Tom Dolan regains control, the fleet begins to stretch out

The standings have shifted again on this third and final leg of the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec. After a day of intense competition, marked by shifting winds and numerous coastal repositionings, Tom Dolan (Kingspan) has regained the lead off the Île d'Oléron. The Irishman is currently leading a group of sailors continuing their ascent towards the western side of Île de Sein in still relatively moderate conditions.

In a breeze of around ten knots, the Figaro boats are making steady progress, but the situation is expected to gradually change. Weather forecasts predict a gradual strengthening of the wind in the coming hours, offering the skippers more favorable conditions to accelerate and try to gain an advantage.

The first consequence of this increased pressure is that the fleet begins to spread out. By mid-afternoon, nearly twelve miles separate the leaders from the last competitors, a gap that, however, remains far from insurmountable at this stage of the leg. In this race where every weather change can reshuffle the cards, positions remain fragile and gaps can quickly reverse.

After several days of fierce racing, no one seems poised to make a decisive move. Tom Dolan (Kingspan) has regained the lead, but the battle remains fierce in his wake. Further east, Alexis Thomas (Wings of the Ocean), Hugo Dhallenne (Skipper Macif 2025), Laure Galley (Hauterive), and Eliaz Morineau (Demain sans HPV) have pulled slightly ahead. Following the Irishman, Loïs Berrehar (Banque Populaire) is making a strong comeback.

In a more central position, Nicolas Lunven (PRB) observes and continues to leave his mark on this Solitaire.

On the water, the arrival of the front is clearly visible. A huge mass of cloud in the northwest literally blocks the already darkened sky.

The point of view of Yoann Richomme (Skipper of Paprec)

“I think the sailors were able to sleep last night, so they're relatively fit. They're going to have strong winds coming in as they head up towards Brittany and Île-de-Sein. For the moment, it's pretty much a straight line, so there aren't many options. The key will be to anticipate sail changes well and execute them correctly so as not to lose ground. The main thing will be to choose the right trajectory leaving BXA and then in southern Brittany . There are options between passing close to the coast between Groix and the Glénan archipelago and inside the Glénan archipelago, along the coast to Penmarch and then to Audierne, or heading offshore. So that could provide some interesting options.”

As the wind picks up and the fleet gains speed, this final leg could well enter a new dimension, with its share of attacks, regroupings, and dramatic reversals. The race is truly on.