ultim trimaran

• AROUND THE SAILING WORLD
• BOAT OF THE YEAR
• Email Newsletters
• America’s Cup
• St. Petersburg
• Caribbean Championship
• Boating Safety
• Ultimate Boating Giveaway

Arkea Ultim Challenge Skippers Ready to Go

• By OC Sport Pen Duick
• January 2, 2024

Compared with previous generations of round the world racers and adventurers, the six skippers ready to take on the Arkéa Ultim Challenge – Brest on January 7 are a new, different breed. Physically most are fitter and stronger than those who preceded them. Bear in mind each manoeuver is usually nearly 45 minutes of hard, physical work, not least requiring long periods at max effort on the pedestal winch.  


The “coffee grinder” is what Armel Le Cléac’h (Maxi Banque Populaire XI) calls “the hand bike.” The heart rate climbs, the arms, shoulders, chest and lower back are fully engaged and the beads of sweat very quickly become rivers of perspiration.

“I keep up a level of exercise so that we prepare all throughout the year, to just be able to maintain that level of sustained power output endurance and a good recovery,” says Le Cléac’h, skipper of Banque Populaire.

“It’s not really about all out power, max work rate like on an inshore grand prix boat, but it requires really excellent cardio, and core strength too.” He says

“In fact, it’s more like a trail run rather than a sprint,” adds Charles Caudrelier (Edmond de Rothschild). He ensures he does at least three physical preparation sessions per week and among them enjoys boxing, climbing, board sports, running and cycling. And in his build up Armel Le Cléac’h says he has worked out almost every day with swimming sessions, time in the weights gym or out on the bike.

Anthony Marchand (Actual Ultim 3) is mainly happy to just ensure he does a lot of water sports, regularly going kiting, winging, and surfing. “These allow you to work your cardio,” he says. “All your muscles and I like that it’s always in the same watery environment!”

At the same time everyone has also really focused on working on mental strength.

“If we have to deal well with the many different types of physical challenge that this race will bring, the mental dimension is almost more important,” says Tom Laperche (SVR-Lazartigue). “We just can’t overlook the mental demands of these boats and the impact that this stress can have over time.”

“The mental aspect is undoubtedly actually more valuable than the physical tests on this race,” agrees Charles Caudrelier.

“It’s not a race, it’s an expedition,” says Thomas Coville, skipper of Sodebo Ultim 3. Coville is the skipper who has completed the most round-the-world passages on a multihull—competing 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,” he says. “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.”

For Coville, the Arkea Ultim Challenge goes far beyond the scope of a sporting competition. “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.”

“What I’m looking for is a good level of balance” says Le Cléac’h. Yet all the skippers have their methods. Charles Caudrelier and Tom Laperche work with mental coaches. Caudrelier, the Edmond de Rothschild skipper, says, “with my physical trainer, I am very Cartesian, very numbers driven. We talk about fatigue, recovery, nutrition. And, of course, there are the times when you are exhausted without realizing that you are in the red zone.”

Laperche adds: “We know that there will be moments of euphoria, moments that are really challenging on the morale, so we work out how to manage this and to smooth out these emotions as much as possible to create the best possible performance.”

There are also those who do not have a mental trainer. This is the case with Anthony Marchand and Armel Le Cléac’h. Marchand says, “If you’re doing your second round the world you’ve seen the problems, you know what to focus on. Me, I’m a rookie: I go in ready to fight and obviously I ask myself fewer questions.” And blessed with so much experience, Armel Le Cléac’h prefers to focus on preparation. He wants to enjoy a level of confidence because he has mastered everything that makes up the pre-race preparations. “I try to tick all the boxes before the start,” he admits. “Above all what I am looking for is a balance in physical and technical preparations, in terms of recovery as well.”

