All to Play For: Tom Dolan's Second Figaro Dream Enters Final Act

31st May 2026

Afloat.ie Team

Date with destiny - overall leader Irish skipper Tom Dolan (far right) aboard Kingspan starts the final stage of the 2026 La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec from the leeward end of the line off Pornichet Credit: Vincent Olivaud

Overall leader Irish sailor Tom Dolan has launched into the decisive final stage of the 2026 La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec as the prestigious solo offshore race entered its concluding chapter off the French Atlantic coast on Sunday evening.

In front of thousands of spectators gathered along the Pornichet seawall, the fleet of 36 skippers set sail at exactly 7:00 p.m. in ideal conditions for the start of the fourth and final leg of the race.

After a five-nautical-mile coastal course around Les Evens, France's Alexis Thomas (Wings of the Ocean) rounded the first mark in the lead to claim the Paprec Trophy for the opening section of the stage, ahead of Nicolas Lunven (PRB) and Tom Goron (Xplorassur).

For County Meath native Dolan, however, the focus is firmly on the much bigger prize. The Irish skipper now faces one final test in a race renowned as one of the toughest proving grounds in professional offshore sailing.

Sailing in a westerly breeze of around 12 knots, the competitors are heading south towards the BXA safe-water mark off the Gironde estuary before turning north again towards Brittany. While the opening section is expected to offer relatively manageable downwind conditions, a forecast weather front later in the stage is set to transform the race into a far sterner challenge.

The final leg could prove decisive, with changing weather conditions, tactical choices and growing fatigue all likely to play a major role. After two demanding stages and weeks of intense competition, sailors throughout the fleet are drawing heavily on their physical and mental reserves as they chase a strong finish in the 57th edition of the race.

Dolan, who has become one of Ireland's most successful offshore sailors and a consistent contender on the French solo racing circuit, will be hoping to finish strongly as the fleet embarks on what promises to be a dramatic conclusion to this year's La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec.

With the race entering its final phase, every tactical decision and every mile sailed could prove crucial as Dolan and his rivals battle for places on one of offshore sailing's most coveted leaderboards.

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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.