Perhaps future isn’t here quite yet

Created in 1970, the La Solitaire du Figaro is a three-stage solo race held in one design boats. It has become a proving ground for aspiring offshore sailors, with the 2026 edition using the Figaro Bénéteau 3. Among the field of 36 competitors was Joss Creswell (GBR) who finished in 29th place.

AI company digiLab had provided Creswell and his shore team with a personalized, data-driven picture of his boat’s performance and the likely effects of weather, sea state and currents. The information was used to support routing, tactical, sail-management and fatigue decisions during the three-stage, approximately 1,500-nautical-mile race.

Using data collected during the previous racing season, digiLab’s model showed how well Creswell was sailing his boat, with the model improving as new race data was incorporated. Creswell had finishes of 27, 25, and 28.

While modern boats generate large quantities of data, sailors tend to relay on experience and instinct. The aim was to use probabilistic machine learning to present both predictions and their uncertainty, allowing sailors to make and justify their decisions. Perhaps the future isn’t here quite yet.