By Thomas Howson — La Solitaire du Figaro
The day’s leading trio—two seasoned campaigners and a young gun who’s already claimed a stage win in 2025 as a rookie—managed to sneak out a modest break on day two of leg two of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec. While nothing’s guaranteed in these conditions, each small gain builds towards the next, ultimately consolidating your position. The notoriously tricky conditions on the water are keeping the fleet honest, forcing constant tactical adjustments to maintain speed and performance. ©Nicolas Lunven
It’s been nothing short of a fashion parade out on the water off the Spanish coast. Everything’s getting a workout—gennakers, spinnakers, drops, hoists, packing and repacking. The sailors are being put through the wringer. In these light and frustratingly light conditions, finding the right balance is a nightmare. But the script was familiar enough. Between the forecast and reality, you’ve got to adapt and improvise. One group of smart sailors managed to unlock a gap large enough to make their move—for now anyway, though farewell might be too strong a word.
Nicolas Lunven, a seasoned hand who’s weathered his fair share of light-air battles, seized his moment when the zephyrs came good. By 1500, the Figaro PRB skipper had carved out a 2.1-nautical-mile advantage over his nearest rival—Martin Le Pape on Paprec, another sailor who knows these conditions inside out. The old guard are showing their class and aren’t about to surrender the high ground without a fight.
Earlier this morning, Hugo Cardon (Sarth’Atlantique) and Pier Paolo Dean (Banques Alimentaires) settled matters on the scoreboard for the Windchaser by Bollé Trophy, the two sailors locked level on points. As a reminder, this trophy rewards the best climb up the general classification between the Paprec buoy—marking the end of the coastal leg—and the intermediate sprint. Thanks to his second-place finish in the sprint, Hugo Cardon took home the trophy. It’s a stunning comeback, climbing from 30th to second, a gain of 28 places.
The fleet’s inevitably scattering across this vast Gascon chessboard, but the conditions forecast for the coming hours and days won’t make life any easier for anyone—leader, midfield, or tail-ender. Everyone’s still got a genuine shot at a comeback and building a new strategy. You need mental toughness to handle these swings and face the harsh realities of the standings. There’s still plenty of racing ahead, and the opportunity to reel in places is very much alive. ©Thomas Campion
Loïs Berrehar (Banque Populaire): “It was intense, no doubt about it. With a small group, we opted for a slightly wider route from the start. It looked trickier inshore, so we managed to break clear for a bit. But then it became this constant back-and-forth—you gaining, me gaining—a real yo-yo. The thunderstorms were intense, the wind swings…”
Originally published in French by La Solitaire du Figaro.
