trimaran ultim

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The Supreme Soloists of the Ultimes

• By James Boyd
• January 9, 2024

On January 7, ocean racing will take another evolutionary step with the mind-boggling feat of six brave Frenchmen who will set off from Brest in northwest France on board their giant 105-by-75-foot foiling trimarans—around the world, nonstop. Singlehanded. The new event is the Arkea Ultim Challenge-Brest, a sprint marathon that is expected to take 45 days or less at an ­average of 20 knots.

The present record for a solo lap of the planet stands at 42 days, 16 hours, 40 minutes, 35 seconds, but when this was set in 2018, skipper François Gabart had the luxury of departing with an optimal 10-day forecast (covering the first quarter of his voyage all the way down to the Southern Ocean). Competitors in the Arkea Ultim Challenge-Brest will have to leave on the designated start date and make the best of whatever Mother Nature offers them. However, while Gabart’s MACIF trimaran is going again (in new livery as Anthony Marchand’s Actual Ultim 3 ), it is now one of the older of the six trimarans that will set out. The newest Ultims, which harness the latest offshore foiling technology, are much, much faster.

Two of the biggest names in solo round-the-world ­record-breaking will be missing from the lineup; Gabart has passed over the helm of his Ultim to “the next generation” in Tom Laperche. Francis Joyon, who demolished the record for the solo lap on two occasions, bringing it down from 125 days to 72 days in 2005 and from 71 days to 57 days four years later, is now 67. While all six starting skippers are highly experienced, they range in age from 55-year-old Thomas Coville, skipper of Sodebo Ultim 3 , to 26-year-old Laperche.

Coville is the race titan. When it comes to racing large trimarans around the world singlehanded, his experience is unprecedented. He’s been attempting circumnavigation records on large trimarans since 1997 and as a skipper since 2008. On his fifth attempt in 2016, he finally set a new record only for it to be broken a year later by Gabart. He also has raced in the America’s Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race (winning it with Franck Cammas on Groupama in 2011-12) and was twice part of crews claiming the Jules Verne Trophy (fully crewed, nonstop around-the-world record). He has completed circumnavigations eight times—four times solo and six times on trimarans.

The most hotly tipped skippers, however, are Armel le Cléac’h, 46, on Maxi Banque Populaire XI, and Charles Caudrelier, 49, on Maxi Edmond de Rothschild . While Caudrelier is best known for being a two-time Volvo Ocean Race winner (with Groupama , then as skipper of Dongfeng Race Team in 2017-18), both cut their teeth solo racing in the French one-design Figaro circuit. But when it comes to solo offshore credentials, Le Cléac’h knocks it out of the park. He’s won La Solitaire three times, most recently in 2020, and crucially for the upcoming Arkea Ultim Challenge-Brest has also raced in three Vendée Globe races, finishing on the podium in all and winning in 2016-17.

Le Cléac’h’s trimaran was launched in 2021 as a replacement for his ­previous Banque Populaire-backed Ultim, which broke up terminally in the 2018 Route du Rhum. Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is unique in the race for being designed by Guillaume Verdier, while the rest are from VPLP (although in every case, the team itself offers substantial input). While Caudrelier has won most Ultim silverware in recent seasons, including the singlehanded Route du Rhum trans-Atlantic race in 2022, Le Cléac’h ended his run by winning this fall’s Transat Jacques Vabre race between Le Havre in northern France and the French Caribbean island of Martinique.

Tom Laperche has taken over as skipper of Francois Gabart’s SVR-Lazartigue for solo races. This is Gabart’s second Ultim trimaran and is considered the most advanced of the six. Laperche won La Solitaire du Figaro in 2022 and has raced with Gabart on the Ultim ever since the boat was launched. He gained his round-the-world experience on the IMOCA Holcim in The Ocean Race.

Also inheriting his Ultim campaign is Anthony Marchand, who took over the helm of Actual Ultim 3 from Yves le Blevec in January. Launched in 2015, Actual Ultim 3 is Gabart’s former MACIF ­trimaran, which is the present holder of the solo round-the-world record. Marchand, 38, sets off with vast experience on ORMA 60 trimarans, in the Figaro class, the Volvo Ocean Race (competing in 2015-16 on MAPFRE ) and in the IMOCA.

Fundamentally, the rule limits length to 32 meters and width to 23 meters, and the complex foil configuration on all six Ultims is fairly similar. 

Éric Péron, 42, is the race’s last-minute entry, and as a newcomer to the Ultim class, he will likely back marker. Péron has a strong background in the Figaro and Ocean 50 trimaran classes, and his trimaran Adagio was previously Sodebo Ultim , on which Coville set both his solo round-the-world and west-to-east trans-Atlantic records.

While there is an Ultim 32/23 rule, the design parameters of these incredible machines is a work in progress. Fundamentally, the rule limits length to 32 meters and width to 23 meters. The complex foil configuration on all six Ultims is fairly similar. Each of the boats has six appendages, including the giant, retracting rake-adjustable J-foils (of varying shapes) in the floats. The latest-generation foils have grown larger, enabling the trimarans to fly both downwind and upwind in less wind. Among the three front-runners, the most recent edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre demonstrated that SVR-Lazartigue has the lowest take-off speed, while Maxi Banque Populaire XI ’s foils work best in waves. Maxi Edmond de Rothschild lies somewhere between these two positions.

Unique to the Ultims is the T-foil pioneered by Caudrelier’s team on their MOD70 (now Giovanni Soldini’s Maserati ). Located in the center hull, this is effectively a daggerboard with a trim tab (to aid pointing ability upwind) and an elevator. This foil is used in a similar fashion to how AC50 catamaran crews negatively raked their windward rudder elevator to produce downforce, sucking the weather hull down. When a gust hits an Ultim, the crew can drop the traveler, but a more energy efficient response is to increase pitch on the T-foil’s elevator to create additional downforce. Then there are three rudders (one on each hull), each with an elevator. The rudders in the floats can be raised (typically the windward one) to reduce drag.

Aside from the significant developments to the foils, especially to reduce cavitation at high speed, teams have been focusing on improving aerodynamic efficiency. The Ultims now have low-drag vinyl fairings for the aft side of their crossbeams, and on some boats, the deck itself forms an endplate for the foot of sails. Living quarters have improved dramatically and, like modern IMOCAs, are becoming increasingly enclosed. The most extreme among them is Sodebo Ultim 3 , where the front of Coville’s “bridge” is forward of the mast step.

Autopilots have transcended beyond being able to steer to course, apparent wind angle or even true wind angle. Depending on the point of sail, the pilot will now automatically head up or bear away when a gust hits. 

The rigs are the same as those that have been fitted to French multihulls for the past 30 years—a rotating wing mast with each shroud terminating in a giant hydraulic ram, permitting the rig (and its center of effort) to be canted to weather. This reduces the downward force on the leeward bow, which can cause multihulls to pitchpole. Whether this is still required is a moot point because today’s foils effectively keep the leeward bow from immersing.

Due to the sheer physics of an Ultim, aided by the canting rig and the mast being stepped so far aft, the risk of capsize is almost ­nonexistent, Caudrelier says: “The Ultims are the safest multihulls because they fly, because they are big, but also because we have made huge improvements to the pilots with safety functions, and also we have a nice automatic ­system to ease the sails. It is quite safe. I don’t worry too much about capsizing, but I have in the back of my mind that it can happen.”

Thanks to teams working with such companies as B&G and Pixel sur Mer, Ultim autopilots have transcended beyond being able to steer to course, apparent wind angle or even true wind angle. Depending on the point of sail, the pilot (using what’s referred to as its “safety overlay”) will now automatically head up or bear away when a gust hits, which it can detect by the wind instruments or an inclinometer. In extreme circumstances, they have systems to dump the sheets, although these too seem to be near-redundant. 

An interesting point of dispute between the Ultim teams is how much automation should be permitted. Caudrelier’s team is pro automation, while other teams are less so. As a result, the autopilot can perform these functions but cannot, for example, adjust the boat’s flying mechanism, to automatically set ride height, pitch, etc.

If capsize is less of a concern, then the skipper’s biggest worries are technical failures on their giant boats, as well as collisions. They have tried to overcome the former through sheer time at sea, testing and failing to improve reliability. Le Cléac’h, for example, says that in the past year, he has sailed Maxi Banque Populaire XI some 20,000 miles, or half a circumnavigation. This has been solo and crewed, in a mix of races, private sea trials and the Ultim fleet training en masse. To avoid collisions, the Ultims have all available kit from radar to AIS alarms to the latest tech such as SEA.AI, which uses a masthead-mounted camera array to see objects—floating or semisubmerged—in the water ahead of the boat. These are compared in real time with the SEA.AI’s huge and ever-growing database of objects to identify them as threats.

In the recent Transat Jacques Vabre, Maxi Edmond de Rothschild suffered rudder issues soon after the start (later found to be a delaminating starboard rudder) and then damage to its port J-foil, but it still finished the race. It seems, therefore, very likely that this level of attrition can be expected in the Arkea Ultim Challenge-Brest. Caudrelier says that this proved to be a wake-up call for his team as well as valuable practice for how to deal with midrace technical issues. For example, the J-foil damage occurred after a small impact. “But while we were sailing, the damage increased,” he says. Perhaps it would have been faster in the long term to stop, fix the issue, and then continue, he muses. For bigger issues, race’s sailing instructions permit skippers to pitstop where their teams can join them to effect repairs, but in this case, they are obliged to spend a minimum of 24 hours in port as a penalty.

To help reduce risks, OC Sport Pen Duick, the race’s organizers, are ­imposing a movable virtual ice barrier as we have seen in other round-the-world races. Competitors must stay north of this, regardless of whether it drives them into high pressure or storms. Interestingly, they are also imposing exclusion zones around known breeding grounds for whales (yet to be defined at the time of writing).

The Arkea Ultim Challenge-Brest may be a solo race, but each campaign is genuinely a team affair. Ultim teams today are giant, some the scale of America’s Cup teams two or three decades ago, with their own in-house designers, engineers, hydro and aerodynamic specialists, and electronic and hydraulic experts. In the event of a technical issue during the race, skippers can now get immediate support using reliable satellite communications. The most consistent remote support each skipper gets is with their routing. In the Ultim class, shore-based routing is permitted. Le Cleac’h, for example, is using Dutch legend Marcel van Triest and French skipper/navigator Nicolas Lunven to provide round-the-clock routing assistance.

Ultims are fast—50 knots is very possible—but skippers are less interested in top speed and entirely focused on maintaining high averages of 30 to 35 knots. They don’t need much wind to achieve such a pace, however. An Ultim’s optimal conditions are broad-reaching in 20 to 25 knots. Any more wind than that, and the sea state gets too large to foil safely. Even in optimal wind conditions, skippers must back off if sea state and wave direction is not ideal. Understanding this is vital to the routing process.

The Ultims are potentially so fast that their routing team can go a long way in ensuring that they stay in optimal conditions. For example, in the Southern Ocean, if they can get into the optimal reaching conditions in flat water ahead of a front, they can potentially ride this for days. But the biggest limitation is the solo skipper. The Ultims typically carry a mainsail and four headsails, including two gennakers and a permanently hoisted J2, all set on furlers. Tacking and jibing requires the sails to be released and sheeted in, the mast to be canted and tacked, and foils and rudders to be raised and lowered. It’s a process that typically takes 20 to 30 minutes. Le Cleac’h says that the most time-consuming sail change is going from the J0 to the J1 because the sails are heavy (around 120 kg), and this can take up to an hour. Factoring all this into the routing is vital because the skipper on his own can do only so much.

“If reaching 95 percent of the boat’s potential requires making three jibes and four tacks and to change two sails, it will be difficult to do that if you are tired,” Le Cleac’h says. His routers offer him three options—from the one offering optimal performance to the easiest for him to achieve—which can be decided based on his energy level and capabilities.

One positive for the skippers is that the required endurance is comparably short compared with a Vendée Globe effort, but still, so much remains unknown as they embark on this extreme test of man and machine. 

“It is a bit like the first Vendée Globe,” Caudrelier says. “It is not quite the same because we know where we are going, but it is the first one, so it is a bit of an adventure. Usually you push to the maximum constantly, but for me, this is the first time I can’t do that. We will have to find the good balance between good performance and safety of the boat. That is an interesting exercise.”

• More: Arkea Ultim Challenge Brest , Print January 2024 , Racing , Sailboat Racing
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Round the world race: 100ft trimarans set for solo race

• Helen Fretter
• July 9, 2021

The fastest offshore racing designs ever built, the foiling 100ft Ultim trimarans, will go head-to-head in a solo round the world race in 2023

Photo: Yvan Zedda

The Ultim class has announced the first single-handed race round the world for giant multihulls , the Solo Ultim World Tour. 

This will likely be the most challenging ocean sailing race ever held. The solo skippers will need to navigate a course as arduous as the Vendée Globe , but will be doing so in 100ft foiling trimarans with complex appendages capable of sailing at 45 knots , with the ever-present risk of a split-second capsize.

Six of the fastest ocean-racing designs in the world will be taking part in the new solo race round the world, with record-breaking sailors Armel Le Cléac’h , Charles Caudrelier and Thomas Coville among the solo skippers lining up.

The Gitana entry Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is one of the most highly optimised big trimarans, and will be coming back into the Ultim class. Photo: Eloi Stichelbaut / PolaRYSE / Gitana

Unsurprisingly, the race has been a long-time in coming to fruition. Now called the Solo Ultim World Tour, it will be organised by the hugely experienced event company OC Sport Pen Duick, in collaboration with the Class Ultim 32/23, to start in the autumn of 2023. The concept was first mooted around 15 years ago, just as the notoriously skittish Orma trimarans were in their final days. A calendar was drawn up for the embryonic Ultime class which included solo and crewed round the world races, building up to a solo around the world race set for December 2019, then called the Brest Oceans. 

