Lunven Leads as Ireland's Dolan Chases in Brutal Figaro Battle

18th May 2026

Afloat.ie Team

Flying Irish — Ireland’s Tom Dolan drives hard off the Brittany coast during the opening stage of the 2026 La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, where the 2024 champion remains in close contention

French offshore veteran Nicolas Lunven has taken control of the opening stage of the 2026 La Solitaire du Figaro as the fleet battles punishing upwind conditions off Brittany.

More than 24 hours after the start, the 35 remaining solo sailors were still working north-eastwards toward the tip of Brittany and a busy traffic separation zone that skippers must avoid under threat of penalties.

Since Monday afternoon, Lunven aboard PRB has led the fleet after an impressive opening to the race. Ireland’s Tom Dolan, was holding second place while being closely marked by Loïs Berrehar aboard Banque Populaire.

The rivalry adds another layer to this year’s race. Dolan won the 2024 edition of the French offshore classic, with Berrehar finishing runner-up.

Strategic choices are now narrowing as the fleet compresses into a 10-nautical-mile spread. With strengthening winds and building seas forecast, skippers are expected to remain hard on the wind for much of the next phase.

Race organisers said the conditions would offer “little relief”, with every lost second proving difficult to regain in the tightly packed fleet.

The race has already claimed one casualty. Rookie skipper Marin Carnot aboard Fondation Jérôme Lejeune dismasted near Wolf Rock off Cornwall on Monday morning.

Carnot’s Figaro Beneteau 3 was being escorted across the English Channel by the trimaran Express after the incident left the yacht without engine power.

“I had problems in the mast around one of the spreaders,” Carnot said over VHF radio.

“I went up once and tried to secure everything, but it didn’t hold. As I reached Wolf Rock, I tacked and the mast came down.”

“I’m really devastated because it means a huge amount of time and resources will be needed to get me out of here,” he added.

The opening leg is already underlining the unforgiving nature of the famous solo offshore race, where technical issues, fatigue and relentless weather can quickly end ambitions.

For Dolan, however, the early signs remain promising as the Meath sailor stays firmly in contention among some of offshore racing’s biggest names.

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Published in Figaro, Tom Dolan

Published in Figaro

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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.