Irish skipper Tom Dolan remained firmly in the hunt as the second leg of the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec turned into a tactical battle of patience and positioning in the Bay of Biscay. Dolan stayed within striking distance as the fleet negotiated unstable winds, thunderstorms and near-calm conditions on a demanding second day at sea.
French skipper Nicolas Lunven aboard PRB led the fleet on Monday afternoon after edging clear in difficult conditions. Martin Le Pape on Paprec and Hugo Cardon on Sarth’Atlantique also found gains during a constantly shifting race.
Sail changes came thick and fast across the fleet, with skippers repeatedly hoisting and dropping gennakers and spinnakers as the breeze faded and returned along the Spanish coastline.
Lunven used a series of well-timed gusts to open a small lead of just over two nautical miles by mid-afternoon. “We certainly didn’t get bored last night with all the thunderstorms,” Lunven said. “There were lots of manoeuvres and many course changes.” He added, “I managed to take the lead — but it’s still a major calm out here.”
A Solitaire du Figaro competitor sails into a dramatic Biscay sunset during the second leg of the race as the fleet endured light winds, thunderstorms and tactical overnight conditions. Photo: Thomas Campion
The light-air conditions rewarded patience and accuracy rather than outright speed. Sailors faced constant decisions over positioning, sleep management and energy conservation as the fleet spread across the Bay of Biscay.
Loïs Berrehar of Banque Populaire described the conditions as “a true Figaro exercise”. “The thunderstorms were intense, with the wind shifting in every direction,” he said. “You have to stay alert so you don’t miss anything, but at the same time preserve some energy.”
Hugo Cardon produced one of the day’s standout recoveries. The rookie sailor climbed from 30th to second place at the intermediate sprint to secure the Windchaser by Bollé Trophy.
Italian skipper Pier Paolo Dean also impressed after recovering from an early start infringement and a spinnaker problem to return to the front group. “It’s the first time I’ve sailed at the front of the fleet,” Dean said. “I headed offshore, and in the end it worked out well.”
Despite the small gaps opening at the front, the Solitaire’s notoriously volatile conditions mean the standings remain far from settled. For Dolan and the rest of the fleet, the tactical game is only beginning.