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However, in the 2018 Route du Rhum – the transatlantic race with a reputation for being something of a demolition derby – four of the big trimarans suffered severe damage. Armel le Cléac’h’s Banque Populaire IV capsized and broke up mid-Atlantic, while the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild lost 10m of one float, Sodebo also suffered structural cracking to one float and Macif lost a foil and a rudder. 

History seemed to be repeating itself – in the 2002 Route du Rhum, only three of 18 multihulls had managed to complete the race, and the ensuing capsizes and dramatic rescues saw many sponsors leave the Orma fleet. It was clear that the Ultim class was nowhere near ready to race solo around the world.

Macif at the start of the 2019 Brest Atlantiques Race

However, the class changed tack. A multi-stage double-handed race looping around the Atlantic was held in 2019 instead – the Brest Atlantiques . Although several boats suffered damage – Macif swopping out a rudder in Rio, and Sodebo breaking off its starboard rudder after hitting a whale (an impact which caused so much damage that the aft section of the starboard float filled with water and later also broke away), three of the four made it around and there were no dramatic rescues.

Round the world race entries

Even more remarkably, new boats kept being launched. Banque Populaire commissioned a new Ultim for le Cléac’h, and although Francois Gabart’s previous sponsor Macif pulled out mid-build, his new Ultim – code-named M101 – was completed, and he secured new backing from French cosmetics group Kresk (now under the name SVR-Lazatigue ). 

Combined with a new Sodebo for Thomas Coville in 2019, and a healthy market for second-hand giant trimarans that are ripe for optimisation, the biggest, and most audacious ocean racing fleet in the world is now attracting entry numbers to rival that of the last one-design Volvo Ocean Race (seven in the last Volvo, six currently in the Solo Ultim World Tour).

Confirmed entries for the round the world race so far are: Banque Populaire XI , skippered by Armel Le Cléac’h; Maxi Edmond de Rothschild with Charles Caudrelier (which will come back into the Ultim class after being modified out of class rules for round the world record attempts); Thomas Coville’s Sodebo;  Francois Gabart on his new SVR-Lazartigue ; Actual , skippered by Yves Le Blevec, and a Brest Ultim Sailing entry, the former Actual , with the skipper still to be announced. 

These sailors are the absolute elite of ocean racing. Between the five confirmed skippers alone they include two Vendée Globe winners, two around the world solo record holders, two Volvo Ocean Race wins , at least two Jules Verne around the world crewed records and multiple further attempts.

The start and finish host city has not yet been decided, although discussions are underway with the City of Brest, which has shown keen interest in hosting the event since the creation of the project and hosted the Brest Atlantiques Race in 2019.

Sodebo was one of three latest generation Ultimes racing in the 2019 Fastnet. Photo: Kurt Arrigo / Rolex

The current around the world multihull solo record stands at 42d 16h, set by Gabart on his previous Macif in 2017 . The Solo Ultim World Tour is likely to take around 40-50 days, as they will not be setting off with an optimal forecast for record-breaking.

However, the biggest question will be whether they can make it around without race-ending foil damage. After the experiences of the Brest Atlantiques Race and 2019 Route du Rhum, all the teams have been innovating with ways of both avoiding collisions, and making their trimarans more robust in the event of hitting a UFO.

The new Banque Populaire has increased structures, sacrificing ultimate light weight for strength (see more on this in the August issue of Yachting World magazine, out now). Sodebo has been experimenting with appendage fittings designed to absorb impact, and all the big tri’s are trialling collision avoidance systems such as Oscar to try and identify objects in the water.

Charles Caudrelier, the co-skipper of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild who will be taking on the solo race, said: “This solo round-the-world race in the Ultim is a dream I didn’t even dare to hope for in my career. I have always been very drawn to the Vendée Globe, but here, at the helm of the fastest boats on the planet and in flying mode, it is quite simply the ultimate challenge. 

“Leading such a boat alone on such a demanding global course is an extraordinary adventure that I am really proud to share with the Gitana Team and on the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild. I have been thinking about this world tour for two years, it is this goal that motivates me and keeps me moving forward every day.”

The newly launched Banque Populaire XI

Thomas Coville, skipper of Sodebo Ultim 3 , commented: “It is a privilege to be part of this group of sailors. With Sodebo, we have been thinking about this race since 2007 when we launched the construction of the first Sodebo Ultim trimaran.

“There were a lot of twists and turns in the creation of this race around the world. This race justifies 20 years of commitment and high-level sailing. This is the race that will consecrate the life of an athlete and a sailor.”

Armel Le Cléac’h, Banque Populaire skipper added: “Our boats are magical, and I am happy that we can share them with the public around great adventures. I can’t wait for it to start!”

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devant Sodebo Ultim' 3 pour les 24 H Ultim' 2024 Photo : Gwen_29Sud

Mise à l'eau à Lorient et Concarneau ce lundi Photo : Gwen_29Sud

les chantiers des chantiers à Lorient

Ultim Evènements à venir

25/09 au 06/10/24 Finistère Atlantique Concarneau/Antibes

19 octobre 2024 Rolex Middle Sea Race

Tentatives sur le Trophée Jules Verne

Mai 2025 Med Ultim

Juillet 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race

Septembre 2025 24 h Ultim

Octobre 2025 Tour du Monde à l'envers

Octobre 2025 Trophée Jules Verne

Novembre 2025 Transat Jacques Vabre

Juillet 2026 Finistère Atlantique

Septembre 2026 24h Ultim

Novembre 2026 Route du Rhum

Juin 2027 Lorient / Les Bermudes / Lorient

Juillet 2027 Rolex Fastnet Race

Septembre 2027 24 h Ultim  

Novembre 2027 Transat Jacques Vabr e

Ultim Championnat 2024

1 Maxi Edmond de Rothschild   25   

2 Sodebo Ultim' 3                      23

3 Banque Populaire XI              20

4 Actual Ultim' 3                         18

5 ADAGIO                                  16

6 Argo                                         9

7 Zoulou                                     7 

8 Limosa                                     5

9 SVR Lazartigue                       3

Classement 2019

Classement 2018

Classement 2017

Classement 2016

Classement 2015

Franck Cammas

Tom Laperche 

François Gabart

Francis Joyon

Yves Le Blévec

Anthony Marchand

Sam Goodchild

Eric Péron

Thomas Coville

Gwénolé Gahinet

Jean Luc Nélias

Armel Le Cléac'h

Sébastien Josse

Charles Caudrelier

Romain Pilliard

Archives Ultimes News années 2020 à 2022

Archives Ultimes News années 2016 à 2019

Archives Ultimes News années 2014 à 2015

Ultimes évènements passés

Route du Rhum 2014

Jacques Vabre 2015

The Transat 2016

The Bridge 2017

Jacques Vabre 2017

Nice UltiMed 2018

Route du Rhum 2018

Brest Atlantiques 2019

Jacques Vabre 2021

Finistère Atlantique 2022

Route du Rhum 2022

Jacques Vabre 2023

ARKEA Ultim' Challenge Brest :

Préparation d'avant course

La descente de l'Atlantique Nord

La descente de l'Atlantique Sud

L'océan Indien

Le Pacifique

La remontée de l'Atlantique Sud

La remontée de l'Atlantique Nord

Record de Thomas Coville sur Sodebo Ultim'

Record de François Gabart sur Macif

Trophée Jules Verne 2015-2016

Tentative 2017 Spindrit 2

Tentative  d'IDEC Sport

Tentative Spindift 2 2019 

Tentative Gitana 17 2020

Tentative Sodebo Ultim' 5 2020 

Tentative Sails of Change 2021

Tentative Gitana 17 2023

ITW Sam Goodchild

De Formule TAG à Energy Observer

Macif la construction

Trophée Jules Verne Spindrift 2 2019

Tour du Monde à l'envers 2017 Actual Ultim'

IDEC Asian Tour

Tour du Monde à l'envers Use it Again

Novembre 2019

Juillet 2024, septembre 2024, octobre 2024, la route des terre-neuvas officiellement lancée, en 2024, ultim sailing poursuit son déploiement, 24h ultim : banque populaire xi l'emporte, gestion de projet, lire le manifesto, emmanuel bachellerie.

Ultim Sailing Heron Building 66 avenue du Maine 75014 Paris

Mathieu Sarrot

Ultim Sailing a acquis, au printemps 2021, l’un des 7 Ultims que compte la planète. D’une longueur de 31 mètres de long, de 21 mètres de large et d’un mât de 35 mètres de haut, le trimaran est proposé à la location annuelle pour pouvoir participer aux grands événements nautiques tout en permettant à ses parties prenantes (collaborateurs, clients, partenaires, prospects) de vivre des expériences uniques.

Dans le prolongement de cette acquisition, Ultim Sailing propose aux marins, en recherche de sponsors et de partenaires, d’examiner toute problématique relative au montage d’un projet ; de la ClasseMini aux Ultim.

Les deux dirigeants d’Ultim Sailing ont, à eux deux, 33 années d’expérience dans le domaine de la course au large. Passionnés par ce sport et ses théâtres naturels, ils ont à cœur de passer de l’idée au projet.

Parce que les collectivités, les partenaires privés, les équipes et leurs sponsors ont, tous, des problématiques différentes et complexes à enchevêtrer…

Parce que les media ont une appétence pour le « live »…

Parce que le grand public rêve d’aventures…

Parce que nous aimons ces machines et les marins qui vont dessus.

