16 May Irish Skipper Tom Dolan Gears Up for 2026 Solitaire du Figaro
Irish sailor Tom Dolan will line up this Sunday, 17 May, in Perros‑Guirec for the 57th edition of the Solitaire du Figaro, joining a highly competitive fleet of 36 skippers. From being crowned 2024 Solitaire Champion, Dolan returns to the iconic race with the same hunger that earned him his title and with a renewed appreciation for the sport he gets to pursue every day.
“Feeling good, feeling confident, I’m going to race it like it’s my last,” Dolan says with a smile.
It’s a mindset that is both refreshing and essential for a demanding, multi‑stage offshore challenge like the Figaro. Across three weeks and three legs each between 500 and 700 nautical miles the race is known for its intensity and relentless pace.
The opening stage is expected to be one of the toughest, as the fleet face the northwest coast of Spain and the unpredictable systems shaped by the cliffs of Cap Finisterre.
But first “It’s going to be upwind, upwind… and even more upwind,” Dolan jokes, fully aware of what awaits in the early hours of the race as the fleet have to round Wolf Rock off the Southwest coast of England. Behind the humour lies a reality every Figaro sailor knows well, a notoriously complex tidal system in the English Channel and weather models that remain far from certain.
Dolan and his Kingspan team are raring to go, with tomorrow’s early start, excitement to get moving on this 2026 edition is high
Irish fans can tune in at 9:30am Irish Time (10h30 in France) to join the excitement and watch Dolan take on a challenging start against one of the most experienced fleets in recent years.
“This is going to be a good one.” Dolan signs off.
