La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec 2026: Leg 3

My second Solitaire du Figaro Paprec campaign came to an unexpected conclusion when damage to Hope’s mainsail forced me to retire from the third and final leg of the race.

On the second night of the race I sailed through a front that was forecast to bring around 25 knots of wind with gusts to 35. I reefed early, having found 1 reef and J2 to work well in similar conditions on leg 1. However when the front came, the wind continued to climb. 40, 42, 43 knots clocked in on the instruments…

Despite having reefed early and preemptively eased the vang, when the gust hit I was unable to bear away immediately. Suddenly I could see moonlight behind the leech. My mainsail had ripped in two places, below the 2nd and 3rd reef points.

After wrestling the sail from the sky and assessing the damage, it became clear that it could not be repaired onboard in a timely manner - especially with conditions to steadily intensify over the coming days. It’s gutting to abandon a race when you have more left in the tank. I had finally arrived at the third start line rested, prepared, and hungry to progress.

A technical difficulty after the start put me miles behind the fleet - already a frustrating position. But I had remembered my lessons from Leg 2 and clawed my way back overnight in the light air, passing two boats. The next pack was in my crosshairs. My kite gear was already run for the hairy kite hoist in store for the following day. I’m pretty fast downwind, and I was looking forward to reeling in my competitors on a long windy run down the English Channel.

As for the Race Itself...

I arrived at this year’s start line feeling far more confident and capable than I did last August. The short timeline was both a blessing and a curse: Little time to raise funds and train, but also less time to get rusty. When I finally got back to training on the water, everything I learned from 2025 still felt fresh in my mind.

I returned determined not simply to finish again, but to measure myself against some of the best offshore sailors in the world and move up the rankings. While I didn’t get the ending I wanted in leg 3, I’m incredibly proud of how I sailed in the first two legs and of the progress I’ve made over the past year and a half.

This campaign was never about a bucket-list. The Solitaire remains one of the most demanding races in sailing, and my goal has always been to use it as a training ground for bigger ambitions. Every mile raced, every challenge overcome, and even setbacks like this one are part of that process.

That first front was only the beginning, and off the English coast my competitors would face the sort of conditions which makes this kind of racing famous. Gusts up to 55 knots, sustained winds in the high 30’s, and competitors were hoisting their A4’s with a full main or one reef. One of my peers cited a boat speed of 27 kts.

Seven sailors were forced to retire, including past winner and race favorite Tom Dolan. The fleet experienced sail failures, a grounding, and a dismasting. It was a reminder of how unforgiving offshore racing can be. In fact, no-one I spoke to afterwards made it out without damages from those punishing conditions.

One sailor was knocked down and his A4 filled with water. This then acted like a sea anchor, pinning the boat down for half an hour as Ollie Hill rigged a solution to recover the spinnaker over the stern, keeping his fractional halyard run for the next sail he needed to stay in the game.

After securing my own damaged sail, I licked my wounds and made my way safely to Les Sables d’Olonne. Getting there was no easy task and reaching the dock brought a sense of relief. Seeing the IMOCA fleet preparing for the Vendée Arctic race was inspiring, and I was quite moved to be welcomed ashore with applause from Frankie Clapcich, the 11th Hour Racing Team, and race director Alan Roberts. As veterans of the Solitaire themselves, they understand just how challenging this event is.

For now, I’ll head home to Rhode Island and turn my attention to the Newport Bermuda Race. I’ll be competing double-handed later this month with fellow solo sailor David Southwell.

I have some skills to continue honing ahead of some more Figaro events later this summer, notably starting practice. Time moves differently when you’re alone on board and this has been a weak point for me. I’ll also continue working with my team to share some really unique activation opportunities with potential sponsors over the coming months.

None of this incredible opportunity would be possible without the support of my sponsors, supporters, family, and friends.

The journey continues. Thank you for following along and being part of it.

Thank you to my supporters: