11 May Irish Skipper Tom Dolan Returns to Claim Another Championship at the 2026 La Solitaire du Figaro
Irish solo offshore sailor Tom Dolan and 2024 Solitaire du Figaro champion, will return to this iconic start line on Sunday 17 May. A three‑leg, 1,700 nautical‑mile challenge, a distance equivalent to rounding Ireland three times or completing the Rolex Fastnet Race three times over, but entirely solo. Forced to withdraw early from the 2025 edition due to injury, Dolan arrives at the 2026 race with renewed energy and a deep appreciation for competing once again among this fleet.
“Winning the Figaro Twice is very difficult, but after the disappointment of last year’s edition, I am now back to being the underdog and that position suits me very well” Dolan reports.
Despite a hectic start to the season, with two offshore races already completed and top‑ten finishes in both, Tom Dolan says he feels “well prepared and somehow ready,” even though La Solitaire falls much earlier in this year’s calendar.
The previous race, which wrapped up just three weeks ago, delivered heavy winds that left much of the 36‑boat fleet facing significant repair work ahead of the Figaro. While Kingspan was pushed hard, it escaped with only minimal damage, allowing Dolan to focus on managing his energy and sharpening his approach for the demanding three weeks ahead.
This year’s opening leg is expected to be one of the most demanding courses, with an added pressure of creating early opportunity for leaderboard separation. The course takes the fleet from Perros‑Guirec, France across the English Channel to round Wolf Rock and down the Atlantic coast to Vigo, Spain. Dolan anticipates this to be an intense first leg as the fleet approaches Cap Finisterre the North-West corner of Spain, an area known for powerful localised winds off the cliffs or extremely light conditions at night. This will create tricky tactical challenges for skippers looking to be on the right side of major time gains in this cumulative race, such time gains that lead to Dolan’s 2024 victory in the Second Stage of the Figaro.
Reflecting on the disappointment of having to withdraw from the 2025 edition through injury, Tom Dolan returns to this year’s race with a renewed sense of purpose, shifting his mindset toward enjoyment, rather than pressure;
“My aim this year is to go and have fun, enjoy it as if it’s your last and just do what I do best” he said, adding that he’s determined not to lose sight of the privilege of competing at this level. “I never forget how lucky I am to get to do this. Sometimes you spoil it by getting bogged down in the stress, I have to remember I have my dream job.”
Following La Solitaire, Dolan will have a two‑week turnaround before taking on the 2026 Round Ireland Race on the Pogo RC ‘Aruba’ with Gery Trentesaux. A race he has never competed in, but one he wants to add to his trophy cabinet.
Dolan now turns his full focus to La Solitaire for the next three weeks, ready to tackle demanding courses and rapid turnarounds as he takes on one of the defining tests in solo offshore racing.
