Time for analysis and important feedback for the sailors
- 2 hours ago
- 8 min read
After a long journey from Cape Finisterre to the port of Vigo, the sailors were able to catch their breath, take the time to analyze their race; their strengths, their weaknesses, and already set their sights on the second leg, which will be somewhat different in nature. This valuable feedback highlights areas for improvement going forward. Participating in an edition of the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec is a significant undertaking, and the sailors are well aware of this. Successfully completing a leg and learning from it is a valuable asset that allows them to move forward, identify areas for improvement, and sometimes understand why certain things didn't work. Upon arrival at the Vigo docks, the skippers participated in a Q&A session. It was a way to better understand their motivations and what drives these men and women to give their all for their high-level sport.
Tiphaine Ragueneau (ORCOM)
“I dared to say that a top 15 finish would be good, but I missed it by a few seconds, so I’m still very happy. There are quite a few things to work on, especially the transition phases. In the light winds, they managed to stay aloft, and I didn’t. I struggle in those phases, and that proved true once again. Otherwise, overall, I’m satisfied with my race. My preparation was a little different at the start of the season. I’m not going to declare victory too soon; it’s only the first stage. I was more apprehensive about the light winds than the course reduction gate. It’s still a ranking point, and we maintained intensity right to the end. The boat was well-prepared; I had no doubts during the rough conditions, and that’s very positive. Crossing the front in 40-knot winds wasn’t easy. I still managed to get some good rest during the front.” Tiphaine also admitted to having difficulty eating during the stage. "I really need to find a solution to manage to eat. I was only managing one meal a day, which is a bit tight, but it's hard to swallow. It's one of the areas I'll have to work on."
Nicolas Lunven (PRB)
“I really wanted to go fast in the front. I thought it was the winning strategy. At the beginning, it was a good strategy, but less so towards the end. The wind didn't shift as much as I expected. In the end, I couldn't get back on track. I lost a bit of ground on the return leg. I should have thought about it twice. We had a bit too much upwind sailing on this leg and a lot of wind. I really enjoyed the part coming out of the strong winds; there was a lot of tactics involved, and I had a lot of fun. We were supposed to be heading further offshore on this course, but instead it went along the coast. Those heading offshore lost more ground than we did. Tom Dolan (Kingspan) managed to get back on track at the right time, but he was the only one who succeeded.”
Hugo Dhallenne (Skipper Macif 2025)
“That first leg was exhilarating. We crossed the Channel twice, sailed through the outermost part of the Bay of Biscay, encountered a cold front, rain, winds shifting at 270 degrees, and then more twists and turns between the two gates. Everything went smoothly as far as Spain, pretty much as expected. After that, it was, as always, a bit of a lottery. The wind didn't open up in the Bay of A Coruña, but it was still fun. Now we have to sail back the other way. We're not too tired, because we actually slept well. The long upwind leg is quite conducive to naps. Apart from that last sleepless night between the two gates, we slept well. We're not too exhausted. Now we have to get back out there. There are a few hours to make up on the others, so we'll have to get to work.”
Léo Bothorel (Decathlon)
“I’m happy, it went well for me. It was a really varied leg. The first part was decent with some close-hauled sailing, tactics, positioning, and so on. The planned scenario was disrupted a bit by the clouds, and as a result, there were some differences in strategy. I came out of it feeling a bit average, and then there was a major front with really strong winds, gusts up to 35 knots, big waves—it was a real storm. So I opted to head as west as possible. It didn’t work quite as well as I expected, but eventually, little by little, we did get a bit more wind, we were going a bit faster, and by the time we reached Spain, I was in a pretty good position. On the boat, though, it was awful. I had to constantly mop up the water. No matter how hard I tried to keep the boat dry, it was impossible.” I had two or three minor sail breakages, small holes in the sails in particular. I was glad it stopped when I arrived in Spain, but then the weather situation was no longer in the files, and things completely spiraled out of control. It was hard to predict. I managed as best I could, and in the end, it's okay, I didn't do too badly. I finished 13th and not far from the top 10, so I'm very happy with this first leg. There are two or three things to repair, but nothing major, and I'll be well prepared for the second leg.
Eliaz Morineau (Tomorrow without HPV)
“I’m happy with this first leg. I feel like I’ve learned a lot compared to last year. Right from the start, upwind, all the way to the ridge at the Spanish tip, I was in the right group. Always in the top 18, top 15, always doing well. As usual, towards the end of the race, I always struggle a bit and I took another risk. After the ridge, I made a mistake I shouldn’t have. I should have secured my position by staying in the lead group. As a result, I lost another 10 places on the last night. I’m really gutted about that. I made another mistake, and I could have avoided it. I need to be more careful in the next races. We still have two legs to make up ground. But otherwise, it’s great. I need to learn to trust myself so I don’t repeat these mistakes.”
