The Solitaire du Figaro Paprec 2025 is fast approaching, promising a superb new edition. For Virtual Regatta Offshore players, this is an opportunity to immerse themselves in the reality of this legendary race and try to win one of the three Seiko Prospex watches up for grabs.

The Solitaire du Figaro – The Must-See Event in Offshore Racing

The Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, is a solo, unassisted, one-design race, making it one of the most prestigious and demanding events in the world. It is often considered the unofficial World Championship of solo ocean racing. This competition is a true test for sailors, an event that forges champions and reveals talent. Many big names in sailing, including winners of the Vendée Globe, have earned their stripes on La Solitaire.

The race represents a path to excellence and an essential rite of passage for sailors wishing to make a name for themselves in the world of sailing. Skippers not only battle the elements and the sea, but also themselves, in a test of solitude and self-transcendence. It is this human dimension, where performance depends solely on the sailor's expertise, strategy, and resilience, that gives La Solitaire its unique character and reputation as a breeding ground for champions.

The 2025 edition, the 56th of its kind, will take place from August 30 to September 27, 2025. It will bring together between 35 and 40 skippers ready to battle it out on the Figaro Bénéteau 3, a boat that is identical for all competitors.

Prestigious Prizes to Be Won on Virtual Regatta

This year, participating in the 2025 Paprec Solitaire du Figaro on Virtual Regatta Offshore is not just about the adrenaline rush of the game: exceptional rewards are up for grabs.

At each stage, the first virtual player to cross the Seiko buoy, equipped with the exclusive skin "Les Étoiles Filantes Seiko", will win a Seiko Prospex Solar Quartz Diver's Watch 200 m, worth €550.

Three steps, three exclusive watches to be won for the most strategic and best-prepared virtual sailors. These prestigious trophies, inspired by the marine world, further intensify the competition and provide additional motivation to join the virtual battle alongside real Figaro sailors.

The 2025 Course: A Challenging Nautical Adventure

The 56th edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec will cover a challenging course of approximately 1,850 nautical miles (approximately 3,426 km). This route, which includes a stopover abroad, promises a varied and challenging playground for the Figarists. Race director Yann Chateau emphasized that this edition promises to be “once again challenging, with a dangerous finale where maintaining clarity and physical freshness until the end will be crucial.”

The Grand Départ in Rouen will mark the start of the festivities. For the second consecutive year, the city will host the start village from August 30 to September 5. The Gaston-Boulet quay will be the scene of entertainment and meetings with the skippers, who are scheduled to arrive on August 30 and make their official presentation on August 31. The departure of the boats for the Seine estuary is scheduled for September 5. Le grand départ officiel de la course sera donné en baie de Seine, au large du Havre, le 7 septembre, après un convoyage depuis Rouen.

The course is divided into three legs, each presenting its own challenges:

Stage 1: Rouen – Morlaix Bay (673 nautical miles)

Cette première étape est la plus longue de l’édition. Elle mènera les skippers de la baie de Seine à Roscoff, en passant par l’Irlande et le célèbre phare du Fastnet. Les marins devront faire face à des sections côtières techniques, notamment la sortie de la baie de Seine et le passage de la pointe de La Hague, réputés pour leurs courants complexes et le Raz de Barfleur.

Le trafic maritime dense en Manche ajoutera une couche de difficulté, exigeant une vigilance constante. Les skippers devront également choisir stratégiquement entre les côtes françaises et anglaises pour contourner le dispositif de séparation du trafic des Casquets, une décision tactique cruciale qui pourrait influencer le reste de l’étape. La section côtière se terminera aux îles Scilly avant de basculer vers une navigation plus hauturière en direction du Fastnet.

At this time of year, in late August/early September, the prevailing winds in the English Channel are often from the southwest, with high frequencies in summer. Although fog and mist are rare, strong winds (over 28 knots) can occur. Water temperatures in the English Channel are generally pleasant, around 68–73°F in August. These variable conditions require sailors to constantly adapt their strategy and settings.

Stage 2: Morlaix Bay – Vigo, Spain (565 nautical miles)

The village of Morlaix Bay, located in Roscoff, will host the fleet from September 10 to 14. This stage will see the skippers round the tip of Brittany, passing the Birvideaux mark south of Belle-Île, before crossing the Bay of Biscay towards Vigo. The initial coastal section will require careful management of currents and thermal breezes, before sailing further out into the Atlantic.

In September, southwesterly and northeasterly winds are most commonly observed in the Bay of Seine. Further west, in northern Brittany, the prevailing winds blow from the south to the west and from the northeast. Average wave heights increase significantly as you head towards the Atlantic Ocean. The Bay of Biscay is known for its sometimes unpredictable and demanding conditions, which can quickly shift between calm and gale-force winds, requiring a high level of expertise in routing and decision-making.

Stage 3: Vigo – Saint-Vaast-La-Hougue (612 nautical miles)

Saint-Vaast-La-Hougue will host the grand finale of this 56th edition from September 24 to 27. This final stage will be particularly demanding and decisive. Sailors will have to round Cape Finisterre, located at the northern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, before crossing the Bay of Biscay a second time. They will then sail across the Iroise Sea, hugging the northern coast of Brittany, rounding the Channel Islands, and completing their journey with a full circumnavigation of the Cotentin Peninsula, an area renowned for its powerful and complex currents.

At the end of September, strong winds are more common in autumn. The English Channel can experience westerly sea winds, which are generally moderate, alternating between land and sea breezes. Managing currents in the Cotentin Peninsula will be a major challenge, requiring precise navigation and in-depth knowledge of the tides. The diversity of conditions encountered throughout this course, from technical coastal sections to offshore crossings, makes La Solitaire a comprehensive event, where every type of sailing skill is put to the test.

