Tom Dolan has moved back to the front of the fleet on the final stage of the 2026 La Solitaire du Figaro as the Irish skipper closes in on a second overall victory in offshore sailing's most demanding solo race.
Racing aboard Kingspan, the County Meath sailor regained the lead off Île d'Oléron before extending his advantage overnight as the fleet encountered the strongest conditions of the race so far.
The final leg remains finely balanced, but Dolan continues to show impressive form as the race heads north towards Brittany and the finish in Le Havre.
By Tuesday morning, Dolan was leading the fleet off Île d'Yeu at an average speed of 7.5 knots. Loïs Berrehar (Banque Populaire) was among his closest challengers, while Martin Le Pape (Paprec) continued a strong comeback through the fleet.
Pole Position — Tom Dolan's Kingspan leads the fleet on the final stage of the 2026 La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec. The Irish skipper is pursuing a second overall victory in the prestigious solo offshore race.
The latest rankings came after a day of tactical racing in light and variable winds. Sailors repeatedly repositioned along the French Atlantic coast before weather conditions began to change.
Forecasts had pointed to the arrival of a strong weather front and, overnight, the fleet was hit by increasing winds, rougher seas and heavy rain.
Race Director Yann Château said the conditions intensified significantly during the night.
"After rounding the BXA mark yesterday in rather light conditions, the fleet sailed a long upwind leg towards Brittany awaiting the passage of a front during the night," he said.
"The wind and sea state steadily increased. A strong front passed through at around 5am with heavy rain, 35 knots and a significant wind shift that caused some minor damage and stretched out the fleet."
The fleet is now beginning to spread out. Around 12 nautical miles separated the leading boats from the back markers by Tuesday afternoon, although such gaps remain recoverable with several major tactical decisions still ahead.
American skipper Erica Lush (Hope) retired from the race after reporting a torn mainsail. Unable to complete repairs at sea, she was forced to withdraw.
Former Solitaire winner Yoann Richomme believes the decisive moments may still lie ahead.
"The key will be to anticipate sail changes well and execute them correctly so as not to lose ground," he said.
"The main thing will be to choose the right trajectory leaving BXA and then in southern Brittany. There are options close to the coast and offshore, so that could provide some interesting choices."
The next major milestone will be the mandatory checkpoint west of Sein, where the final Intermediate Sprint of the race will be contested.
From there, the fleet will cross the English Channel before a fast run towards the finish in Le Havre. Race organisers expect the leaders to arrive between Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
While Dolan has regained control at the front of the fleet, the race for overall honours remains open. With stronger winds forecast and tactical challenges still to come, the Irish skipper must hold off a determined chasing pack if he is to secure a second La Solitaire du Figaro title.
Victory would place Dolan among an elite group of multiple winners of one of offshore racing's most prestigious events.
