La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec - The small joys and bitter disappointments of the solo sailors
by La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec 5 Jun 08:40 PDT
13 May - 7 June 2026
After three fiercely contested stages between Perros-Guirec, Vigo, Pornichet and Le Havre, the 57th edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec has delivered its verdict.
This year's race was marked by exceptional competitiveness, often demanding conditions, constant twists and turns, and a final outcome that was completely reshaped in the closing hours of the event. We look back at the key highlights of the 2026 edition.
Nicolas Lunven: experience prevails
Nine years after his last participation, Nicolas Lunven made a remarkable return. Consistently at the front and never truly out of contention, the PRB skipper relied on his vast experience to secure a third overall victory in the race, following his successes in 2009 and 2017.
In a race where every mistake carried an immediate cost, Lunven managed to stay in the fight until the very end before taking advantage of the dramatic turn of events in the final stage to seize the yellow jersey for good. At 42 years old, he joins the exclusive club of three-time winners of La Solitaire.
A battle that went down to the wire
Rarely has the overall leaderboard appeared so wide open. At the end of Stage 2, several skippers were still in contention for overall victory.
Alexis Thomas (Wings of the Ocean), Paul Morvan (Foricher-French Touch), Loïs Berrehar (Banque Populaire), Tom Dolan (Kingspan) and Nicolas Lunven (PRB) traded blows for nearly two weeks, providing race followers with non-stop suspense.
Paul Morvan rewarded for consistency
Third overall, Paul Morvan brought his Solitaire campaign to a perfect conclusion by winning the third and final stage into Le Havre.
Frequently among the frontrunners in recent seasons without quite managing to convert his performances into victories, the Foricher-French Touch skipper finally secured his first stage win and confirmed his status as one of the leading Figaro sailors of his generation.
Paul Loiseau: rookie revelation
For his first participation, Paul Loiseau (Région Bretagne - CMB Espoir) impressed with his maturity. First rookie and fourth overall, he regularly sailed alongside the race leaders and has already established himself as one of the brightest prospects in the Figaro pathway.
By crossing the finish line first after an incredible match-race with Nicolas Lunven, Loiseau claimed his maiden stage victory. It was a unique performance from the young sailor, who now carries the label of outsider—a reputation he will seek to live up to in the years ahead.
Tom Dolan's cruel blow
Without question, this was the defining image of the 2026 edition.
Winner of the opening stage, leader of the overall standings before the final leg, and still in a position to control the race upon reaching the Chaussée de Sein, Tom Dolan saw his hopes of back-to-back victories disappear following a grounding off Sein Island that ultimately forced his retirement.
A cruel twist of fate that completely reshuffled the overall standings at a moment when he appeared to have destiny firmly in his own hands.
A wave of retirements in the final stage
The third leg between Pornichet and Le Havre proved particularly gruelling.
Accumulated fatigue, long hours helming upwind, almost non-existent sleep and tough conditions took their toll on many competitors. Several retirements reduced the fleet in a stage unanimously described as one of the most difficult in recent years.
Numerous sail issues also shattered the ambitions of several sailors who were unfortunately unable to carry out repairs at sea.
As early as Stage 1, one of the defining moments was undoubtedly the dismasting of Marin Carnot (Fondation Jérôme Lejeune) off Wolf Rock. Paul Cousin's (Région Normandie) grounding off the Spanish coast and the dismasting of Edouard Golbery (SOS Villages d'Enfants) added further names to the casualty list.
Gaps that were sometimes impossible to recover
In an exceptionally competitive fleet, some of the pre-race favourites paid dearly for a handful of strategic mistakes.
With margins often measured in only a few minutes, the slightest tactical error—or even a delay caused by a sail change—could cost several places in the overall standings.
A further illustration of the extraordinary level of competition displayed this year.
An edition that will be remembered
The 2026 edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec will go down as one of the most open and demanding of the decade.
Between Nicolas Lunven's victorious comeback, the sporting drama experienced by Tom Dolan, the emergence of a new generation of talent and suspense that lasted all the way to the final miles into Le Havre, all the ingredients were in place to write another memorable chapter in the history of the race.
The sailors' final words
Oliver Hill (Nautica by Ollie Hill Racing, winner of the stage 3 Vivi Trophy, awarded to the first international sailor: "I finally felt really good during the first part of the final stage. The boat was moving well and I had regained both speed and confidence.
"Near Start Point, unfortunately, I got knocked down in a squall. The boat was laid over and I remained in that position for quite some time—it was complete chaos on board.
"The wind kept building and building; it just never seemed to stop. La Solitaire is incredibly tough. Sleep is essential, and whenever you're not steering, performance inevitably drops. You have to stay on top of it all the time."
Arthur Meurisse (Kiloutou) said,
"This Solitaire was far from straightforward. We had a good start from Pornichet, but then got trapped in a ridge of high pressure with unstable winds.
"I chose a route that turned out to be the wrong one and immediately found myself a long way behind. After that, it was a case of pushing hard to catch back up.
"I managed to close the gap near Raz de Sein and felt quite comfortable under spinnaker until the problems started—a wrap in the large spinnaker, then I delayed hoisting the small spinnaker and later the gennaker.
"I managed to keep going for quite a while, but I could tell the boat was suffering. I wanted to sail as a responsible seaman, so I knew I had to take the sail down.
"Then we were hit by a 40-knot squall off Eddystone in a truly monstrous sea state. I gathered my courage, accepted that I might lose the spinnaker, and got everything down. It was urgent, and just a few minutes later I heard about Edouard's dismasting.
"After that, I preferred to sail conservatively and protect the boat, especially as my gennaker had already been damaged.
"I had really hoped to do better in this Solitaire. It has affected my morale, but tomorrow is another day. One thing is certain: there is still a long road ahead before I can consistently compete at the front.
"I'm going to take some time to reflect and come back stronger."
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