By Thomas Campion — La Solitaire du Figaro
You’ll need to set your alarm a bit earlier than usual if you want to catch the start of the opening leg of this legendary race, which uncovers fresh sailing talent year after year. On Sunday, 17 May at 10:30, Breton sailor Guirec Soudée will send 36 solo competitors on their way from Perros-Guirec. This opening leg between the Breton port and the Spanish city of Vigo should serve up a mixed bag of weather conditions—medium winds from the gun, an active frontal system moving through from Monday onwards, and a light wind zone as boats approach Cape Finisterre. It’s the perfect recipe to throw the entire fleet into the deep end right from the opening hours.
On the eve of the 57th edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, race director Yann Château has flagged what he’s calling a demanding, tactical, and wide-open contest. “The opening leg will set the tone straight away,” Château explained. “After leaving Perros-Guirec in decent conditions, the skippers will navigate a spectacular course between the Sept-Îles and Ploumanac’h before setting their sights on Wolf Rock lighthouse, southwest of England. From there, they’re looking at a long offshore leg of over 430 miles toward Cape Finisterre in northwest Spain. The racing should be pretty wide open.” Château emphasised the strategic calls competitors will need to make over that extended stretch. “A front’s expected Monday through Tuesday, and the finish is still very uncertain due to light winds forecast as boats approach the Spanish coast.”
The race director also flagged the punishing preparation schedule sailors have faced. With the start village set up over a compressed timeframe, skippers have had to juggle technical and weather prep at pace. Despite the pressure, anticipation is running high just hours before the off. “Running this edition in May changes some of the usual markers,” Château noted. “With longer daylight hours than September would offer, sailors are getting an extra one to two hours of daily light—far from insignificant in an event known for being physically and mentally brutal.”
A stellar line-up. “While some well-known sailing names are making their return and grabbing public attention, La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec remains first and foremost a talent detector. Many relatively unknown skippers in this fleet will become tomorrow’s great sailors,” he said.
With boats all prepped and ready to cast off, competitors are now locked in on the weather forecast—the make-or-break factor for this opening stage. Météo Consult’s Cyrille Duchesne, the race’s weather specialist, is set to give his read on conditions for the first leg.
Originally published in French by La Solitaire du Figaro.