Pour toutes ces raisons, il nous est apparu utile de proposer de partager nos réflexions et de les mettre en œuvre ; quand tel territoire veut faire savoir la protection de son littoral, son engagement dans le maritime, l’accompagnement de ses filières industrielles ou quand telle marque veut raconter des histoires alternatives qui emmènent la totalité de ses publics.

Qu’il s’agisse de « Brest Atlantiques » en 2019, le « Trophée BPGO » ou « Finistère Atlantique » cette année… chaque projet a eu ou aura sa singularité. C’est une promesse que nous nous faisons et partageons à nos interlocuteurs.

La course au large n’est pas un sport comme les autres.

Il est à ciel ouvert, à contrario d’une enceinte fermée. Il ne bénéficie pas de droits TV. Il est fait de ce bois singulier qu’ont celles et ceux qui partent en mer ; taiseux, durs au mal et amis de l’inconnu, de l’incertitude.

Que vous soyez collectivité ou marque commerciale, nous vous accompagnerons dans les questionnements et réponses à apporter aux interrogations qui seront les vôtres au moment de vous engager. Parce qu’une fois qu’on a goûté au sel de la course au large, difficile de s’en éloigner.

Que diriez-vous d’un homme qui place haut Victor Hugo, Raymond Aron et… Loïck Peyron ? Et qui, facteur aggravant, lit un roman ou un essai politique par semaine et, par-dessus le marché, poste trois commentaires argumentés sur les réseaux sociaux en lien avec l’actualité ? Allez, soyez franc(s) : feriez-vous confiance à un social-démocrate, européen, libéral et pire, sorti des écoles parisiennes ? Et qui, de fait, n’est ni Léonard, ni Trégorois, ni encore moins Bigouden. N’était-il tout simplement pas étrange de voir un Versaillais, alors âgé de 42 ans, prendre en 2014, la barre d’une classe naissante de trimarans géants, celle de la Classe Ultime, et la soutenir pendant sept ans, souvent face à des vents contraires ? Emmanuel Bachellerie, s’il est un homme de communication – selon la formule fourre-tout – parle moins qu’il n’écoute. Ce qu’on cherche dans une organisation, qu’elle soit sportive, humanitaire, politique, internationale, ce n’est pas une technicité – elle sera nécessairement au rendez-vous – ni des phrases toute faites ; non, ce qu’on cherche, c’est un homme qui sache parler aux hommes et aux femmes qui vont, soit modifier l’Histoire, ou alors plus modestement comme ici fabriquer des histoires. Mathieu Sarrot et Emmanuel Bachellerie ne sont précisément pas des hommes de mer, mais connaissent intimement celles et ceux qui vont sur l’eau. Ils ne navigueront pas. Ce n’est pas leur travail. En revanche, ils écrivent une nouvelle page pour que ceux qui savent naviguer à armes égales puissent le faire. Et nous, éventuellement voyager.

Jean-Louis Le Touzet, 22 avril 2022

Organisateur de courses au large, Mathieu Sarrot compose des histoires de mer et de marins depuis le quai. Les portées qu’il dessine en clé de sol ont vocation à voir s’ébattre les notes des marins, à accueillir leurs cadences. En 25 ans de métier, le Parisien nourri au bon vent de Saint-Malo a déjà veillé sur la bonne tenue de plus de 45 courses au large. La vocation n’est pourtant pas aisée lorsque, aux départs et leur cortège d’angoisses, on préfère le verre partagé avec le dernier. En quatre Routes du Rhum, huit Solitaires du Figaro, autant de Transats AG2R La Mondiale et de Transat jacques Vabre, cinq Trophées BPE, trois Courses de l’Europe et une myriade de galops de figaristes, le compositeur a connu bien des bonheurs.

Pour se mettre en phase avec l’exercice de la navigation, Mathieu Sarrot a donné à sa trajectoire la géométrie d’un passage de front : du droit d’abord, puis un bord de recalage par une école de communication, pour parfaire sa définition de l’allure à donner à une course. Ses rencontres avec Pierre Bojic, Éric Tabarly, Gérard Petipas ou Jean Maurel ont nourri son désir perpétuel de laisser cours aux histoires vraies, à l’authentique. Le lien profond qu’il a développé depuis 1994 avec la communauté des gens qui naviguent le rend légitime dans sa volonté de dessiner ses courses avec les marins. Avec Ultim Sailing, la structure qu’il anime avec Emmanuel Bachellerie, Mathieu Sarrot met à l’épreuve sa conviction que les courses au large peuvent s’inscrire en conformité avec l’époque, en développant un modèle plus frugal, plus agile et, il l’espère, plus vertueux.