• More: Arkea Ultim Challenge Brest , Offshore Racing , Ultim
• More Racing

America’s Cup Match Racing at High Speed

Alinghi Red Bull Racing Bags First Louis Vuitton Cup Point on Electric Day in Barcelona

Barcelona Breeze Increase Spikes Intensity

Luna Rossa Dominant on Busy Day in Barcelona

One and Done on Drifter Day of Cup Challenger Series

Shocks and Drops At Louis Vuitton Cup Start

Rivals Flush American Magic Facemask Rule Enquiry

• Digital Edition
• Customer Service
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Cruising World
• Sailing World
• Salt Water Sportsman
• Sport Fishing
• Wakeboarding

• AMERICA'S CUP
• CLASSIFIEDS
• NEWSLETTERS
• SUBMIT NEWS

Arkéa Ultim Challenge - Actual Ultim 3 leads - Positions, Images and Video from Day 1

Related Articles

• The magazine

Current issue

• All the issues
• My magazines

Technical specifications

• Multihull of the Year
• Classified Ads
• Destinations
• Online store
• All the magazines
• Subscriptions
• Accessories

We sailed aboard the Ultim foiling trimaran Gitana17:Edmond de Rothschild

With the flying machine in full swing, note the adjustable end flap (yellow) at the bottom of the daggerboard (equipped with a trimmer). The 15.5 t and 32x23m of Gitana 17 sits on 4 points (leeward foil, central and port rudder blade and daggerboard flap)

At full speed, the foiler exceeds 40 knots, so you can understand the importance of aerodynamic optimization!

Sébastien Josse standing on the cap of the gigantic foiler. Note the log showing 35.7 knots of boatspeed with less than 20 knots of true wind!

Helming such an exceptional machine provides unforgettable pleasure... Philippe Echelle, chief tester at Multihulls World is one happy sailor!

The awesome deck plan of an Ultim foiler: hydraulics, computers, deck hardware, winches and custom-made columns developed in the USA as part of a partnership with Harken... Welcome aboard a flying trimaran of the future!

The protective capsule of Gitana 17 is a beautiful carbon structure, luminous, slender and strong. New ergonomics are needed to control a machine in which the apparent wind is constantly very strong and where there is generous spray

Sébastien Josse shows the screen for controlling all the parameters of the flight. Each appendage is loaded with sensors whose values are displayed in digital and analogue (on the image of the trimaran).

The foiler’s cockpit and life pod. Thomas Rouxel is adjusting the foil incidence (rake) from 5.50 high by means of the small, carbon half-wheel (it controls its action of 0 to 4° from the image of the boat on the screen in front of him)

Create a notification for Offshore racing

We will keep you posted on new articles on this subject.

Published 20/09/2018

By Philippe Echelle

Published: nov. / dec. 2018

Choose the option that suits you best!

Issue #: 162

Published: November / December 2018

• Price per issue - digital : 6.20€ Digital magazine
• Price per issue - print : 8.50€ Print magazine
• Access to Multihulls World digital archives Digital archives

Gitana: A family of prestigious, classic boats

In 1876, Baroness Julie de Rothschild commissioned Thornycroft shipyard to build a 24.45m record steamer. The first of the Gitanas would be timed on Lake Geneva at 20.5 knots (an extraordinary speed for the period!): the world record! The Gitana saga had begun! In the 1960s, Baron Benjamin (founder of the financial group in 1953) revived the family enthusiasm for boating and racing.

The transformation into a racing team mainly dedicated to multihulls

In 2000 Ariane and Benjamin de Rothschild established a real competition team that recruits its skippers from among the cream of the crop: Fred Le Peutrec, Loïck Peyron, Jean Le Cam, Thierry Duprey Du Vorsent and Lionel Lemonchois have been among those elected. The first racing trimaran was the former Elf III, now Gitana IX (Designed by G.Ollier - Multiplast). Then came the first boat entirely developed by the team: Gitana X. Its design was already based on the characteristics that were to become the hallmark of the team: daring techniques and aesthetics were being sought. The X was the product of a unique collaboration (something not yet undertaken in 2002!) between Gilles Ollier, Sebastien Schmidt, Mario Caponnetto and Duncan Mac Lane. Geared towards performance at Grand Prix level, this boat with X-arms was a little fragile for ocean racing.

