one of the most incredible stories of 35 years of this famous race. Back to the four legs on board kookaï-eol…
1st leg : from Caen to Portsmouth
A few days before the start in Caen, Liz has been noticed by all the sailing community before she sails. It is not very common to meet such an untypical profile among the figarists fleet. At the age of 24, the young australo-pigeon skipper has one of the most complete achievements. The little blond hair girl has a lot of titles on Hobie Cat, a victory in the Sydney-Hobart race, a Volvo Ocean Race as bowwoman and helmswoman, and built by herself a mini 6,50m yacht prototype.
Since the start in Caen, Liz Wardley has shown that she is among the best, being all race long between 10 and 15 first boats. She proved that she was at ease on this new one-design boat that she hast discovered only one month before, finishing before some Figaro circuit stars at a very good 14th position, 11 minutes behind the winner Yann Elies.
2nd leg : from Portsmouth to Saint Gilles croix de vie
Very good conditions in England for the start of the 2nd leg, with a wonderful race in the Solent. But after 2 hours Liz has broken a part of her rig and mast has fallen.
On shore, everything has been done to help Liz to be at the start of the 3rd leg in Vendee on time. She delivered her boat and everything was good. A few hours after the arrival of the first boats, Kookaï-eol was on the pontoon and technical team has fixed everything possible to have a secured mast for the end of the race.
3rd leg : from Saint Gilles croix de vie to Gijon
After the bad luck of the 2nd leg, Liz had a high motivation for the start in Saint Gilles croix de vie, with her mast fixed and the desire to forget this bad adventure. This leg was also the first time Liz will cross Biscay. The return of Kookaï-eol in the race was good and the skipper found back trust in herself and her boat. A call at 8AM said that Liz has dismated again 120 milles away from north coasts of Spain, with only 22 knots of wind but with a shoppy sea. Liz’mast broke in two pieces right under first speaders. Liz has cleared her boat by herself, cutting wires, and getting ropes back, and she decided to go without any assistance to Gijon where the fleet was welcomed. Once more, eol team made everything possible to get a mast in Spain. After a race against the clok, Kookaï-eol was at the start of the 4th leg. Never give up is now eol team’s slogan !
4th leg : from Gijon to Quiberon
It was hard for Liz to be ready again and still in the race with all that happended. Strong conditions were expected, 25 to 30 knots at the start and 45 to 50 during the night. Race director decided to shorten the race course because of the dangers which come from land, and made a direct course from Spain to Quiberon. A huge pleasure for Liz during this downwind race and a boat speed up to 23,7 knots ! She did a good job compared to what happended to her in the two previous legs. After tears and desillusion, she showed a happy face and smile at her arrival.
After a race like Liz did, everybody agreed to say about her qualities as human and maritime, and would like to see her again at the start od this race in 2005. The young skipper from Antipodes never gives up and decided to be back next year in order to show what pigeons can do on the water.
Overall results :
1st : Charles Caudrelier (Bostik Findley), winner of leg 3
2nd : Yann Elies (Generali), winner of legs 1 & 4
3rd : Jeremie Beyou (Delta Dore)
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