Frédéric Pelatan, 22 avril 2022

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Sunday is D-Day for six solo ocean racers as Arkea Ultim Challenge - Brest starts

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Published on January 2nd, 2024 | by Editor

Countdown to the Ultimate race

Published on January 2nd, 2024 by Editor -->

The ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE – Brest starts from Brest, France on January 7 and will be the first ever solo race round the world on giant Ultim trimarans, the biggest and fastest ocean-going sailboats in the world.

Unlike speed records which depart in ideal weather windows for a race against the clock, six solo skippers will push the boundaries of singlehanded racing with class boats that are a maximum length of 32 meters and a maximum width of 23 meters.

Entrants: • Charles Caudrelier (FRA), Maxi Edmond de Rothschild (2017 Verdier 32/23) • Thomas Coville (FRA), Sodebo Ultim 3 (2019 VPLP/others 32/23) • Tom Laperche (FRA), Trimaran SVR-Lazartigue (2021 VPLP 32/23) • Armel Le Cléac’h (FRA), Maxi Banque Populaire XI (2021 VPLP 32/23) • Anthony Marchand (FRA), Actual Ultim 3 (2015 VPLP 30/22) • Éric Péron (FRA), Trimaran Adagio (2014 VPLP 31/21)

As a reference, the solo speed record was set in 2017 by François Gabart (FRA) on the 30m Macif trimaran in a time of 42d 14h 40m 15s for an average speed of 21.08 knots. This yacht has been rebranded and will be raced by Marchand.

Coville is the skipper who has completed the most round-the-world passages on a multihull. He competed in five, completed the loop three times and was once the record holder around the world (49 days and 3 hours in 2016).

“We need to find the right approach to sustain the right level on this unique and singular challenge,” noted Coville. “There is a very big psychological dimension. We are constantly seeking to work at or near our limits, to go beyond normal effort levels despite the accumulated lack of sleep, the risk, the frustrations, the anxiety, the ice.

“I like to tell myself that we are not racing but that we are on a tough expedition. There are days when you burst into tears, days when you scream, days when you go crazy. You end up being a mix between euphoria, exhaustion, and elation.”

Details: https://arkeaultimchallengebrest.com/en

Five rules from the Sailing Instructions: • The start line is kept open for 168 hours and the finish line is closed after an elapsed time of 100 days after the start time, that is to say 16th April 2024.

• The skippers can communicate and exchange with their teams on shore, so they have the freedom to get weather information and be routed by their team on shore and get technical help and advice to help with technical problems.

• The solo skippers can stop but there are two distinct operations. A technical stop is unassisted and requires the sailor to drop anchor, take a mooring, or tie up alongside an anchored or moored boat with no external help. There is no time penalty for a technical stop. But for a technical stopover (escale technique) where one or more crew or technical team come on board to help, there is a mandatory 24 hours minimum. This does not apply to the start port of Brest where all means are authorized to reach or leave the port within a radius of 50 miles.

• For the first time in ocean racing, zones where there are known to be a high concentration of whales and sea mammals are determined. Establishing these zones should both protect the marine wildlife and reduce the chance of a collision. These zones are around the Azores, the Canaries, south of South Africa, the Kerguelens, and parts of the Antarctic.

• There are ice exclusion zones to protect the skippers and their boats.

Tags: ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE – Brest

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The Ultim class is born

Until now, the Ultim trimarans have been brought together under the aegis of an owner’s collective, which decided unilaterally on a rule and its development. 

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This collective has allowed the creation of some nice projects and even a singlehanded race around the world, whose start is planned from Brest in 2019. After 4 years, the collective has decided to switch to being a class affiliated to the Federation Française de la Voile, so as to make their move official, and above all, to reassure possible foreign owners. The Ultim 32/33 class – its new name – is based on some permanent rules (length, beam, air draft…) and others which can be modified every 4 years (such as for the adjustment of moveable hull appendages)...

We hope this change will bring forward some new owners, to provide us with an even crazier spectacle!

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The Sunreef 66 Ultima marks the fifth instalment in the Ultima series, continuing the tradition of defying conventional categorization and establishing its unique identity within the maritime landscape.

In essence, the Sunreef 66 Ultima harmoniously merges the best attributes of monohull and multihull living spaces, coupled with a shallow draft that challenges traditional norms in luxury yachting. This vessel introduces a new paradigm in marine architecture, rewriting the rules of opulence on the open seas. Sporting a sleek and sporty hull, this electric catamaran ensures effortless access to any marina, while its advanced design minimizes drag for heightened performance and energy efficiency. The Sunreef 66 Ultima pioneers a distinct category, outclassing competitors with its combination of speed, comfort, and sustainability—no fumes, no vibration, no trace.

