{"id":11517,"date":"2025-09-02T08:10:36","date_gmt":"2025-09-02T08:10:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.virtualregatta.com\/?p=11517"},"modified":"2025-09-15T14:59:01","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T14:59:01","slug":"solitaire-du-figaro-paprec-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.virtualregatta.com\/en\/solitaire-du-figaro-paprec-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Virtual Regatta et la Solitaire du Figaro Paprec 2025 : De la Manche au Golfe de Gascogne \u2014 Avec 3 Montres Seiko \u00e0 Gagner !"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Solitaire du Figaro Paprec 2025 is fast approaching<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Join the Race<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The Solitaire du Figaro \u2013 The Must-See Event in Offshore Racing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Solitaire du Figaro Paprec<\/a>, 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 Vend\u00e9e Globe, have earned their stripes on La Solitaire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 B\u00e9n\u00e9teau 3, a boat that is identical for all competitors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Prestigious Prizes to Be Won on Virtual Regatta<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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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<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At each stage, the first virtual player to cross the Seiko buoy<\/strong>, equipped with the exclusive skin \"Les \u00c9toiles Filantes Seiko\"<\/em><\/strong>, will win a Seiko Prospex Solar Quartz Diver's Watch 200 m<\/strong>, worth \u20ac550. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three steps, three exclusive watches to be won<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contest rules<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The 2025 Course: A Challenging Nautical Adventure<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The 56th edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec will cover a challenging course of approximately 1,850 nautical miles (approximately 3,426 km).<\/sup> This route, which includes a stopover abroad, promises a varied and challenging playground for the Figarists.<\/sup> Race director Yann Chateau emphasized that this edition promises to be \u201conce again challenging, with a dangerous finale where maintaining clarity and physical freshness until the end will be crucial.\u201d<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Grand D\u00e9part 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.<\/sup> 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.<\/sup> The departure of the boats for the Seine estuary is scheduled for September 5.<\/sup> Le grand d\u00e9part officiel de la course sera donn\u00e9 en baie de Seine, au large du Havre, le 7 septembre, apr\u00e8s un convoyage depuis Rouen.<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The course is divided into three legs, each presenting its own challenges:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stage 1: Rouen \u2013 Morlaix Bay (673 nautical miles)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Cette premi\u00e8re \u00e9tape est la plus longue de l\u2019\u00e9dition. Elle m\u00e8nera les skippers de la baie de Seine \u00e0 Roscoff, en passant par l\u2019Irlande et le c\u00e9l\u00e8bre phare du Fastnet. Les marins devront faire face \u00e0 des sections c\u00f4ti\u00e8res techniques, notamment la sortie de la baie de Seine et le passage de la pointe de La Hague, r\u00e9put\u00e9s pour leurs courants complexes et le Raz de Barfleur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Le trafic maritime dense en Manche ajoutera une couche de difficult\u00e9, exigeant une vigilance constante. Les skippers devront \u00e9galement choisir strat\u00e9giquement entre les c\u00f4tes fran\u00e7aises et anglaises pour contourner le dispositif de s\u00e9paration du trafic des Casquets, une d\u00e9cision tactique cruciale qui pourrait influencer le reste de l’\u00e9tape. La section c\u00f4ti\u00e8re se terminera aux \u00eeles Scilly avant de basculer vers une navigation plus hauturi\u00e8re en direction du Fastnet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/sup> Although fog and mist are rare, strong winds (over 28 knots) can occur.<\/sup> Water temperatures in the English Channel are generally pleasant, around 68\u201373\u00b0F in August.<\/sup> These variable conditions require sailors to constantly adapt their strategy and settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stage 2: Morlaix Bay \u2013 Vigo, Spain (565 nautical miles)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The village of Morlaix Bay, located in Roscoff, will host the fleet from September 10 to 14.<\/sup> This stage will see the skippers round the tip of Brittany, passing the Birvideaux mark south of Belle-\u00cele, before crossing the Bay of Biscay towards Vigo.<\/sup> The initial coastal section will require careful management of currents and thermal breezes, before sailing further out into the Atlantic.<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In September, southwesterly and northeasterly winds are most commonly observed in the Bay of Seine.<\/sup> Further west, in northern Brittany, the prevailing winds blow from the south to the west and from the northeast.<\/sup> Average wave heights increase significantly as you head towards the Atlantic Ocean.<\/sup> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stage 3: Vigo \u2013 Saint-Vaast-La-Hougue (612 nautical miles)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Saint-Vaast-La-Hougue will host the grand finale of this 56th edition from September 24 to 27.<\/sup> This final stage will be particularly demanding and decisive.<\/sup> 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.<\/sup> 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.<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of September, strong winds are more common in autumn.<\/sup> The English Channel can experience westerly sea winds, which are generally moderate, alternating between land and sea breezes.<\/sup> Managing currents in the Cotentin Peninsula will be a major challenge, requiring precise navigation and in-depth knowledge of the tides.<\/sup> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Le Figaro B\u00e9n\u00e9teau 3: A State-of-the-Art Foiling One-DesignLe Figaro B\u00e9n\u00e9teau 3: A State-of-the-Art Foiling One-Design<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Since 2019, La Solitaire skippers have been sailing on the Figaro B\u00e9n\u00e9teau 3<\/a>Designed by VPLP (Van Peteghem \u2013 Lauriot Pr\u00e9vost), architects of the Vend\u00e9e Globe winners, this monohull represents a major technological achievement. It is the world's first production monohull with foils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u201cfly\u201d above the water, those on the Figaro B\u00e9n\u00e9teau 3 have an inward-facing profile, shaped like a \u201cchistera.\u201d<\/sup> Their main function is to generate anti-drift and improve the boat's righting moment without increasing its displacement.<\/sup> This has a significant impact on performance: the boat becomes more stable and lighter (approximately 30% lighter than the FB2). <\/sup>), and above all faster, especially at high speeds.<\/sup> This design allows sailors to attack harder in the breeze, offering new tactical opportunities and higher average speeds.<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to foils, the Figaro B\u00e9n\u00e9teau 3 incorporates other advanced technical features:<\/p>\n\n\n\n