L’Aventura 2026 calls at Lagos, bringing some of the biggest names in international offshore sailing to the city

Between the 1st and the 6th of September, Lagos will host one of the stopovers of L’Aventura 2026, a new and challenging offshore double-handed sailing race contested in the competitive Figaro Bénéteau 3 class and forming part of the French Elite Offshore Racing Championship.

The race links Port-Bourgenay, in the Vendée, Lagos and Île d’Yeu, covering approximately 2,383 nautical miles over two legs. The first leg takes the fleet from Port-Bourgenay to Lagos, via Madeira, while the second runs from Lagos to Île d’Yeu. The Portuguese stopover, from 1 to 6 September, will therefore be a key moment in the competition and an opportunity to bring some of the finest offshore sailors closer to the Portuguese public.

The entry list comprises 20 boats, featuring French, British, Irish, Croatian and other nationalities, bringing together established names in offshore sailing and a new generation of talent. The official entry list published on 13 August includes, among others, Tom Dolan, Alexis Thomas, Quentin Vlamynck, Ivica Kostelić, Chloé Le Bars, Gildas Mahé, Thomas de Dinechin, Adrien Simon, Paul Loiseau, Lola Billy, Colombe Julia and Noémie Catalano.

A fleet featuring champions and leading names in offshore sailing
Among the competitors is Ireland’s Tom Dolan, skipper of Kingspan and winner of the 2024 Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, becoming the first Irish sailor to have his name added to the roll of honour of this historic race. In 2026, Dolan once again demonstrated his competitiveness by winning the first leg of the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec.

Another leading name is French sailor Alexis Thomas, aboard Wings of the Ocean, who arrives in Lagos following an outstanding second-place finish in the 2026 Solitaire du Figaro Paprec in June, his best result to date in the race. Thomas also finished third on one of the legs in this year’s edition.

The fleet also includes Quentin Vlamynck, sailing SEIKO – Les Étoiles Filantes, one of the French competitors with the greatest international experience. Before joining the Figaro circuit, Vlamynck finished second in the 2022 Route du Rhum and won the 2023 Transat Jacques Vabre in the Ocean Fifty class. In 2024, he also won the Rolex Sydney Hobart in his class and has remained a prominent presence on the offshore racing circuit ever since.

One of the fleet’s most distinctive competitors is Croatian sailor Ivica Kostelić, aboard AMELICOR. A multiple Olympic and World Championship medallist in skiing, Kostelić has brought to sailing the same competitive spirit and endurance that defined his career in winter sports. Having competed in the 2022 Route du Rhum in the Class40, he is taking part in his first full season on the Figaro Bénéteau 3 circuit in 2026.

The presence of these sailors reflects the very philosophy of the Figaro Bénéteau circuit: bringing experience, youth, performance and learning together in direct competition. The Class describes the circuit as a true breeding ground for offshore sailing talent, where many of the sport’s leading names have developed the skills that subsequently took them to events such as the Vendée Globe, Route du Rhum and The Ocean Race.

Lagos: a natural choice for an event of this scale
The choice of Lagos as a stopover for L’Aventura is no coincidence. Lagos Bay is internationally renowned for its particularly favourable sailing conditions and for the city’s ability to accommodate teams, athletes and major sailing competitions. These qualities have helped make Lagos a regular host of some of the sport’s most prestigious events and trophies.

Lagos has also established itself as a venue for high-level international competitions. Organised by Clube de Vela de Lagos, Lagos Marina and Sopromar, with support from Lagos Municipal Council, the city has hosted several editions of the GC32 Racing Tour, including the World Championship, attracting teams associated with the America’s Cup and SailGP. Experts from the international professional sailing community have highlighted the rare combination of natural wind and sea conditions, marine facilities, boatyards, hotel accommodation and proximity to international airports.

It is against this backdrop that L’Aventura’s arrival takes on particular significance. Lagos is not simply a port of call on an offshore route, but a city with an established and internationally recognised maritime identity, capable of welcoming a high-calibre fleet and providing sailors with the conditions they need to compete, recover and prepare for the second leg of the race.

Five days of sailing, socialising and meeting the public
L’Aventura’s stopover in Lagos is also intended to be a celebration of sailing that is open to the wider community.

Over the five days, a range of opportunities is planned for sailors, partners, the sailing community and the public to meet, offering a rare chance to get a closer look at the day-to-day life of a professional offshore racing fleet.

The programme begins on Tuesday 1 September, with the arrival of the Figaro Bénéteau 3 boats at Lagos Marina, where the city will welcome the fleet.

On 2 September, from 3 pm, beach volleyball and/or footvolley tournaments are planned at Meia Praia, offering a relaxed opportunity for the sailors to mingle with the public.

On 3 September, a walk around Lagos will take place between 9.30 am and 10.30 am, followed later in the day by a barbecue and social gathering at Sopromar’s facilities for sailors and invited guests.

On Friday 4 September, the fleet will return to the water for a race in Lagos Bay, scheduled to start at 1.30 pm, with the boats expected back at around 4 pm. At 7 pm, the prize-giving ceremony for the first leg will take place in front of Cais de Honra, at Pontoon J in Lagos Marina.

Saturday 5 September will be devoted to preparing the fleet for the second leg. It will also give the public an opportunity to see the boats and teams preparing on the pontoons, with the possibility of stepping aboard the Figaro boats and learning more about the vessels in which these sailors race across hundreds of miles of open ocean.

Finally, on Sunday 6 September, after lunch, the boats will head out through the channel for the grand start of the second leg of L’Aventura, from Lagos to Île d’Yeu. The occasion promises to bring sailors, the sailing community and the public together along the pontoons of Lagos.

An adventure bringing sailing closer to the public
More than just a competition, L’Aventura seeks to build a close relationship between elite sport and the places it visits. The organisers place particular emphasis on community, sharing and the passing on of knowledge, bringing experienced sailors and young talent together in an event that aims to combine sporting performance with discovery and opportunities to connect.

For Lagos, the fleet’s visit represents an opportunity to strengthen the city’s position as an international destination for sailing and water sports, while giving the Portuguese public the chance to watch some of the most competitive sailors on the French and international offshore racing circuits at close quarters.

For several days, L’Aventura will turn Lagos Marina and the bay into a meeting point for elite competition, the sea, nautical tourism and the local community, before all 20 boats set sail once more towards the Atlantic and Île d’Yeu.

Further information about the race and programme: www.laventura.live

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