By now the team had gained experience and made the informed choice of the acquisition of Jean Luc Nélias' ex-Belgacom (VPLP / Larros / CDK). Fred Le Peutrec and Loïck Peyron were the skippers, before Lionel Lemonchois' fantastic ride in the 2006 Route du Rhum, with an incredible victory in 7 days 17 hours! It was one of the most fantastic performances in this race since its inception. The boat was then to be transformed and extended by 17' to be eligible for the new Ultim class, and would then come 4th in the 2010 Route du Rhum, with Yann Guichard. Gitana 12 (formerly Jean Le Cam’s Bonduelle) was to be the team’s last Orma before the acquisition of one of the 4 giants of the time: Loïck Peyron’s former Innovation Explorer. Perfectly prepared, the big catamaran measuring 32.80m set out on a series of ocean records in 2008. From 2009 through 2012, the one-design circuit of the Extreme40 Sailing Series mobilized the team's multihull activity with Pierre Pennec at the helm. In 2011, the Mod 70 series started to look promising: one-design with a dynamic calendar. The bar had been raised! An ideal boat for the team. Alas the system rapidly collapsed: Sébastien Josse and Charles Caudrelier’s victory in the Transat Jacques Vabre was to be the high point of the adventure. Transformed into an experimental flying trimaran, which makes L foils progress quickly (the most efficient at the time), the Mod 70 Gitana 15 returned under the hand of Guillaume Verdier (one of the pioneers of the Team New Zealand foiler during the America’s Cup). This boat was to become the first modern ocean foiler: it paved the way for Gitana 17:Edmond de Rothschild.

Gitana 17:Edmond de Rothschild, the first flying Ultim trimaran

Launched after Macif (CDK/VPLP in original Archimedean version, holder of the single-handed round the world record), but before Banque Populaire IX (CDK/VPLP), Gitana 17 was a born foiler: Guillaume Verdier's radical and highly innovative design is characterized by rectangular section arms, streamlined and without curvature (for better platform rigidity and increased reliability), a very large elevation of the topsides of the floats and optimized aerodynamics. From a hydrodynamic point of view, the flat U-shaped float and hull sections provide the planing shapes that maximize lift and avoid getting "sucked down". These flat bottoms in monolithic carbon also play a stiffening role to counteract the twisting loads on the foils when in action (50 tonnes!). The boat was designed around its appendages at the end of the Mod70 test campaign: 3 inverted T-rudder blades, 2 L-shaped foils with XXL dimensions (5.40m!), and a central T-shaped daggerboard with trimmer and flap at the extremity. Maximum height on the water, maximum platform stiffness and minimum aero and hydrodynamic drag: these are the parameters of this aggressive and futuristic design.

The technical, conceptual and financial challenge

If the figures make us dizzy, they also express the reality of design and manufacture of such a speed machine that is actually evolving for the first time in the air-water interface. These 15.5 tons of black fiber required the investment of 250 stakeholders in all. These included 40 composites specialists who spent 20 months on its production, 35,000 hours of design team time and 135,000 hours of construction! The complex mobile appendages of such a flying machine have required the intervention of 3 different manufacturers in order not to risk weakening a company in case of default on one of the parts (the two foils cost €500,000 for example!). Eligio Re Fraschini (foils) is a strong, high-tech company specializing in the manufacture of Formula 1 chassis, avionics composite parts and large-vessel propellers; Heol's Morbihan team has an extraordinary mastery of hollow carbon parts and pre-impregnated material in general. This composites alchemist put together the central daggerboard with its trimmer and end flaps. C3 Technologie in La Rochelle operates in the same areas and also manufactures all-carbon passenger aircraft. Here’s are some amazing numbers: Foils with a height of 5.50m withstand up to 130t of load before breaking! The construction budget of the boat: €15M; the annual budget of the team: €3.5 M (but compare this with the budget, for example, of the Sky cycling team: €35 M!! And they’re not even building an innovative boat!

Just a perfect day!

