Irish sailor Tom Dolan begins title defence at Solitaire du Figaro

Solitaire du Figaro begins © Vincent Olivaud

Tom Dolan begins the defence of his historic Solitaire du Figaro title today, with the Solo Offshore sailing race starting at 12 Irish time in Le Havre.

Due to strong winds race organisers have changed the course. Instead of heading out to round Ireland's Fastnet Rock, the fleet will now stay closer to shore, crossing the English Channel not one, but four times in the opening leg.

This "old school" style Figaro will be fast, physical, and tactical. Skippers must carefully navigate the strong autumn tides in the channel and busy shipping lanes. This will require skippers to make crucial choices on each crossing, deciding whether to pass on the left or right of the Traffic Separation Schemes (TSS) based on the wind and tide.

With winds forecast between 17 and 25 knots, the opening days of the race promise to be exciting.

"It'll be intense," said Dolan. "You have to stay sharp every mile. The small decisions will make a big difference."

Dolan, who became the first non-French and first Irish winner of the race in 2024, returns to the fleet with a grounded mindset. While aiming to defend his title, his focus remains firmly on execution over results.

Now in his eighth Figaro, and with the added pressure of being the reigning champion, Dolan faces a different kind of challenge, one that begins today with four crossings, TSS gambles, and a test of both mental and physical endurance.

What to know about Leg 1

Start: Le Havre 1.02pm CET (2.02pm BST) Sunday September 7
Finish: Baix de Morlaix
Distance: 638 nautical miles

How to follow

• Live Map
• Tom Dolan Instagram
• Race updates
• Livestream of the start