THE FIGARO BENETEAU 3 CIRCUIT HYPERACTIVE AGAIN IN 2026
Wednesday, february 11, 2026
When the 2026 season officially open with the Solo Guy Cotten (7-14 March), the Figaro Beneteau Class can congratulate itself for the record number of skippers competing again this year. 2026 will also see the return of many past championship skippers, coming back from other classes to line up against a younger generation that has dominated the class in recent years. With the presence of this mix of skippers bearing witness once again to the ongoing attractivity of the class, all ingredients required for an intense and promising sporting season are now in place !
The Figaro Beneteau Championship circuit remains shorthanded offshore racing's 'centre of excellence'
As an undisputed reference in the world of shorthanded offshore racing the Figaro Beneteau Class confirms its status once again with a particularly impressive roster of skippers competing in 2026. With its demanding race programme the One Design Figaro Beneteau 3 "The school of legends" is the platform to develop the complete all round racing sailor, capable of competing continuously throughout the season and capable of maintaining a rhythm and continually pushing their limits in their efforts to perform.
With two complimentary racing circuits - the Figaro Beneteau Academy Circuit and the French Elite Offshore Racing Championship (CFECL) - offering unique opportunities for on-the-water battles between young talents and much more experienced veterans, enabling the transmission of experience and valid apprentiships. This is the "Figaro spirit" : attention to detail, engagement, excellence, sharing and fun.
@ Simeli Prod / Classe Figaro Benetau
Return to competition
All agree, it is always a really valuable excercise to return to the Figaro Beneteau class to check-in with this super-competitive scene, and environment that has been the foundation where all shorthanded offshore champions have learnt and their trade, developed skills and relevant experience on their way to becoming the champions in all other offshore classes and disciplines. And it is with the greatest of humility that several of these historic skippers, many of whom have competed for the podium of the most recent Vendée Globe, Route du Rhum or The Ocean Race, have returned to the Figaro Beneteau Class to do battle in 2026 once again, against their peers and the current crop of emerging talent.
As proof, Nicolas Lunven, a two-time winner of the Solitaire du Figaro, expresses that he feels like a Rookie again! « The level of conpetition is exteremly high, with a fleet of young, talented and highly motivated sailors. I'm super happy to come back to the class that taught me pretty much everything I know about shorthanded offshore racing, that built me, and where I learnt to be rigourous, endlessly self questioning, but also taught me commitment and a taste for the rewards that come with effort », explains the skipper of PRB. Another double winner of the Solitaire du Figaro, Yoann Richomme, who has been back training in the class since January on board his Figaro PAPREC, is in total agreement: « I have a deep attachement to thisclass and its racing. I really like the highly competitve nature of the events and the class' constant ability to help identitfy, develop new and emerging talents. ». As for Jérémie Beyou, a three times winner of the Solitaire du Figaro, he will again compete in the class during the early events this year whilst waiting for his highly modified IMOCA CHARAL to be relaunched in June. « My goal is to prepare myself for the year's big IMOCA race at the end of the year, the Route du Rhum, and I consider that it is paramount to be constantly racing and confronting others in the highest level of competition, regardless of the class. The Figaro Beneteau 3 is without question the best place to do that. It requires you to be always really good at all the basics: sail trim, strategic positioning, hull trim, weight dirstribution, manouevres, starting well,... On top of that there is always the highest level of racing in the Figaro Beneteau Class, its really intense on the water, its exactly what I'm looking for. »
@ Simeli Prod / Classe Figaro Benetau
The Young Turks are mobilised !
