Loïs Berrehar has won the first leg of the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec

In light, ghosting conditions which prevailed for the final miles of the passage, Loïs Berrehar won the first leg of the 55th edition of the Solitaire du Figaro between Le Havre and Gijón. The 31 year old who finished third last year held his nerve and kept his boat moving best, and chose the best layline to the line to take first gun. After three days and 20 or so hours and more than 600 miles of racing Berrehar seized the advantage in the closing few hundred metres to the finish, eking out a small lead ahead of a very closely bunched group of five possible winners.

 In the end only 95 seconds separated the first three in the provisional rankings (before the jury). Basile Bourgnon (Edenred) and the rookie, Jules Ducelier (Région Normandie) took second and third place respectively. This time Berrehar who was third overall last year got the better of his younger rival Bourgnon who was runner up in the 2023 edition.  

 Basile Bourgnon (Edenred) and Loïs Berrehar (Skipper Macif 2022) made a remarkable comeback during the night and early this morning, warding off the threats from long time leader Alexis Loison. In a tense, cliffhanger of a finish, Loïs Berrehar (Skipper Macif 2022) came out on top on flat calm seas in winds that were almost non-existent. With a final gybe, he first managed to wriggle clear of Thomas De Dinechin (Almond), whose gennaker collapsed, stalling his boat in the gentle zephyrs.

 The finish saw skippers grouped together, with the first 21 to finish separated by less than seven minutes. With so much tension prevailing on each and every boat the relief was evident after so much hard work after almost four days of racing.

 It was at 12:58:21 local time that Berrehar was the first to finish with a time of 3 days, 21 hours, 58 minutes and 21 seconds. This result was achieved at an average speed of 7.67 knots over the 711.25 miles he sailed. Basile Bourgnon (Edenred), still just 22, finished just 1 minute and 1 second behind the winner with a time of 3 days 21 hours 59 minutes and 22 seconds averaging 7.60 knots over a distance of 714.19 miles. Jules Ducelier, third to finish and top rookie, completed the course in 3 days 21 hours 59 minutes and 56 seconds having sailed 709.99 miles at an average speed of 7.55 knots.

 The final manoeuvre was the decisive winning one

In second place a few dozen metres from the finish at the entrance to the harbour in Gijón, Loïs Berrehar made the right choices and did well with his manoeuvres, managing to delay carrying out his gybe to slide past Basile Bourgnon, Jules Ducelier, Arno Biston and more importantly, Thomas De Dinechin; who for all the world looked on course to win the race. This final manoeuvre made all the difference over the final metres and enabled him to win this first leg of the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec

“I had to work hard to get this win. I have taken part in the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec for six years now and this was my first leg win. It was close to call. We sailed well. Alexis Loison was amazing in the first part. We did well with Basile carrying out manoeuvres and in terms of strategy. Sailing off the tip of the Cherbourg Peninsula during the first night was scary with Basile and Tom Dolan, as there are so many rocks and manoeuvres required. My goal was to win a leg, so now I can sit back and enjoy myself over the rest of this La Solitaire du Figaro,” explained Berrehar at the finish in Gijon.

 For Basile Bourgnon, the outcome was not that bad: “This is the first time I have managed to get everything right during a leg. It was just the finish that upset things. I focused on speed and keeping an eye on those around me. It was when I saw Alexis’s spinnaker at the end that I knew I was ahead with Loïs.”

 Thirty minutes after the winner finished, 27 competitors had already crossed the finish line. For Basile and Loïs, the leg has not served any real  purpose in terms of the outcome, because the gaps are so tiny.  Over the next two legs, they are going to have to consolidate these results to get a good place in the final rankings.

 Tom Dolan, first in the Vivi Trophy rankings

In the Vivi Trophy rankings skippers from outside of France, Ireland’s Tom Dolan (Smurfit Kappa – Kingspan) takes the award. Dolan was up in third last night with less than 100 miles to go the line but was as deep as 17th at one points but he has had a great race finishing ninth overall with a time of 3 days 22 hours 1 minute and 52 seconds.

“I told you all before the start. As is so often the case in Figaro, we go all out for four days to try to make a difference and, in the end, we all arrive at the same time. I almost want to say, “All that work for this. The bulk of the pack played with fire a bit by going so close to the ridge. Alexis Loison in my opinion, played very well in terms of the weather but he was not very well rewarded in the end as in the end everyone regrouped in the last five miles from the finish and restarted at the same time when a wind line arrived from offshore. It's a shame but that's how it happens and for my part, I would much rather be 3 minutes and 32 seconds behind the leader than several hours behind in a better position. In the end, it's practically nothing. At this stage everything is wide, wide open. We are all equal or almost and so overall it is all good.”

 Spain’s Pep Costa (VSF Sports) was 15th at 5 mins and 34 behind winner Berrehar, The Catalan skipper reported, “It was hard work. It was tough, but I was up there. It worked out well. A pity that at the finish, it was so close. I didn’t do well passing the mark. I made a mistake, so dropped back a place. I think I could have made it to the top five, so it’s a bit tough on me, but that’s the way it goes. Apart from that, I’m pleased to be here. The time differences are tiny and sometimes even non-existent, so that’s all very positive. On Sunday, it’s going to be a bit like starting from scratch, which is nice.”

 The Défi Paprec, the new double handed race which follows the Stage 1 course and is designed as a taster leading into Figaro long offshore races was won by Hugo Le Clech and Arthur Meurisse (Mieux). After 3 days, 22 hours 9 minutes and 44 seconds, Le Clech and Meurisse finished ahead of Britain’s young Ellie Driver and David Paul (Chilli Pepper) who took an excellent second place.