After spending much of the early part of the first race of the Figaro Solo 2021 hovering around the 16th and 17th places in the fleet of 34 boats, Ireland’s Tom Dolan in Smurfit-Kappa Kingspan has borne up very well under the pressure of the long and sometimes rugged windward leg against a northeasterly back to France from the turn off the Spanish coast, and is currently lying 8th as the fleet closes in on the finish, now 60 miles away at Lorient.
However, as he warned in his preview of the race in Afloat.ie, a fading wind through what should be the last night may well prove to negate hard-won places, and the next eight hours will be crucial.
Tracker chart here