The groundbreaking nature of this innovation stems from the vessel’s departure from conventional catamaran design. On initial inspection, its form deviates from the standard catamaran shape, opting for reduced width to achieve a beam-to-length ratio more reminiscent of a monohull. This strategic adjustment facilitates the creation of horizontal surfaces between the twin hulls, seamlessly connecting them to form a unified volume akin to a monohull. The outcome is a commodious interior, highlighted by an exceptionally spacious full-beam owner’s cabin.

Distinctively setting the Sunreef 66 Ultima apart from monohull vessels are the folding bulwark platforms, creating a private Ocean Lounge that enhances the vessel’s allure. This thoughtful design element further solidifies the Sunreef 66 Ultima’s status as a revolutionary force in luxury yachting, redefining expectations with its unparalleled blend of innovation and sophistication.

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Finistère Atlantique : 5 trimarans Ultim vont s'élancer de Concarneau à destination d'Antibes

Pour cette deuxième édition de la Finistère Atlantique, cinq trimarans de la classe Ultim vont s'affronter entre Concarneau et Antibes, en équipage. Le parcours et les concurrents ont été présentés à Port Vauban, qui accueillera les équipages après ce sprint océanique de 2000 milles.

Relier deux citadelles 

Après la Nice Ultimed, c'est la deuxième fois depuis 2018 que les Ultim viennent s'affronter en méditerranée. Après deux années d'échange entre la classe et les différents partenaires, la Finistère Atlantique va offrir un nouveau parcours à ses concurrents.

Le départ sera donné le samedi 28 septembre à Concarneau. Les trimarans s'élanceront pour un petit parcours côtier, avant de virer la Jaune des Glénan.

Après une traversée du Golfe de Gascogne, un premier passage délicat devra être négocié entre le Cap Saint Vincent et Gibraltar. Les concurrents devront se maintenir à distance du DST , avant une remontée libre le long des Baléares .

Une marque de parcours devra être virée devant Marseille , avant une dernière ligne droite vers Antibes, soit environ 2000 milles de régate en équipage.

Des équipages rompus à la régate au contact

Chaque Ultim accueillera un équipage de six personnes, et seulement deux femmes embarqueront, à savoir Amélie Grassi sur SVR Lazartigues, et Marie Riou sur Actual.

Pour ce sprint autour d'une partie de l'Europe, les figuristes et autres régatiers habitués à la régate au contact seront de la partie.Pour trois Ultim , les équipages seront les mêmes que pour les tentatives de Jules Verne cet hiver.

Un parcours qui pourra créer des surprises

Francis Le Goff, directeur de course de la Finistère Atlantique, nous a décrit ce parcours et les surprises qui pourraient se révéler aux équipages :

 " Ce sera une belle course d'Ultim, avec un golfe de Gascogne qui peut réserver des surprises, puis une entrée en Méditerranée qui demande une grande attention en raison du trafic et des conditions météo. C'est un parcours complet et très technique, la réussite de l équipage sera prédominance pour ce sprint. Il peut y avoir de grosses transitions, si l'on en croit les gribs des dernières années "

Anthony Marchand , skipper d'Actual, confirme qu'une attention particulière sera apportée à la météo, surtout en méditerranée :

"La préparation météo se travail surtout 3 jours avant le départ. Sur un parcours proche des côtes, on repère la topographie générale et les hauts fonds. C'est génial de repartir en équipage. Après une saison en solo et en double, il faut apprendre à repartager l'espace avec plusieurs équipiers. "

Un joli spectacle pour le public

Les festivités commenceront le mercredi 25 septembre à Concarneau, où les cinq ULTIM seront regroupés, comme lors de la première édition de Finistère Atlantique en 2022, qui avait vu la victoire du Maxi Edmond de Rothschild . Le village officiel de la course sera inauguré ce jour-là à 17h. Le jeudi 26 septembre sera dédié aux rencontres entre les équipages et les élèves. La compétition reprendra le samedi 28 septembre avec un départ prévu à 13h. Francis Le Goff estime que la durée de la course, en fonction des conditions météorologiques, sera d'environ cinq jours.

Les cinq maxi-trimarans seront accueillis à Antibes dans des conditions optimales. Le village sera ouvert au port Vauban à partir du jeudi 3 octobre à 11h pour quatre jours de festivités, offrant aux équipages l'occasion de rencontrer le public local.

Le vendredi 4 octobre comprendra des rencontres avec les élèves et des visites des ULTIM . Le samedi 5 octobre sera consacré à des courses de vitesse sur le plan d'eau d'Antibes, et la remise des prix aura lieu le dimanche 6 octobre à 11h. Ce jour-là, des rencontres entre les marins et des apnéistes locaux sont également prévues. Chaque jour, des animations musicales accompagneront l'événement pour faire de cette deuxième édition de Finistère Atlantique une véritable fête sportive et populaire.