By crossing the finish line of the third and final stage in front of Saint-Nazaire at 6:54 p.m., Tom Laperche (
Bretagne-CMB Performance Region
) won his first stage victory of his career but above all ensured his triumph in the Solitaire du Figaro. 2022.
On this 53rd edition of the queen race, the 25-year-old sailor left Nantes with the big favorite's chasuble.
And he was very happy with it.
Winner of the first three events of the Solo Elite Offshore Racing Championship this season, his supremacy had not been challenged for a single second.
For his fourth participation, he is finally crowned.
Twice third 3rd, in 2020 and 2021, Tom Laperche had already shown his bow in 2019, taking second place in the first leg of a Solitaire won by Yoann Richomme on the brand new Figaro Beneteau 3. His self-assurance on arrival at Kinsale was already questioning.
This time, he awaited his moment of glory with patience but also greed.
"Every year there is one who is above the lot, I hope to be that one,"
he explained, smiling before setting off from Loire-Atlantique.
He was not wrong.
A figurehead father
Born in central Brittany like the elves of the Fée Morgane, Tom Laperche discovered the ocean very early.
His dental surgeon father, Philippe Laperche, himself having participated four times in the Solitaire in the 80s, settled in Saint-Philibert.
On the other side of the channel of La Trinité-sur-Mer.
The Sistine Chapel of the 60-foot multihulls of the time.
His childish peepers allow him to dream of adventure on the waves.
At the age of 7, he even had the opportunity to take the helm of the trimaran Orma
Sodebo
at the invitation of Thomas Coville, a friend of his father.
The virus is inoculated, sea water now flows through his veins.
His room was at the time lined with posters by Laurent Bourgnon or Steve Ravussin.
If in the South-West the children have a feast with cassoulet and play rugby, he tastes seafood and quickly experiences the first emotions on a square nut shell called Optimist.
The initiatory edges take place in the channel of the Morbihan port under the benevolent eye of his parents.
His schoolyard becomes the bay of Quiberon and this on multiple supports, especially those which go quickly.
What is great in Figaro is that we have a one-design fleet with always a high level where the boats are very close
Tom Laperche
Tom Laperche is also a boy with a well-made head.
After his baccalaureate obtained at 17, he obtained his mechanical engineering degree in Compiègne.
Three days after obtaining the certificate, he jumped with both feet on his Figaro Beneteau 3. Winner the previous winter of the Espoir challenge of the Bretagne CMB sector, his career as a high-level professional sailor had just been born.
“For me, the circuit and especially the Solitaire du Figaro were an interesting stage to perform quickly and to discover what solo sailing was like.
With a fight in the currents along the coast.
A technical exercise that I appreciate.
What's great in Figaro is that we have a one-design fleet with always a high level where the boats are very close.
Every detail of adjustment, every error, every placement in terms of strategy on the race course immediately has an important influence.
You can quickly see if you have gained or lost ground.
It often comes down to very little,”
likes to say Tom Laperche.
Before setting off on August 21 on the first stage, Tom Laperche found his Figaro but remembered the miles swallowed the previous weeks on a strange machine:
“I have been lucky enough to have been sailing since 2021 with the team by François Gabart on the Ultim SVR-Lazartigue.
They trust me.
High speeds make me dream.
And the sport must be experienced to the full.
This is where you push all areas, even being at the limit.
For me, browsing a lot of media is an asset.
Coming back in Figaro is easier behind.
»
Two complicated first steps
For this Solitaire 2022, things didn't really start well for him.
9th at 1:48 behind the winner of the first stage, Davy Beaudart (
Nauty'Mor
).
But the 25-year-old took it philosophically.
Without grumbling:
“It's hard but that's how it is.
What I will remember are the first three days that I spent in the lead and during which I enjoyed myself.
The classification and the figures are naturally frustrating but I know that winning the event remains possible.
The second
round had been more cheerful.
He finished 3rd behind Guillaume Pirouelle (
Normandy Region
) and Achille Nebout (
Amarris-Primeo Energie
) and above all is replaced in the general classification 14 minutes behind the Norman.
Tom Laperche wanted to be confident at the time: “
I would like to congratulate Guillaume and Achille!
This one you shouldn't miss, now there is still a big stage, with a round trip in the Bay of Biscay and when you see what has happened so far there is nothing does at all.
»
The final 640-mile stage was carried out at full speed in a wringer at the limit of what was reasonable.
Tom Laperche led the pack masterfully.
Relegating his adversaries to their illusions.
And in particular Guillaume Pirouelle and Achille Nebout clocked in at over an hour when the big winner arrived.
After his Solitaire, which will be his last for a while, the sailor sees himself heading off to other horizons:
“The ideal objective is to find a partner to build an OceanFifty, a 50-foot trimaran.
The circuit is awesome.
I repeat myself but I prefer machines that go fast.
Later, a trip around the world, like the Jules Verne Trophy, would also appeal to me.
Certainly
with greed.