Groundhog Day

How long the hours at the helm of the Figaro are. Still upwind, the leaders of this final leg have just passed between Guernsey and Sark in the Channel Islands. Now they're heading for Alderney and the formidable Ras Blanchard. Still firmly in his position as leader, Alexis Loison (Groupe REEL) remains under threat from his direct pursuers, Jules Ducelier (Région Normandie), Arno Biston (Article.1), Tom Goron (Groupe Dubreuil), and Charlotte Yven (Skipper Macif 2023). They're all within 2 miles of each other. The final sprint is on, and predictions are fueling the conversation.

The stakes are high at the end of the day on the water. On one side, a competitor clinging to his dream and on the verge of achieving it, on the other, a horde of Figaro sailors equally eager and eager to add this Solitaire du Figaro Paprec or a stage victory to their list of achievements. Progress will become more complicated as the miles go by because in a short time the current will be there, but not to make life easier for the sailors, quite the contrary. They're heading for the Ras Blanchard cauldron. The sailors will be buffeted in a place where the wind and current will not be aligned, which will generate very rough and very short seas. A hell that will require the greatest caution to cross this zone. Behind Ras Blanchard, the deliverance will be short-lived for the leaders who will still have to fight to overcome the last obstacle of this stage, the Ras de Barfleur. It will be very interesting to follow the race map to see who will emerge as the big winner in this penultimate battle.

Arrivals in Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue are scheduled for around 2-3 a.m. After a never-ending day, the sailors are about to experience a sleepless night. One last one to complete this incredible edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec.