57th La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec - Day 2
by La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec 19 May 16:57 BST
13 May - 7 June 2026
While the leaderboard continues to evolve with each position update, monotony is certainly not part of life at sea.
In a solid south-westerly flow of more than twenty knots, the 35 solo sailors are battling as best they can against a confused and fairly heavy sea state that is making life difficult. Living at an angle is not optional, it is imposed upon them, and in these conditions, sailors must somehow manage to rest, eat and stay hydrated, all while remembering that good performance also depends on steering well and taking care of their equipment.
At the back of the fleet, three skippers are beginning to lose touch slightly: Ellie Driver (STEM on the Startline), Marie Gendron (Kereis SNCF Voyageurs) and Joss Creswell (digiLab).
Meanwhile, the leaders are now just under halfway through the course and are making southward progress at speeds of more than seven knots. A wind shift will have to be negotiated, though it is not expected until tomorrow. It will then be time to think about what comes next, especially the approach to Spain and the light-wind zone forecast along the coast. Much like in cycling, the frontrunners are taking turns at the front to conserve energy and hand over the lead. The comparison may be a distant one, but after Nicolas Lunven (PRB), it is now Arno Biston (Article.1) who is leading his rivals down what could be described as the "sunshine highway."
"There are a few small tactical moves, some of them quite interesting. At one point, we saw Arno Biston bear away in an attempt to convert the lateral separation he had to the west into gains to the south. It proved fairly effective for a while. The fleet is positioning itself for the next wind shift, which will only happen tomorrow. From the exchanges with the sailors, and between the sailors themselves, you can clearly sense just how demanding it has been. There have been quite a few minor equipment issues, and everyone is soaking wet. Now the fleet is finally getting its first rays of sunshine, which I think will do everyone a world of good. For many of them, it was also time to get some rest," analysed Yann Chateau, Race Director of the La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec.
Track the fleet here...