Solo Sailor Tom Dolan Continues to Set the Pace in the Mini–En

Solo Sailor Tom Dolan Continues to Set the Pace in the Mini–En–Mai

9th May 2017

Thomas Hall

Ireland’s Tom Dolan (910 foreground) going great guns in today’s early stages of the Mini-en-Mai

Ireland’s Tom Dolan is continuing to set the pace in his Mini Pogo 3 Offshoresailing.fr (IRL 910) in the 500 miles Mini-en-Mai as the leaders sweep past the Iles des Glenans and on towards the Point de Penmarch in a brisk easterly, vying for the lead in the Mini 650 class with sister-ship Kerhis-Cerfrance (Tanguy Bouroullec) at speeds of between 10 and 12 knots writes W M Nixon

With the first night drawing on, they have interesting navigation and pilotage in prospect as the course takes them close along the land inside the Ile de Sein and north to a turn up towards Camaret, before heading southwest into open Atlantic and the most westerly turn in the race, following which there’s the long offshore haul southeast towards a turn off Royan, then it’s back along the land to return to La Trinite sur Mer.

The pace has been ferocious, but with slacker winds in prospect as the race moves along, it’s still a very long way to the finish in these smallest offshore racers sailing what is undoubtedly a big boys’ race.

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Tom Dolan, Solo Offshore Sailor

Even when County Meath solo sailor Tom Dolan had been down the numbers in the early stages of the four-stage 2,000 mile 2020 Figaro Race, Dolan and his boat were soon eating their way up through the fleet in any situation which demanded difficult tactical decisions.

His fifth overall at the finish – the highest-placed non-French sailor and winner of the Vivi Cup – had him right among the international elite in one of 2020's few major events.

The 33-year-old who has lived in Concarneau, Brittany since 2009 but grew up on a farm in rural County Meath came into the gruelling four-stage race aiming to get into the top half of the fleet and to underline his potential to Irish sailing administrators considering the selection process for the 2024 Olympic Mixed Double Offshore category which comes in for the Paris games.