Solitaire du Figaro Paprec: a final day of high tension

The second leg of the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec is living up to all expectations. With less than 30 miles to go to the finish line in Pornichet, it's still impossible to declare a winner, as the gaps between the leaders remain incredibly small. After several hours marked by areas of light winds and very unstable conditions, the fleet benefited overnight from a welcome return of wind, which propelled the sailors in the right direction. But the return of calm conditions this morning could once again reshuffle the cards.

Since the start of this leg between Vigo and Pornichet, the competitors have been navigating tricky weather where every decision can lead to significant gains… or losses. Several changes have already occurred at the front of the fleet in recent hours, proof that nothing is set in stone in this particularly tactical finale. The northern and southern boats are now almost one, and in terms of positioning, the advantage this morning goes to rookie Paul Loiseau on Région Bretagne CMB Espoir, who is having a magnificent race.

During the radio call this morning, Paul said he was happy with his start to the race and even a little surprised: “ I think I haven’t sailed too badly. I didn’t really follow the same course as the veterans, so that cost me a few hairs. Now, early this morning, it seems to be paying off because I’m coming in from above at a better angle, so it’s not bad so far, I’m happy with it. I’m going fast, I prefer not to think too much about what might happen if it holds up until the end because it’s crazy. It’s true that since my little silly mistake, where I fell asleep two days ago, I’ve been pushing myself to the limit trying to catch up. Plus, I’ve had a few problems with the boat, so it’s really great and incredible to be in the lead like this this morning. Honestly, there’s not a moment where you can say to yourself: ‘That’s it, it’s done.’” You have to constantly be on it, adjusting the boat, because as soon as you stop making the effort, you're 0.1 or 0.2 knots slower than the others. I've always dreamed of doing the Solitaire, so to be here and, what's more, in the lead at the moment, is just incredible.

Paul Loiseau's enthusiasm is a pleasure to hear, but the young man remains very aware of the challenges of the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec. Currently leading the provisional standings, he is under pressure from Nicolas Lunven (PRB), who is sailing a near-perfect race. Always in his role as an experienced sailor, Nicolas is making good progress: "The return of the wind during the night was a lifesaver; it's allowing us to sail straight to the finish. Before the wind picked up, it was a bit tricky because it was playing games with us, veering off in all directions and not very strong. And then it settled in, a bit more steady, and it feels fantastic to be heading straight for the finish line at a decent speed. But the wind is already starting to ease, so I'm afraid the approach to the coast and the landing buoy will be very, very difficult again," confided Nicolas Lunven, skipper of PRB.

In the early morning, after a fourth night without any real rest, the bodies are weary and starting to feel the strain. But it's time to throw everything into this final sprint to Pornichet. "I think I've rarely experienced so much calm on the Solitaire du Figaro; it's rare. But it's not over yet, there are still a few miles to go. This weather is a real puzzle. I've had the feeling since the start that what's on the weather files and what we have on the water are quite different. What's needed now is to make the boat go as fast as possible and head towards the finish. After that, we just have to deal with the rest. I try to tell myself that I'll take what I'm given. I've had the same philosophy from the beginning, the Yoda-like one, and I try to stay in that mindset. It's worked out pretty well for me so far, so I'm not going to change it." "I managed to get quite a bit of rest last night and during the day when things were progressing a bit, so I'm pretty ready for the end," commented Martin Le Pape (Paprec) on this morning's radio show.

Who benefits?

They are all sailing almost side-by-side in what promises to be an extremely close finish. But the overnight wind should die down as the hours pass and the miles are gained towards the finish line. The gradual disappearance of this wind during the day could further slow the boats and maintain the suspense until the very last miles.

Leading the overall standings after one leg, Irishman Tom Dolan remains firmly in contention. Since the start in Vigo, Tom has been at the front. Keeping a low profile, he's been progressing, sticking to his course and tactics, and this morning sits in sixth position, 2.4 miles behind the leader. In terms of predictions, Tom Dolan has a 33-minute lead over Loïs Berrehar (Banque Populaire), 41 minutes over Paul Morvan (Foricher – French Touch), and 51 minutes over Martin Le Pape (Paprec). Tom Dolan could well extend his lead, but the race for the remaining podium positions is still wide open.

Final moments before rest

After several grueling days of this leg, fatigue is beginning to take its toll. Between constant maneuvers, sail changes, and maintaining constant vigilance in the erratic wind, the skippers are pushing themselves to their limits. All they want now is to finally see the finish line and get some rest after this arduous crossing. "I managed to take a few short naps, certainly not as many as I would have liked, but now it's time we arrived and got into a proper bed that doesn't move and doesn't have sails flapping," confided Nicolas Lunven.