Martin Le Pape (Paprec)
“After a difficult start following my collision at the beginning, I managed to quickly get back into the race and regain some speed. I couldn't have dreamed of a better fourth place because the sailors ahead sailed really well. It was a great leg with well-paced rhythms. One of the key points for performing well upwind was speed, I think. You also had to have the transition plan in mind. There was a tricky passage to find. I was really nervous at one point because I didn't think I could close the lateral gap we had. As expected, the wind shifted to the left with a strengthening thermal, which allowed us to get past the western group.”
Laure Galley (Hauterive)
“It was a leg with really varied conditions, and I had a good first half of the race. As long as we were upwind, it was fine because I was a bit behind at the start, but I managed to get back into contention at Wolf Rock. I think I was in the top ten, and then I moved into fourth or fifth place. I then lacked a bit of speed on the long leg to the south, and after that, I struggled to catch up, but in any case, I'm really happy because the times I've been able to compete at the front in the past, it's usually been in light winds, and to do it for the first time in heavy weather is really fantastic. It shows that I'm improving in heavy conditions, and now I just need to put things together to finish the race. But there was a bit of a lull in the middle of the race. I was then able to gain some places again towards the end in the light winds. There are some good positives nonetheless.” The arrival was a little long, but it would have been even worse if we'd had to finish under sail. We're going to enjoy Vigo a little more than last year and set off again in top form on Sunday for Pornichet.
Victor Mathieu (Elitys)
“A very good first leg, with very varied conditions, strong winds at the start and very light winds at the end. My goal was really to get into the swing of things as the leg progressed because I was very tired going into the Solitaire, which is in May this year. And I achieved that goal. I had a really bad start, as usual, but I built momentum throughout, so I'm very happy with my race. And it was great to have somewhat varied conditions, no downwind sailing, which is a bit of a shame, but I think we'll have some on other legs. The boat suffered a bit, but I think all boats did. But I managed to sort out all the problems I had at sea. So I'm very happy to have arrived in Spain, safely in port, tired but happy.”
Edouard Golbery (SOS Children's Villages)
“I have a mix of satisfaction and frustration because the leg started very well. I had a good run in the bay. I was third in the bay leg and then I sailed well for most of the race. I made my choices, I went downwind; it was a bit risky going down the Bay of Biscay, a bit under the water to try and reach the coast quickly and catch the acceleration there. Then it paid off right at the end. So I got back in with the leaders. And I stopped in the lull, I don't know, 15 miles from the first gate. And then, it was pretty much over. I stopped and continued along the course. Unfortunately, it didn't work out. But it's not a big deal. I think if I reviewed all my choices, I wouldn't have done it any differently. Sometimes things don't work out at the end. But otherwise, I'm really happy.”
Paul Loiseau (Brittany Region - CMB Espoir), first rookie
"This is the first time I've spent a few days at sea.
We had some challenging conditions all winter during our training sessions in Port la Forêt; it felt a bit like we were just training. And this passage through the front was actually quite short; it didn't feel that long at all. After two days in 30-knot winds, setting off under spinnaker, letting everything dry—because being soaked was awful by the end—it felt amazing. I knew I had to be fresh for the arrival in Vigo, because that's where it would all come down to, or at least a large part of it.
I managed to string together naps, even during the front line, and as a result I was really fresh even on the morning of the finish. I hadn't slept for the last 24 hours and I still had plenty of energy, so that's great, it's a big milestone achieved. Sleep was a bit of a challenge for me. Now it's all positive. Quite a few things have been accomplished on this stage.
Thomas Dinas and Eliott Coville (Auray Quiberon by Orlabay) First in the Paprec Challenge
“The Paprec Challenge was the season's objective. We prepared for it and were really happy to be there. Arriving as winners in Vigo is fantastic. Right from the start, getting warmed up in Perros by going out with everyone, being able to take the start and get into action was incredible. What's really interesting is starting 15 minutes after the solo sailors, but in the end, we're not that far behind them. It allows us to catch up to the back of the fleet and be able to play around, observe their choices, and continue to learn. It was really interesting to be able to see that from the outside. We never had a moment where the boat wasn't performing at 100%. We were in a sort of 'solo' mode. That's an advantage. We were able to take time to analyze the weather. It's not a very close race, but in the end, at the finish, it came down to the Spanish coast, just like for the others.” We managed to get through to La Coruña while others really messed up. We couldn't give up. The goal is really to get back into La Solitaire as best we can. It's a unique adventure. We still want to be able to do two or three more legs.