I’m sure Lou Reed will forgive me for borrowing this from one of his iconic songs, but these are the words that came to my mind when I left the maxi foiler. Some notes on a Steinway, a heady, addictive melody, a song that transcends time! My experiences of multihull flight are very limited: Some runs in Windrider Rave in the late 90s, the AC50 Groupama; the TF30 trimaran and finally Gitana 17. However, sailing each of these boats gave me an intense pleasure and revived my passion for multihulls! With these machines, life starts at 20 knots, explodes at 30 and reaches a climax at 40! Ocean flight isn’t 5 years old, but for a new generation of Jedi-navigators it opens a revolutionary sector in the sailing experience. It was the magicians of the appendages who made this miracle possible!

Our trip took place at the end of a night out with a small crew off the coast of Brittany. The crew: (Thomas Rouxel, Sébastien Josse, his teammate in the Transat Jacques Vabre, Nicolas Lunven who will be in charge of weather routing for the 2018 Route du Rhum and Sébastien Sainson who is a naval architect who graduated from Southampton, and is a member of the design team) We joined the trimaran SE of the Ile de Groix. The mastodon descended towards us with the wind behind and the mainsail sheet in to slow her down and stabilize her. A spectacular fender staircase is set up from the big 10m tender to allow us access on board.  Immediately, we are in for a collective 5 minute session of effort (with 4 of us!) on the grinders to lower the port foil (the biggest winch has been designed as a one-off by Harken USA for a permanent workload of 9 tonnes)! The rudders and the daggerboard are in the lowered position,  and the foil raked at 3° (a positive impact out of the possible 4°). We then unfurled the solent (again, sizeable effort is required and there are 4 of us on the grinders)! Sheeted hard in (as always on this kind of boat where the apparent wind is always very close to dead ahead, whatever the speed, this sailing rocket takes off in 12 knots of wind. Thomas Rouxel is at the wheel where the jumbo display regularly shows 25 knots of boatspeed when, suddenly, at 90° to the true wind that goes up to 15-16 knots, the powdery wake becomes huge, the speedo panics and the appendages pull us free from earthly attraction! 32 knots, the trimaran’s trim is so perfect that it seems unreal. We are flying! Sébastien Josse offers me the chance to take the helm. Well-secured on the navigating platform, titanium rim in hand, I poke my head through the opening roof and find myself in an exclusive, exceptional universe, that of one of the 5 Ultim multihulls which exist in the world. 

The helm sensation is quite a shock at first, but you get used to the size of the machine quickly. Sitting between 82 and 90° off an irregular wind, I manage to keep the machine in flight and semi-flight. The transitions between the Archimedean sequences and the 5-point takeoff are smooth, as is the landing. It’s extraordinary! The noise coming from aft is powerful, but the noise level of the appendages (perceived from the outside) is low; not at all like the wild beast howls of an AC50. The wind speed, just unbearable for a long time, is the reason why the navigation capsule includes the helm station and all the sail handling controls. A small removable windshield completes the device to help fight against the spray! In these ideal conditions, the speed is maintained between 22 and 36 knots and the steady behavior is so perfect that one has the impression of sailing on a well-honed, long-developed machine, whereas in reality, the job list is always full at the end of each test run. 

If Nicolas Lunven (weather) and Olivier Douillard (performance) manage to position the machine in good condition and a driver in shape on an optimized trajectory, the long flight sessions will allow a unique wake across the Atlantic. The English Channel, Biscay and The Azores are not short of rough crossings, delicate weather phenomena and crossed seas, all the opposite of the desired conditions for high speed. The bonus will go to the pilot who will fly the best and the most regularly, knowing that it is almost impossible to rest in these conditions...

At the helm, I observe the fantastic work of the foils and the careful preparation of this platform which provides extraordinary performance, and am fascinated by the snowy wake that we leave between Ile de Groix and Belle Ile! At 30 knots, on our way back, the perception of the entrance to the Chenal de Lorient is distorted and in a few minutes we are off the signal station, where the speed is limited to 6 knots! With all the sails eased, the 32m trimaran stops: it's over. All that’s required now is get the machine back alongside the dock using the 110hp engine and the two little tugs!

