At the end of the fourth and last marathon stage of 685 miles, and despite its 9e On the finish line off Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique) of the stage won Thursday, September 16 at night by Pierre Leboucher, the Mediterranean Pierre Quiroga won his first victory in the Solitaire. At 29 years old, the sailor of Skipper-Macif 2019 ahead of Xavier Macaire by forty-eight minutes. Tom Laperche completes the general podium.
For his sixth participation, the Mediterranean dominated his 33 opponents, signing a hegemonic course. Second of the first stage (Lorient), first of the second round (Fécamp) then of the third (bay of Morlaix), Pierre Quiroga signed his worst place on the final course, disputed between the bay of Morlaix and the Loire -Atlantic.
With a ninth place, he saw his lead over Xavier Macaire melt in part (Group-SNEF), winner of the first and second round of this fourth stage. The last hours of the race, however, scared Pierre Quiroga: “The instructions on this last stage were to protect me from direct opponents. (…) I didn’t know where was Makarios [le nom de baptême du bateau de Xavier Macaire]. On a big day, it can hurt a lot. “
Calm but still so fast
This edition of the Solitaire was completely covered by two sailors: Pierre Quiroga and Xavier Macaire. The latter, always in search of this final victory, is an incredible talent but never rewarded. “You always learn from your failures. Even after 11 Solitaires of the Figaro, we are always learning “, he reacted, while paying homage to Quiroga: “Obviously, I would have liked to win, but he deserves, because of his career and his work. He still surprised me with his consistency. He forgot to make mistakes (laughs). “
For its last season under the colors of Macif, Pierre Quiroga seemed totally released. Yesterday, sometimes reckless, even impetuous, he has become this year sure of himself, as calm but still as fast. “We call it the state of grace”, underlines Anthony Marchand, third in the 2019 edition, and today co-skipper of Yves Le Blevec in Ultime.
“Perhaps it is also more rigorous. His victory shows that he has finally found, a bit like a soloist, a freedom in the constraint that a performance structure like Macif who orchestrates him can impose. His victory is not a divine surprise but his mastery blew me away “. And Marchand concludes: “In fact, on this edition, there was Pierre, and the others. “
“A Solitaire full of pleasures”
The first words of Pierre Quiroga, last night: “I’m not getting over it yet, I think it will stay in my heart for a very long time. It is above all a Solitaire full of pleasures: pleasure on the water, pleasure of trajectories… and that makes the victory much more beautiful. “
We also see that victory radically changes the outlook. He who confided at the end of his two stages won that he had never suffered so much and that this boat “Demolished[ssai]t “ runners by its hardness.
Pierre Quiroga’s profile? Born in Brest. Son of a soldier who became a farmer in the Var. Brother and father winegrowers. Optmist, dinghy then sport-studies. Then a master’s degree in maritime transport. He told Fécamp (Seine-Maritime) that he thought a lot about the harvest, about walking in the vineyard. He was coming out of an admirable hell in Fécamp (“Never experienced such a difficult stage of all that I have done”) and thought, by dismounting, what the next cuvée of the estate could give.
It is difficult to succeed in a profession, especially when you dream of changing it. So runner or winegrower? Pierre Quiroga smiled. It would be a shame all the same not to continue harvesting other victories.
Xavier Macaire has dreamed of winning the Solitaire since his first participation in 2011. Macaire is a master of the sea, the most beautiful metronome that can be found on the market today. But who was unlucky: a fishing net in the keel during the second leg wasted precious time. This is where the general escaped him.
He is also a wonderful athlete who has never complained about the fate. Marchand, again, on the subject of the Solitaire: “Run the Figarois to live a destructive loving passion. Me, I ended up hating it and yet I could not do without. “
Xavier Macaire could take on his own the definition of his former opponent on the water as she would sum up this race of terrible ingratitude. As for Tom Laperche (Brittany – CMB-Performance), promised a bright future, he climbed on the podium two hours and thirty-three minutes behind Quiroga, after taking the 10e place of this final step.