La Solitaire du Figaro is about to undergo the most radical transformation in its history.
From 2028, the legendary solo offshore race will leave behind the one-design Figaro Bénéteau 3 and move to 40-knot Ocean Fifty trimarans.
The organisers promise more speed, spectacle and commercial appeal. But much of the French sailing world believes the change could destroy the very thing that made La Solitaire so important: equal boats, accessible competition and a brutally honest test of the sailor.
For decades, the Figaro circuit has served as the great university of offshore racing, producing generations of Vendée Globe, IMOCA and ULTIM champions. Ocean Fifty offers spectacular prototype trimarans—but also dramatically higher costs, a limited fleet and a completely different kind of competition.
In this episode of Sea Wolves Report, we examine:
Why the organisers are making the change
What makes the Figaro circuit so important
The enormous cost difference between both classes
Whether faster boats really create better racing
Why Bénéteau, Paprec, the French Sailing Federation and leading sailors have reacted so strongly
What happens to the next generation of offshore talent
And whether La Solitaire is being modernised—or stripped of its identity
A solo stage race in Ocean Fifty trimarans could be extraordinary.
But should it be called La Solitaire du Figaro?
Let us know where you stand in the comments.
