The Solitaire du Figaro Paprec

The sporting line-up for the 57th edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec is both exciting and daunting. With 36 sailors ready to make their rudders whistle, the three legs between Perros-Guirec in Brittany, Vigo in Spain, Pornichet in Loire-Atlantique, and a final finish in Le Havre, Normandy, should offer countless opportunities for experience to shine through, youthful boldness to emerge, and for the entire fleet to push for top performance. In any case, from the very first miles on May 17, all competitors will face exceptionally fierce opposition. So who will come out on top and succeed Alexis Loison (Groupe REEL), winner of the 2025 edition?

Each year, the entry list for La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec sparks excitement, but this edition is further elevated by the return of two former winners, Yoann Richomme (Paprec) and Nicolas Lunven (PRB), adding extra spice to an already competitive class. The talented Loïs Berrehar (Banque Populaire), returning for his seventh participation with two stage wins and, notably, two podium finishes (third in 2023 and second in 2024), will also have his work cut out against a new generation of increasingly experienced and fearless Figaro sailors. The level continues to rise, much to the delight of competitors all striving for performance.

Among the 36 entrants, three former winners will be on the start line. Tom Dolan (Kingspan), the most recent winner in 2024, will be looking for redemption after a wrist injury forced him to retire last year. A serious contender for the title, Hugo Dhallenne (Skipper Macif 2025) will be determined to perform consistently across all legs in pursuit of the ultimate prize.

British and American sailors remain key players on the circuit

Alongside Tom Dolan, the international contingent in 2026 once again includes Britain’s Oliver Hill (Ollie Hill Racing) and Ellie Driver (STEM on the Startline). Erica Lush (HOPE) will represent the United States in her second participation. A newcomer, Joss Creswell (digiLab), will be able to rely on his fellow countrymen Oliver and Ellie to help him settle into a race whose international appeal continues to grow.

Discovering the offshore sailing academy

Among the rookies, ten sailors will take the plunge this year. They include Paul Cousin (Région Normandie) and Pierrick Letouzé (Normandy Offshore Program), both representing Normandy—Pierrick having competed last year in the double-handed Défi Paprec during the opening leg between Rouen and Roscoff. Marie Gendron (KEREIS SNCF Voyageurs) will be the only female rookie this year. Paul Loiseau (Région Bretagne – CMB Espoir), Quentin Mocudet (Saveurs & Délices), Hugo Le Clech (Mieux), François Jambou (Yuman), and Pier Paolo Dean (Banques Alimentaires) complete the list of newcomers.

This overview would not be complete without mentioning several skippers who could aim for top positions. Third overall in 2025 thanks to remarkable consistency, Arno Biston (Article 1) is a strong contender for overall victory in Le Havre. Hugo Cardon (Sarth’Atlantique), winner of the second leg to Vigo in 2025, is also among the outsiders, along with Paul Morvan (Foricher les Moulins) and Tom Goron, both consistently at the front since the start of the 2026 season.

This new edition promises outstanding moments of sailing, and the race format should allow Figaro sailors to fully showcase their talent in the quest for victory.

Skippers’ quotes

Nicolas Lunven (PRB)

First competing as a rookie in 2007, Nicolas Lunven won La Solitaire du Figaro in 2009 and 2017. He returns to the race aboard PRB:“My start to the season has been almost perfect, which is great. But La Solitaire will be a completely different challenge, and it’s up to me to deliver. Racing solo is more complicated. I learned a lot sailing with Tom (Goron), and it really helped me understand what’s required in the Figaro—how to sail the boat, the manoeuvres… Even though we had good results, the level in the class is incredibly high. Now I have to switch to solo mode, which is not easy. I can’t wait to be there, but there’s also some apprehension, because what I managed to achieve with Tom, I now have to do alone.”

Lola Billy

Competing in her second Solitaire, the young skipper hopes to improve significantly on last year’s 26th place, while remaining aware of the importance of experience:“I definitely have more experience and perspective than last year, but when you see it took Alexis Loison 19 attempts to win, you realize the journey can be long. What was extraordinary was training this winter with the experts at the Pôle Finistère Course au Large—exchanging with them and gaining a new perspective on Figaro Bénéteau 3 training. There’s obviously a very high level and a lot of experience, especially offshore, among the experts. But with the younger generation, the competition is wide open. There are the two MACIF skippers (Hugo Dhallenne and Chloé Le Bars), Tom Goron, and Paul Morvan—it’s an incredible line-up. I can’t wait to start and compete against them. I have greater performance ambitions than last year, when I was discovering the race, but it’s only my second season in the Région Bretagne–CMB pathway. My main goal is still to learn, improve, and reach the highest level in Figaro racing.”

Arno Biston (Article 1)

Third in 2025 behind Alexis Loison and Charlotte Yven, both absent this year, Arno Biston is among the favourites:“Regarding La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec and the overall level, the return of former winners this year creates real excitement and shows how much this race remains a benchmark. The field looks extremely strong, with more and more participants and, importantly, not just rookies filling the ranks. With Nicolas Lunven, Yoann Richomme, and Loïs Berrehar, the level will definitely be there.We shouldn’t forget those who were already there last year and are still very competitive. There are easily ten to twelve boats capable of fighting at the front, so it promises a great battle. I’m not necessarily worried about the former winners, but I personally have high expectations for Tom Goron and Paul Morvan, who have had a very strong start to the season. As for my objective, I’ll try to do better than last year, even if it won’t be easy—there aren’t many places above third! The goal is to stay at the front and, why not, aim for victory if everything goes well. But this is La Solitaire… many of us are here for that, and we’ll have to fight.”

Paul Cousin (Région Normandie)

Teaming up with Alexis Loison in the early-season double-handed races, Paul Cousin will compete in his first Solitaire:

“I train every day with Yoann and Nicolas (Lunven). They’re training partners like any others because they make some of the same mistakes we do. It was great to be able to compete against Yoann Richomme and face the same challenges.

That said, they have strong experience and foundations that we don’t necessarily have yet. Their Figaro background is well established, and you can feel they’ll perform offshore. It’s really interesting to observe from the outside—it motivates me a lot.

The start of the season has been very good in terms of results, even if training was tougher. It’s been a great opportunity to prepare for La Solitaire alongside Alexis Loison. I’m learning a lot from him, so it’s fantastic to have him by my side. I’m very proud to be on the start line and represent Normandy. For my first time, there’s the unknown—how to handle three weeks of racing and fatigue. I don’t really know what to expect, but I’ll be listening carefully to learn how to anticipate fatigue and deal with the tough moments.”

Download the entry list for La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec 2026.