Like everyone else Alan Roberts’s sailing programme for 2020 has been disrupted by the Coronavirus pandemic. He has had to put the brakes on a number of events that would see him keeping in training to achieve his ultimate ambition of competing in the 2024 Vendée Globe, the iconic single handed race. In the meantime Alan is campaigning his Figaro yacht in the single handed Figaro programme and still has high hopes of taking part in the highlight of the season, the Solitaire du Figaro which starts at the end of August. He is attempting to follow in the footsteps of previous Vendée Globe winners who have worked their way up solo sailing through the events of the Figaro season.
Marine Results is a key sponsor of Alan Roberts, taking care of his running rigging, regularly surveying and testing the rigging and mast to make sure everything on board is race ready. The company has also provided Alan with a van and trailer. Read more about Alan Roberts Racing.
In Alan’s own words:
“For the 2020 race season, the Figaro class is working hard with the towns and sponsors to rearrange and work around the restrictions.
“The first race, the Solo Concearneau, is looking like it could be the end of July/ beginning of August and the Solitaire du Figaro is still scheduled to start at the end of August. It is all sounding pretty positive for us. If solo sailing can’t happen, I am not sure what else can!
“The world is looking like a different place to the one we came into at the beginning of the year, but as with any change there has been opportunities. The shock to the system required us to adapt and will force us to improve and utilize the tools available to us in the modern world.
“For me, this confinement period has been really interesting, I have been very busy, working on improving my skill sets, the use of navigational software, preparing legs for the solitaire, diving in to the meteorology and doing a bit of design work on the side to keep my naval architecture mind ticking over. Most interesting for me is seeing the changes of the seasons. Normally I would be in full race mode deep into the season. I spend 100% of my time on or by the sea, racing hard and focusing on the boat and myself. This year I have been on land and seen the world change which has been really fun and refreshing.
“On the sport, strength and fitness side I have been training every day (at least once a day and sometimes three times) also doing a lot of work on mobility, stretching that helps prevent injury. I am feeling in a really good place right now. The key aim is always Injury prevention, offshore sailing is a hard sport on the body in many ways, the body has to be able to deal with everything.
“It has also been a great opportunity to connect with my sponsors (Marine Results). Keeping in regular contact is really important and working together to navigate these uncharted waters as we move into the “new world”. We have had some successful contact, from product design, social media and tasting sessions. I think we now have an opportunity to adapt to be able to maximize the benefits of sponsorship for all parties.
“As I write this email, we are about to be allowed to access the waters again in the UK, In France they are launching their first boats again. I have been in regular contact with my training group the Pôlle Finistere Course au Large and following a meeting we had at the end of last week we have now decided that there is the possibility for training to start up at the end of this month/ beginning of June. My plan is now to travel out to France at the beginning of June to take up the training again, which is pretty exciting! My schedule for the coming months is to be confirmed as we await more information form the government, Pôle and Figaro class.