Tom Dolan takes second in Fig'Armor warm-up as final preparation for Solitaire du Figaro

Tom Dolan takes second in Fig'Armor warm-up as final preparation for Solitaire du Figaro © Tom Dolan Racing

Irish offshore sailor Tom Dolan has taken second place in the Fig'Armor, his final warm-up race before defending his historic title in the 2025 Solitaire du Figaro, which begins on September 7.

Racing alongside French sailor Gaston Morvan aboard his Figaro 3 Kingspan, Dolan demonstrated sharp form completing the race in one day, 21 hours and 3 minutes. The race which started Wednesday morning from Lorient completed a 200 nautical mile course.

The Fig'Armor, in its second edition has taken its place as the warm up race for the Solitaire, gaining impressive entries and bringing the top contenders in the sport. The race allows sailors to test boat handling, race tactics, and onboard systems in demanding conditions ahead of the major event. Coming home just half an hour behind the winner, Dolan's performance is a strong signal of intent ahead of his title defence.

"The Solitaire is a completely different beast, it's long, relentless, and solo," Dolan added. "But this was a good final test. The learning never stops, especially after my few months in the IMOCA and now we will spend the next few weeks fine-tuning. I'm ready for the challenge."

Backed by Kingspan, his long-term partner in sustainable high-performance, Dolan now shifts focus to the final preparations ahead of his return to solo racing's toughest proving ground.