THE BOAT

A veritable revolution in the world of ocean racing, the Figaro BENETEAU 3 is the first production one-design hydrofoil monohull in the world. Since 2019 the modern foil-assisted and strictly One Design Figaro Beneteau 3 has been used. The strict One Design nature and sail limitations rules keeps the level of competition extremely high and the costs as low as possible.

The Race starts, stops over and finishes in different ports each year, the average overall distance is normally between 1800-2500 nautical miles. The race is scored on combined elapsed time over all legs. The race always features one foreign port stopover (Portugal, Spain, Ireland, UK). Other than the podium and overall ranking there are two special trophies presented each year, first Rookie skipper (Trophée Eric Ingouf) and first non-French skipper (The Vivi Trophy). 

This project will take me across some of the most treacherous and beautiful waters, showcasing  resilience, determination, and the unwavering spirit that defines sailors.

THE RACING

In the build-up to the annual La Solitaire du Figaro a series of single handed and two-handed events (offshore and inshore) are run by different organisers, from March to July. Some of these events make up the annual championship (Championnat de France Course au Large).Each first time Rookie skipper must complete two approved singlehanded events (over 400 miles in length) over the previous 18 months to qualify for that year’s La Solitaire.

La Solitaire Du Figaro

La Solitaire du Figaro is the mother of all annual single handed offshore races. Since the early 1990s a One Design Class, built by Beneteau, has been used as the boat for the race. Since 2019 the modern foil-assisted and strictly One Design Figaro Beneteau 3 has been used. The strict One Design nature and sail limitations rules keeps the level of competition extremely high and the costs as low as possible. La Solitaire du Figaro is a multiple leg race that takes place every year in late Summer and consists of 3-4 long legs (between 4 and 5 days long each).

2024 course example