This year, three Norman skippers will take part in the 55th edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec: Jules Ducelier (Normandy Region), Edouard Golbery (Verder – Seastemik) and Alexis Loison (REEL Group). The latter will participate for the 1st, 2nd and 18th time respectively in the main race of the French Elite Offshore Racing Championship.
Licensed by the Société des Régates du Havre, Jules Ducelier , " who has always sailed on Normandy projects " succeeded Guillaume Pirouelle at the helm of the Figaro BENETEAU 3 Région Normandie after winning the selection last October. A great source of pride for the Norman, who learned the ropes in light sailing by going through inshore and several offshore experiences, including the Transat Québec – Saint-Malo which he raced with Alexis Loison and Guillaume Pirouelle, " very great sailors " with whom he is still learning. Currently 5th in the general ranking of the French Elite Offshore Racing Championship and 1st in the rookie ranking, Jules, who is looking forward to setting off from the Seine Bay which he knows well having lived in Le Havre for a long time, has one ambition: "to compete in the rookie ranking and get a good result overall " for his first participation. " The course is very complete and makes you want to go and play on it. There will be both coastal and offshore, playing with the currents and close to the rocks, and big strategic choices to make. There can be tactical play on very long scales so it will be super interesting. I can't wait to go there, " he adds.
For his part, Alexis Loison , a native of Rouen, will be starting the race on Sunday for the 18th time. The sailor, who lived part of his life in Cherbourg, never imagined leaving his hometown, " which is a bit far from the sea ". " I don't know Rouen very well. I'm really happy to be here at the start of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, which is by far my favourite race. I'm prepared, in great shape. I'm really looking forward to it, " says the sailor who now lives in Brittany. His goal: " no specific figures but to do a good job. That's still the most rewarding. You can be really happy with a 5th place after sailing very well, and disappointed with a 2nd place because you made a mistake that deprives you of victory. It's a very tough race. I want to have a smile on my face at the finish and tell myself that I've worked hard, that I still have my place here ." According to him, the most difficult thing is " to master everything even if not everything is controllable and there is an element of success. You have to play with all the parameters and especially the emotions, which are increased tenfold. The emotional roller coaster is extremely important to manage ."
Originally from Granville, Edouard Golbery , 4th in The Transat 2016 aboard the Class40 Région Normandie, is taking part in La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec for the second time. The skipper, who grew up in Jullouville, is " happy to be back to his roots " as he now trains in Lorient. " It's quite rare that I come to sail in Normandy, so I'm really happy to be here in Rouen. On Sunday, the start in the Bay of Seine is going to be great ." A rookie last year, the former trader who then became an actor before returning to the open sea, is approaching the race with a different mindset than last year. " I'm less stressed. I'm less apprehensive and more eager. I'd like to do better than in 2023 and continue to progress. The line-up is incredible. This is my second season in the Figaro. It's time to put all the progress I've made into practice. I've trained a lot with the others in Lorient this year. I can't wait to compete with the others on a course that's crazy. The race requires constant commitment given the level of professionalism of the field. We race in close contact, we sleep very little and the field is very high-level. That's what I'm looking for. We have a lot to learn from all this as a sailor ."