Paul Loiseau (Région Bretagne – CMB Espoir) secured a significant victory on Thursday in Stage 2 of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, racing from Vigo to Pornichet. This win elevates him to fourth place in the provisional overall standings after an intense finish. Tom Dolan (Kingspan), who finished fifth, maintains his lead in the overall standings, while Nicolas Lunven (PRB) and Alexis Thomas (Wings of The Ocean) claimed second and third place respectively in this stage, moving onto the provisional overall podium.
Loiseau crossed the finish line ahead of Lunven by 5 minutes and 44 seconds, concluding a thrilling neck-and-neck race that lasted throughout the morning. Alexis Thomas rounded out the podium.
Demonstrating remarkable composure in challenging conditions, Loiseau expressed his disbelief at the win: “Even in my wildest dreams, I never imagined I could do this. It’s absolutely crazy — I still can’t quite believe it. The first stage was already great, but adding a stage win on top of that is beyond anything I expected,” he said.
His victory highlights his consistent performance in this edition of La Solitaire, confirming his status as a contender. Loiseau recounted the final hours: “The end of the race was insane. I only really started believing in the win quite late — during the night, actually — because the fleet was so spread out that I didn’t even know where my competitors were anymore.”
Nicolas Lunven reflected on his race experience, noting the uncertainty due to the fleet’s split into multiple groups. Despite finishing second, he felt strong about his performance: “I felt pretty in sync with the boat and with what was happening on the water. It wasn’t easy, and I certainly didn’t understand everything either. It was all a bit chaotic out there.”
Alexis Thomas, who finished third, expressed his happiness at finally securing a podium finish: “It feels great to finally secure one. I think I really earned this podium finish — I sailed well from the start.”
In the overall standings, Tom Dolan remains in the lead despite his fifth place finish, with his advantage reduced to just 3 minutes and 38 seconds over Lunven. Thomas’s strong performance places him third overall, while Loiseau is positioned just off the podium. The close gaps indicate that the final stage will be fiercely contested.
As the sailors prepare for the last leg of this 57th edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, the focus shifts to recovery, with each competitor looking to maximise their energy before the final push.
**About La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec:**
La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec is a solo, multi-leg offshore race, first held in 1970. It features a demanding route of 1,500 to 2,500 nautical miles, alternating between coastal and offshore legs, sailed on one-design FIGARO Beneteau 3 yachts. This race is a flagship event of the French Elite Offshore Racing Championship and has revealed many talented sailors.
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