56th La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec - Day 0
by La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec 6 Sep 19:32 BST
30 August - 27 September 2025
La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec © Vincent Olivaud / OC Sport Pen Duick
On Sunday, September 7th at 1:00 p.m., 34 skippers* will finally set off, alone at sea, for a thrilling new edition of the race where every second spent offshore will count towards performance.
Due to complex weather conditions on the first leg, the 2025 course has been modified to highlight sailing in the English Channel. With varied wind and sea conditions, this new 638-mile route already promises constant suspense. As a prologue, the sailors will enjoy a coastal course along the Normandy beaches and cliffs, offering one last salute to the spectators on shore.
After a long delivery trip on Friday from Rouen to Le Havre, the 35 skippers entered in this new edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec and the 7 crews of the Défi Paprec are making the most of the sunshine to complete their final boat preparations. Between safety inspections, compliance checks, provisioning, organizational briefings, and media requests, time flies on the pontoons. All of them already have in mind the moment they will cast off, tomorrow from 10:00 a.m. onwards, to head to the race zone. But before that, in the cockpits of the Figaro Beneteau 3s, weather analysis for the Channel, tidal currents, and early projections of optimal routes are hot topics.
"For tomorrow's start at 1:00 p.m., we should have good sailing conditions off the coast of Le Havre, with a southerly wind of 10 to 15 knots. Then there will be a transition zone before gradually meeting stronger wind and sea conditions. As we approach Cornwall, near Serries Bank, the first mark to round, we'll be on the eastern edge of the low-pressure system affecting Ireland. As we move back eastwards, we'll progressively leave those conditions behind," explains Race Director, Yann Château.
The English Channel in the spotlight
While the original course focused on long legs across the Channel and the Celtic Sea towards Ireland, the new format devised by race management and Yann Château leans more towards multiple coastal courses along the English and French shores, several Channel crossings, and tricky navigation points reflecting the difficulty of the race. This first round will surely leave its mark for the rest of the competition. With strong spring tides expected at the start of next week, sailing will be even more intense and demanding. Tenacity and opportunism will be key to standing out.
"One day before the start, I feel very, very calm—much more so than in past years. I no longer feel the pressure of trying to win the race. It's a strange but very pleasant feeling. I've still worked a lot this year to be truly ready. I'm really focusing on the race itself, not on my result. Of course, I want to get the best result possible. We'll see how things play out, but it's certain this race must be approached with a lot of humility. I was able to sail on other boats this year and noticed some small details in Class40s that I've adapted to the Figaro, which will help me sail a little faster. I won't say what exactly of course, but it was very interesting. We'll see tomorrow on the water," says Tom Dolan (Kingspan), winner of the 2024 edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec.
Protecting the rookies
One of the race favorites, Alexis Thomas on Wings of the Ocean, is eager to get going and tackle the complexity of the new course.
"We're avoiding rough seas in the Celtic Sea, which isn't a bad thing for a first leg. There are a lot of rookies in this year's race, so it's important to build things up gradually.
It'll be fairly short racing sections with plenty of maneuvers. We'll cross shipping lanes several times, with many cargo ships to watch out for, and there'll be passages with strong currents, especially at Raz Blanchard.
It's going to be a superb leg, with probably very small gaps at the finish. The race won't be decided here, but you never know—La Solitaire always has surprises in store. I'll still try to put as much distance as possible between my competitors and me."
For Erika Lush (Hope), the only American sailor in this year's Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, her heart is torn between reason and disappointment at not heading to the Fastnet:
"It's a bit of a disappointment for me as an American not to go to the famous Fastnet Rock—it's such a mythical place. But I really understand race management's decision to prioritize our safety. The Channel course will still be incredibly rich with all these crossings. I'll try to do my best to be satisfied with the way I sail, to progress as much as possible, to understand why I make mistakes, and to correct them next time."
Davy Beaudart on Hellowork wants to deliver a strong performance
"This new course will favor many different legs. We'll cross the Channel lengthwise, breadthwise, and back again with more manageable wind and sea conditions. I really hope to sail a much cleaner Solitaire than last time and deliver a strong performance. There'll be action right from the start, which suits me well. It's going to be intense in terms of energy."
Weather challenges for all
Cyrille Duchesne, meteorologist at Météo Consult, shares his analysis of the highly varied conditions awaiting the sailors:
"The weather conditions will be very interesting, with a fine start in a moderate southerly flow of around ten knots. Then there will be a slight increase in wind near the Cotentin Peninsula. Winds of around twenty knots are expected during the first night, then shifting more southwesterly. It will be upwind sailing.
We'll need to closely watch the eastern Channel on the approach to Dieppe, as the wind is expected to ease significantly near the Seine-Maritime coast. The race could open up again in light airs, with some making gains while others may be stuck for several hours. The midweek crossing to the Isle of Wight should be in increasingly strong winds with a front to pass. At the very end of the leg, sailing will be more intense with a very disturbed westerly flow."
Withdrawal of Thierry Levayer from the first leg
Following a technical problem during the delivery trip from Rouen to Le Havre, Thierry Levayer, skipper of Alofi, has been forced to withdraw from the first leg of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec. He is doing everything possible to reach Roscoff as soon as he can in order to rejoin the race for the second leg.
"Unfortunately I had an issue before reaching Le Havre and had to haul out the boat for repairs. Time is short, but I really hope to set sail again next Wednesday to rejoin the fleet in Roscoff. Things are progressing well, and I truly hope to be able to take part in the race," he said.
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