Irish sailor Tom Dolan and co-skipper Gildas Mahé finished fourth in Lagos on Monday evening after an intense 1,600-mile opening leg of L’Aventura, missing the podium by just two minutes. The result provided an encouraging return to racing for Dolan following the grounding of his Figaro Beneteau 3 in the Raz de Sein earlier this summer, with the boat having been relaunched only 12 days before the start.

Starting from Port-Bourgenay, the fleet raced via Porto Santo in the Madeira archipelago before finishing in Lagos, Portugal. After eight demanding days at sea, Dolan said the intensity of the racing had made the time pass remarkably quickly.

“Eight days? Was it really eight days?” he said. “Well, if it didn't feel like fourteen, that's a pretty good sign!”

Full-Throttle Racing

Dolan had expected a tactically complicated opening leg, with several weather systems and transition zones to negotiate, and the race delivered. The fleet crossed the Bay of Biscay, rounded Cape Finisterre and raced down the Iberian coast towards Porto Santo before turning back towards southern Portugal.

“It was quite demanding. There was always something happening, and in the end, I really didn't notice the week go by. Now, I'm feeling it a bit more,” Dolan said.

One of the toughest sections was a sustained high-speed run towards Portugal. “We were practically at full throttle for 36 hours, with water everywhere on deck. It was quite intense. We hadn't sailed in conditions like that for a while, and frankly, it was great.”

Full Throttle: Tom Dolan said the opening 1,600-mile leg was relentlessly demanding, including a 36-hour high-speed run towards southern Portugal

For Dolan’s Figaro Beneteau 3, which had undergone significant repairs after the Raz de Sein grounding, the leg also provided an important test under racing loads.

“We really tested everything on the boat,” Dolan said. “It was also interesting from a weather perspective because we had to navigate several systems, with transitions, front crossings and calmer areas. There was always something to understand and manage.”

Two Minutes From The Podium

Dolan and Mahé established themselves among the leaders early in the race and crossed the Bay of Biscay with the front group. Their main setback came while negotiating a low-pressure system.

“We were in front from the start, and we managed the crossing of the bay pretty well,” Dolan said.

“The moment we lost a bit of time was when we went through the low-pressure system. We were slightly further west than the others and got stuck there a little longer. But we got back in the game.”

By the closing stages, the leading boats were again tightly grouped. Dolan described the final upwind section towards Lagos as being reminiscent of the close racing of the Solitaire du Figaro.

“During the entire final leg upwind, we were sailing within sight of each other. It was really fun. In fact, it was like a huge leg of the Solitaire.”

Podium Chase: Dolan and Gildas Mahé fought among the leaders to the finish in Lagos, taking fourth place just two minutes short of the podium. Photo: Romain Marie

After almost 1,600 miles, Dolan and Mahé crossed the line fourth, only two minutes behind the third-placed boat.

“It was a real battle right to the end,” Dolan said. “Finishing like this after eight days of racing is pretty great. We had a really good laugh with Gildas.”

Boat Back To Full Strength

Beyond the result itself, the leg answered one of the major questions surrounding Dolan’s return. His Figaro Beneteau 3 was relaunched on August 11 after replacement of its keel and starboard foil, together with repairs to part of the starboard side of the hull.

After eight days of hard racing, Dolan said the boat felt as it had before the accident.

“The boat is perfect. I've rediscovered the exact same sensations as before,” he said. “The new keel is just a bit noisier than the old one, so I'll have to wear earplugs! But apart from that, everything is perfect.”

The fourth-place finish also marked Dolan’s first major competitive test since his Solitaire du Figaro Paprec campaign was brought to an abrupt end by the grounding. He had been leading the provisional overall standings at the time, seeking a second Solitaire victory after his 2024 success.

After arriving in Lagos, Dolan's immediate priority was simple: “Sleep!”

However, there will be little time for an extended break. Dolan and Mahé are due to start the second leg on Saturday, September 5, racing 783 miles north from Lagos to the Île d'Yeu.

The return leg is expected to involve considerably more upwind sailing. “If that's the case, we won't need to use all the sails!” Dolan joked.

After a fourth-place finish just two minutes short of the podium, Dolan has received the confirmation he wanted from the opening leg: his repaired boat is back at full racing strength and the Irish skipper remains firmly in contention.