Le Figaro Bénéteau 3: A State-of-the-Art Foiling One-DesignLe Figaro Bénéteau 3: A State-of-the-Art Foiling One-Design

Since 2019, La Solitaire skippers have been sailing on the Figaro Bénéteau 3Designed by VPLP (Van Peteghem – Lauriot Prévost), architects of the Vendée Globe winners, this monohull represents a major technological achievement. It is the world's first production monohull with foils.

The most notable innovation lies in its foils. Unlike the foils on IMOCA 60s, which are primarily designed to generate lift so that the boat can “fly” above the water, those on the Figaro Bénéteau 3 have an inward-facing profile, shaped like a “chistera.” Their main function is to generate anti-drift and improve the boat's righting moment without increasing its displacement. This has a significant impact on performance: the boat becomes more stable and lighter (approximately 30% lighter than the FB2). ), and above all faster, especially at high speeds. This design allows sailors to attack harder in the breeze, offering new tactical opportunities and higher average speeds.

In addition to foils, the Figaro Bénéteau 3 incorporates other advanced technical features:

• Hull: Made from a sandwich of foam, fiberglass, and infused polyester resin, it performs better and has been freed from ballast, simplifying boat management.
• Keel: Thinner and deeper, with a narrow veil that minimizes drag. The foils complement the anti-drift provided by the keel.
• Mast and Sail Plan: The mast is set further back, as on IMOCA 60s, to ensure better balance under sail and allow for the use of more efficient sails. The boat is equipped with a square-top mainsail, a genoa, a jib, a headsail (105m²) and a small gennaker, offering a wide range of sails to adapt to different conditions.
• Dimensions: With an overall length of 10.89 m, a width of 3.48 m, a draft of 2.5 m, and a displacement of 3,175 kg, the Figaro Bénéteau 3 is a compact and powerful one-design yacht.

Despite all these technological innovations, the Figaro Bénéteau 3 remains a strict one-design class. This fundamental rule ensures that all boats are identical, guaranteeing a level playing field. This means that victory is not the result of technological superiority, but rather the skipper's talent, endurance, strategy, and risk management. Monotype racing is the cornerstone of La Solitaire, reinforcing its role as a true showcase for human excellence in offshore racing.

The Legacy of the Solitaire: A History Rich in Achievements

The Solitaire du Figaro Paprec has a rich history, beginning in 1970 under the name “Course de l'Aurore.” The newspaper Le Figaro took over sponsorship of the event in 1980, giving it its current name and contributing to its rise as an essential classic in French sailing.

The evolution of the race is intrinsically linked to the quest for sporting fairness, illustrated by the adoption of one-design boats. Initially open to various types of boats, the race took a decisive step in 1990 by choosing a single boat for all competitors, thus ensuring a level playing field. This decision marked a turning point, ensuring that the sailor's talent took precedence over material advantages. Over the years, three versions of the Figaro Bénéteau one-design boat have followed one another:

• The Figaro Bénéteau I (9 meters long) introduced in 1991.
• The Figaro Bénéteau II (10 meters) took over in 2003 and was the official boat until 2018.
• Since 2019, the Figaro Bénéteau 3 the Figaro Bénéteau 3 with foils has been the official boat, marking a new technological era while maintaining the principle of one-design.

La Solitaire a été le théâtre de l’éclosion et de la consécration de nombreux champions de la course au large. Six navigateurs ont remporté l’épreuve trois fois, inscrivant leur nom dans le cercle très fermé des légendes de la course. Ces victoires multiples témoignent de la capacité de la course à identifier et à affûter les compétences des meilleurs marins, faisant d’elle un véritable tremplin pour des carrières exceptionnelles dans l’océanographie.

Among these iconic figures are:

• Jean Le Cam, nicknamed “King Jean,” record holder for podium finishes (8 in total), winner in 1994, 1996, and 1999.
• Philippe Poupon, winner in 1982, 1985, and 1995.
• Michel Desjoyeaux, winner in 1992, 1998, and 2007.
• Jérémie Beyou, winner in 2005, 2011, and 2014.
• Yann Eliès, winner in 2012, 2013, and 2015.
• Armel Le Cléac’h, winner in 2003, 2010, 2020.

Memorable feats and anecdotes also punctuate the history of the Solitaire. We remember Clare Francis, the only woman to have won a stage in this race in 1975 , or the spectacular rescues of Pierre Saint-Jalm (hoisted by helicopter from Lizard Point in 1978) and Pierre Follenfant (spotted on the high seas thanks to his flashlight in 1979). These moments illustrate the harshness of the race and the resilience of the sailors.

The Solitaire is a test of solitude, mental and physical endurance, where skippers must make strategic decisions in real time in varying weather conditions. It is this constant demand that makes it an exceptional competition, respected and admired by all sailing enthusiasts. Her legacy lives on, not only through the names of the champions she has revealed, but also through her ability to push the boundaries of solo sailing.

Conclusion

For Virtual Regatta Offshore e-skippers, this is the perfect opportunity to test their routing skills, anticipate weather conditions, and compete with thousands of other enthusiasts. Following the race in real time, analyzing the skippers' strategic choices, and putting yourself in the shoes of a Figaro sailor allows you to gain a deeper understanding of the real challenges of offshore racing.

This immersion enriches the gaming experience by connecting it directly to the demands and grandeur of one of the most respected competitions in the world of sailing. May the best sailors win, both virtually and in reality!