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Tom Dolan Wins the Solitaire du Figaro: "It is a Dream Come True!”

12th September 2024
Tom Dolan, the skipper of Smurfit Kappa – Kingspan, leading the overall ranking at the end of the first two acts, did not disappoint in taking the historic win in the 2024 Solitaire du Figaro
Tom Dolan, the skipper of Smurfit Kappa – Kingspan, leading the overall ranking at the end of the first two acts, did not disappoint in taking the historic win in the 2024 Solitaire du Figaro Credit: Alexis Courcoux

The suspense was palpable throughout the third and final leg of the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec! It was a leg of truly epic proportions in which Tom Dolan and his fellow rivals had to contend with some particularly boisterous conditions, with the fleet concertinaing in and out, falling away from the leaders before closing in on them again. So much so that the battle went all the way to the wire before the top three could be crowned. To cap it all, the skipper of Smurfit Kappa – Kingspan, leading the overall ranking at the end of the first two acts, did not disappoint. By placing 7th at 5:18 am local time this Thursday, the sailor secured victory in the overall ranking. An XXL performance for the Irishman and in so doing he writes a new page in the history of this event by becoming the third overseas sailor, after the Belgian Joan de Kat in 1970 and then the Swiss skipper Laurent Bourgnon in 1988, to etch his name on the list of winners of this the king of solo one-design races!

Tom Dolan: When I crossed the finish line, I wasn’t sure whether or not I’d taken the win but I soon got the picture when I heard people congratulating me. At that moment, I kind of doubled up in my boat. I wanted to cry, albeit with tears of joy,” Tom Dolan: When I crossed the finish line, I wasn’t sure whether or not I’d taken the win but I soon got the picture when I heard people congratulating me. At that moment, I kind of doubled up in my boat. I wanted to cry, albeit with tears of joy” Photo: Alexis Courcoux

“I haven’t really got my head around what’s just happened yet. The Solitaire du Figaro is a race I’d hoped to win one day and today really is a dream come true! It’s completely crazy!” explained Tom Dolan, beaming from ear to ear as he arrived dockside early this morning after what was a very tough third and final leg.

Ireland’s Tom Dolan (Smurfit Kappa-Kingspan) wins 55th La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec overall. Finishing in seventh place on the 710 nautical miles Stage 3 into La Turballe on France’s Loire Atlantique coast at 05:18:10hrs this Thursday morning, Dolan (Smurfit Kappa-Kingpsan) is the provisional overall winner of the 55th edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, the annual multi-stage solo offshore race which is considered the toughest event of solo offshore sailing Photo: Alexis CourcouxIreland’s Tom Dolan (Smurfit Kappa-Kingspan) wins 55th La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec overall. Finishing in seventh place on the 710 nautical miles Stage 3 into La Turballe on France’s Loire Atlantique coast at 05:18:10hrs this Thursday morning, Dolan (Smurfit Kappa-Kingpsan) is the provisional overall winner of the 55th edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, the annual multi-stage solo offshore race which is considered the toughest event of solo offshore sailing Photo: Alexis Courcoux

“All in all, we had some really boisterous conditions. The pasting we took off southern England with 30 knots of established wind, gusting to 35, was particularly notable. At that point, I was no longer within sight of the others and we were really taking a hammering. My sole obsession was to keep the small spinnaker in the air and to make as fast headway as possible without careering off the track. It was full-on it has to be said. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that it was even a little scary during the gybes. In the end, we only had a small respite before passing the Skerries Bank and then we hit a light patch offshore of Brest. On a personal level, I spent a massive amount of time on the helm and I never let up despite the fatigue. It was vital to keep pace and that required an enormous amount of commitment as everyone was attacking like crazy at the head of the fleet!” explained the skipper of Smurfit Kappa – Kinsgpan, for whom this seventh crack at the title has proven to be the winning one.

“This time, karma was on my side”

“This victory is the reward for years of work and sacrifice, both for me and also for those around me. After the second leg, I knew I was well placed with a lead of 57 minutes over the second boat but I tried to keep a cool head and I strived to put as little pressure on my shoulders as possible. I admit that there have been a lot of times when I’ve doubted myself. To be honest, a few hours ago, I was just hoping that I’d be able to save myself a spot on the podium. I went through all the numbers out on the water, counting and recounting the times. I’d imagined that some monstrous gaps had opened up between me and the leaders with the current at the Raz de Sein. When I crossed the finish line, I wasn’t sure whether or not I’d taken the win but I soon got the picture when I heard people congratulating me. At that moment, I kind of doubled up in my boat. I wanted to cry, albeit with tears of joy,” admitted the Flying Irishman, who has become the first sailor in his country to add his name to the list of winners of the event, as well as the third sailor from overseas to take victory after Joan de Kat and Laurent Bourgnon. “Ultimately, it all came down to a transition during the second leg between Gijón and Royan, which was the tiniest of things. That’s generally how it goes in the Solitaire. That was how it played out in the last edition when the situation didn’t work in my favour. This time I had karma on my side!”

2024 Solitaire du Figaro Top Five Overall

2024 Solitaire du Figaro Top Five Overall

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Published in Figaro, Tom Dolan
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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.

2023 La Solitaire du Figaro Course

Stage #1 Caen – Kinsale : 610 nautical miles
Departure August 27 (expected arrival August 30)

Stage #2 Kinsale – Baie de Morlaix : 630 nautical miles
Departure September 3 (expected arrival September 6)

Stage #3 Baie de Morlaix – Piriac-sur-Mer : 620 nautical miles
Departure September 10 (expected arrival September 13)

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