Competing on the circuit over the past few seasons are several skippers that have already shown form and exhibited rare talent and commitment. Starting with Tom Goron, one of the youngest in the fleet, who this year will be participating in his third Solitaire du Figaro Paprec at the age of just 20. Constantly showing an ability to lead the fleet on the water for extended periods of time this young man is to be watched like a hawk now and in the future, his instincts and his determination will take him far : « Last year, I could have finished really well in the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec. This year I'm ready to step up a level so as to finish as well as I start. » And these young sailors are more than excited to welcome back the past champions and measure themselves against their role models. In particular Arno Biston (Article 1), a direct product of the Figaro Beneteau Academy Circuit, arriving on the scene just three years ago, he managed an incredible 3rd overall in the 2025 Solitaire du Figaro Paprec : « Seeing some of the past champions coming back to line up against our generation proves to me that my appraoch is the right one: to develop as a shorthanded offshore sailor in the Figaro Beneteau 3 class before moving on to bigger projects is the well trodden and proven path. What is exciting to see is that the CFECL circuit is as seriously attractive to them now as it was when they were younger. Its a real sign that The Figaro Beneteau Class remains 'the reference' and its great for us to have the chance to race against offshore racing sailors of their level. Its not bad for them to come back and check in with what we are doing either ! ». Another member of this young guard is, Jules Ducelier, third overall in the CFECL in 2025, more motivated than ever to take it to the next level: «The Figaro Beneteau class is the only strictly One Design offshore racing class in the world. This implies an intense level of racing all the time, and that's what we have all come to find. With the return of the old champions this year the Championship and the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec are going to be more competitive than ever. To compete against them really motivates me.»
@ Simeli Prod / Classe Figaro Benetau
The Rookies Challenge
Whether they come from the Mini 65.0 or the Class 40 circuits or from dinghy racing and the Olympic classes, all are ready to gain more experience and challenge the best. Case in point is François Jambou, winner of the 2019 Mini-Transat, who, following several years of coaching and helping others, returns this year to competition by joining the Figaro Benetau 3 class (Yuman.io). The skipper from Concarneau plans to enjoy : « a stimulating challenge by coming back to the toughest of competitions ! I'm changing my perspective but maintaining my intentions : progress, perform and do battle against the best. » Pierrick Letouzé, from Normandy, has stepped straight off the Class 40 circuit : « I have always closely followed the Solitaire du Figaro. As I'm from Cherbourg I have been heavily influenced by Alexis Loison (winner of the 2025 Solitaire du Figaro Paprec on his 19th attempt, along with the Rolex Fastnet and the Rolex Sydney Hobart in the same year), who is a superb ambassador for the Figaro Beneteau circuit. It is an elite school for offshore racing, the One Design nature is a big factor, it is just the sailor that makes the difference, I think I will gain a massive amount of experience throughout the season. Even though I have raced a lot in the Class 40 I am starting out in the Figaro Beneteau class with a lot of humilty as this is a class I don't know well and I know that you can't be the best on day one, it takes time to develop and learn the boat and this style of racing. I'm really pleased to see that this year there will be a surge of talent on the water, with the veterans coming back to line up against the younger skippers. We have a huge amount to learn from them and it will be really cool to cross tacks together. I can't wait to start! ». Another Rookie Paul Loiseau, the new skipper of Région Bretagne CMB Espoir, with little offshore experience and who to date hasn't spent a night offshore singlehanded, intends to find his level in this remarkable fleet. This 21 year old Breton, more a customed to inshore racing and Match Racing, explains :
: « I am used to racing One Design boats like the Figaro Benetau 3, since I started sailing One Design is all I have known. The fact that it is the skipper alone that makes the difference means the standard is automatically high. The class has absolutely nothing to prove in this domain. And with all these past champions coming back to the class this year its going to be an eye-opening experience and an amazing season for me. Its unbelievable for a young guy like me to be able to compete against the very best in the game. »
Not to forget to mention more than a dozen Rookies also entered this year, from Quentin Mocudet, second in the 2025 Mini Transat, the British sailor Jocelyn Creswell, who, having competed in the 2025 Défi Paprec with a new partner, convinced him that it would be a good idea to continue on and sail the CFECL in 2026. Then there is the Croatian multiple Olympic and World Cup skiing medallist Ivica Kostelic, who will tackle his first season in the Figaro Beneteau 3 having already sailed the 2022 Route du Rhum in his Class 40. An then there is Thomas Dinas, veteran of the Tour Voile, who will enter all the races of the Figaro Beneteau Academy this year.
2026 will indeed be a fascinating season ! And if the younger generation demonstrates their raw talent, the experience of the older sailors will make the challenge even more complex. « The Figaro, its just like riding a bike, it comes back to you quickly ! », smiles Yoann Richomme, second in the 2024/25 Vendée Globe. The gauntlet has been thrown.