Six French sailors undertake world's first solo Ultim trimaran race

Six experienced sailors left the western French port of Brest on Sunday for the Arkea Ultim Challenge - the first solo around the world race for powerful maxi-trimarans. They are expected to complete the journey in around 50 days, for the fastest.

The six Ultim multihulls moor on the eve of the start of the multihull around-the-world solo sailing race Arkea Ultim Challenge, in Brest, on January 6, 2024. AFP - LOIC VENANCE

After an emotional goodbye ceremony with family, friends and onlookers, the race got underway at 1:30 p.m local time at the port of Brest.

Facing 21,600 nautical miles (or 40,000 km) and three capes to cross in South Africa (Good Hope), Australia (Leeuwin) and Chile (Horn), the competitors will finish with a trip up the Atlantic and return to Brest.

In the making for almost 20 years, the Ultim Challenge is, undoubtedly the "most extreme challenge ever undertaken in the history of sailing", according to organisers.

𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄

Découvrez l’affiche officielle de la première course autour du monde en Ultim ✨
6 marins, 6 bateaux, 1 tour du monde, 1 ville de départ et d’arrivée : Brest 📍
🔱 Bienvenue dans l'univers de l’@ARKEAULTIMCHALL pic.twitter.com/8OjdR6v6wA

— ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE - Brest (@ARKEAULTIMCHALL) December 8, 2023

Race of a lifetime

"It's the race of a lifetime. The only one that will give me so many emotions. We will never relive an adventure like that," "Adagio" skipper Eric Péron, 42, told French news agency AFP.

"Everything has come together for a very beautiful story, I grew up here in Finistère, I learned to sail here," explained Armel Le Cléac'h (Banque Populaire), who is setting off on his 4th world tour.

It's his first in a multihull after three Vendée Globes including a victory in 2016/2017.

"I hope I will succeed. But I have enough experience to know that anything can happen so I try not to project too much," he said.

Rare accomplishment

For Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild), winner of the last Route du Rhum in 2022, it will be a career highlight.

"The objective is already to cross the finish line with a boat in good condition. It is one of the biggest challenges of all of our careers," he said.

• French sailor sets new record for Route du Rhum transatlantic sailing race

Completing a solo round-the-world trip on a trimaran, very fast but also much more fragile and risky than a monohull, is an extremely rare accomplishment in ocean racing.

Only seven sailors have so far achieved this feat, including only four who have done it non-stop.

The current record for a trip around the world in a trimaran was set by Francois Gabart, in 2017, a feat achieved outside of the race in 42 days, 16 hours and 40 minutes.

François Gabart, on 14 November, 2018 in Gosier in Guadeloupe AFP/Archives

Gabart called by to wish his 26 year-old team mate Tom Laperche (SVR Lazartigue) good luck for his first circumnavigation.

"It’s great to see him here with the team. There’s impatience, stress, concentration, emotion, a little bit of everything… I’m going to make the most of it," Laperche, winner of the Solitaire du Figaro in 2022 said on Sunday.

Completing the lineup are experienced skippers Anthony Marchand (Actual) and Thomas Coville (Sodebo).

(with AFP)