David Kenefick to Embark on 1,200 Mile Generali Solo race

16th September 2013

#fullirish – Royal Cork's David Kenefick is competing in next week's Generali Solo race, a 1,200 mile single–handed race around the Med, consisting of three legs and starting on September 22nd.

The Generali solo is very much like La solitaire de Figaro, and is the final event of the Championship of France of Offshore racing for 2013.

Kenefick is currently ranked second rookie on the overall year standings and is hoping to go one better and make it to the top of the podium by the end of the Generali.

"It's great to be doing the Generali and to be in the hunt for the "Top Rookie Spot" for 2013 has been a long term goal for me for the season of 2013. Within 12 hours of finishing the Tour de Bretagne, he told Afloat.ie

'I was back in Port la Foret – (a 75 mile delivery) and had the boat out of the water and just over 24 hours. I was in the South of France stating to get Figaro 70 ready for the Generali, the boat that I will use for the event' he added.

According to local reports Kenefick's boat (The full Irish) is now in the water and ready to go while most of the fleet are still on their way here on the back of trucks.

I'm really looking forward to this event having learnt so much from sailing the Tour de Bretagne with one of the top Figaro sailors. It's going to be a very tough event yet again, and I'm expecting it to be even harder than the La Solitaire race itself as the seasons are changing in the Med and the weather is very hard to predict and anything can happen in a matter of minutes.

Generali Solo

Leg 1 : Cavalaire-sur-Mer – Barcelona •
Leg 2: Barcelona – Beaulieu-ser-Mer •
Leg 3 : Beaulieu-sur-Mer – Sète

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Ireland & La Solitaire du Figaro

The Solitaire du Figaro, was originally called the course de l’Aurore until 1980, was created in 1970 by Jean-Louis Guillemard and Jean-Michel Barrault.

Half a decade later, the race has created some of France's top offshore sailors, and it celebrated its 50th anniversary with a new boat equipped with foils and almost 50 skippers Including novices, aficionados and six former winners.

The solo multi-stage offshore sailing race is one of the most cherished races in French sailing and one that has had Irish interest stretching back over 20 years due to the number of Irish stopovers, usually the only foreign leg of the French race.

What Irish ports have hosted The Solitaire du Figaro?

The race has previously called to Ireland to the following ports; Dingle, Kinsale, Crosshaven, Howth and Dun Laoghaire.

What Irish sailors have raced The Solitaire du Figaro?

So far there have been seven Irish skippers to participate in La Solitaire du Figaro.

In 1997, County Kerry's Damian Foxall first tackled the Figaro from Ireland. His win in the Rookie division in DHL gave him the budget to compete again the following year with Barlo Plastics where he won the final leg of the race from Gijon to Concarneau. That same year a second Irish sailor Marcus Hutchinson sailing Bergamotte completed the course in 26th place and third Rookie.

In 2000, Hutchinson of Howth Yacht Club completed the course again with IMPACT, again finishing in the twenties.

In 2006, Paul O’Riain became the third Irish skipper to complete the course.

In 2013, Royal Cork's David Kenefick raised the bar by becoming a top rookie sailor in the race.

In 2018, for the first time, Ireland had two Irish boats in the offshore race thanks to Tom Dolan and Joan Mulloy who joined the rookie ranks and kept the Irish tricolour flying high in France. Mulloy became the first Irish female to take on the race.

Tom Dolan in Smurfit Kappa competed for his third year in 2020 after a 25th place finish in 2019. Dolan sailed a remarkably consistent series in 2020 and took fifth overall, the best finish by a non-French skipper since 1997 when Switzerland’s Dominique Wavre finished runner up. Dolan wins the VIVI Trophy.

Dolan finished 10th on the first stage, 11th on the second and seventh into Saint Nazaire at the end of the third stage. Stage four was abandoned due to lack of wind.

Also in 2020, Dun Laoghaire’s Kenneth Rumball became the eleventh Irish sailor to sail the Figaro.

At A Glance – Figaro Race

It starts in June or July from a French port.
The race is split into four stages varying from year to year, from the length of the French coast and making up a total of around 1,500 to 2,000 nautical miles (1,700 to 2,300 mi; 2,800 to 3,700 km) on average.
Over the years the race has lasted between 10 and 13 days at sea.
The competitor is alone in the boat, participation is mixed.
Since 1990, all boats are of one design.