Irish Solo Sailor Tom Dolan Aims for Back-to-Back Figaro Wins

31st January 2025

Afloat.ie Team

Irish sailor Tom Dolan prepares for the 2025 Solitaire du Figaro, aiming to defend his title after becoming the first Irishman to win in 2024.

Irish solo sailor Tom Dolan is gearing up for an extraordinary challenge in the 2025 Solitaire du Figaro. After making history in 2024 as the first Irishman to win the prestigious race, Dolan is eager to defend his title and secure back-to-back victories.

Entering his eighth season on the Figaro circuit, Dolan is set on joining the elite ranks of double champions. His success last year was a product of hard work, dedication, and a strong mentor in mental performance coach Gerry Hussey.

Dolan highlights 'enjoyment' as a key factor in his performance. “To post a stellar performance, there is no better driving force than enjoyment!” he stated, reflecting on his journey since arriving in France twelve years ago with a dream of competing in this race.

The 2025 race programme includes five competitions in the French Elite Offshore Racing Championship, leading up to the grand finale at the renowned Solitaire du Figaro Paprec.

Events will feature:

-The Solo Guy Cotten
The Trophée Laura Vergne
The Solo Maître CoQ
The Fig’Armor Solo
The Solitaire du Figaro Paprec

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Tom Dolan, Solo Offshore Sailor

Even when County Meath solo sailor Tom Dolan had been down the numbers in the early stages of the four-stage 2,000 mile 2020 Figaro Race, Dolan and his boat were soon eating their way up through the fleet in any situation which demanded difficult tactical decisions.

His fifth overall at the finish – the highest-placed non-French sailor and winner of the Vivi Cup – had him right among the international elite in one of 2020's few major events.

The 33-year-old who has lived in Concarneau, Brittany since 2009 but grew up on a farm in rural County Meath came into the gruelling four-stage race aiming to get into the top half of the fleet and to underline his potential to Irish sailing administrators considering the selection process for the 2024 Olympic Mixed Double Offshore category which comes in for the Paris games.