Name: GITANA17-EDMOND DE ROTHSCHILD

Naval Architects: Team Verdier-Gitana

Builder: Multiplast/ Appendages by Eligio Re Fraschini-Heol- C3 – Persico (coachroof tip), mast by Lorima

Length: 32m

Laden weight: 15.5t

Mast height: 35m

Upwind sail area: 450m²

Downwind sail area: 650m²

Construction: honeycomb carbon-epoxy, hull bottoms in monolithic carbon

Decor on hulls and sails (800m²): JB Epron based on an original work by Cleon Peterson

Text: Philippe Echelle Photos: Eloi Stichelbaut / Gitana SA and P.Echelle

Tags : 

• Route du Rhum , 

Most-read articles in the same category

Bahamas, White Cay

Calendar of International Boat Show this Fall

The photographer's eye

Who's Who : Nigel Irens

What readers think.

Post a comment

No comments to show.

MW #197 - Oct / Nov 2024

Pen-Duick IV

Subscribe now

The latest news from €3 / month

Video of the month

Our latest YouTube hit!

The Multihull of the Year

The 2024 results

Classified ads

Power catamaran Fountaine Pajot Greenland 34 - fully self-sufficient

Lagoon 630 MY (2016) v. 5 cabins

Splendide Aquila 54 Yacht for sale

Aquila Molokai 28

Vous avez ajouté " " à vos favoris., vous avez supprimé " " de vos favoris., in order to add this article to your favorites, please sign in..

ULTIM EMOTION 2 MULTIPLAST

• Inspiration

ULTIM EMOTION 2 has 1 Photos

THE MEDITERRANEAN

Multiplast news.

Newly refitted 120’ catamaran VITALIA ...

Similar yachts.

META IV | From EUR€ 10,500/wk

• Yachts >
• All Yachts >
• All Sail Boats 60ft/18m - 100ft/30m >
• ULTIM EMOTION 2

If you have any questions about the ULTIM EMOTION 2 information page below please contact us .

S/Y ULTIM EMTION 2 is a trimaran ULTIM MAXI 80 built in 2012 and last refitted in 2019. She has extensive racing experience and has been returned to as-new condition ready for a new decade. In January 2020 she broke the World Record for fastest South Atlantic crossing with the Lovewater Sailing Team, and she received Line Honours in the Cape2Rio.

NOTABLE FEATURES OF ULTIM EMOTION 2: ~World record-breaking racing trimaran ~Race-winning design ~Weight of only 7 tons ~Fantastic top speed of 42 knots ~Unique experience

Foiling trimaran ULTIM EMOTION 2 from shipbuilders Multiplast was previously known as the 18m/60ft ORMA 60 trimaran SODEB'O and received a 6m/20ft extension. Now measuring 24m/80ft, she has naval architecture and exterior styling from VPLP and this high performance carbon composite vessel is designed for regattas such as the RORC Caribbean and Les Voiles de Saint Barth using 100% hydraulic operation.

The design comfortable seats up to eight guests on board while cruising, with a professional crew of three for an exceptional and unique cruising experience.

The exterior styling is comprised of three streamlined hulls with netting from sterns to bows, providing ample space for eight guests and three crew to cruise at up to 42 knots across the water.

ULTIM EMOTION 2 Specifications

The 60 HP Lombardini engines and sail power provide a top speed of 42 knots and a cruising speed of 20 knots.

Yacht Accommodation

We do have available further accommodation information for yacht ULTIM EMOTION 2, so please enquire for more information.

Amenities and Extras

We do have available further amenity, owner and price information for the 24.38m (80') yacht ULTIM EMOTION 2, so please enquire for more information.

ULTIM EMOTION 2 Disclaimer:

The luxury yacht ULTIM EMOTION 2 displayed on this page is merely informational and she is not necessarily available for yacht charter or for sale, nor is she represented or marketed in anyway by CharterWorld. This web page and the superyacht information contained herein is not contractual. All yacht specifications and informations are displayed in good faith but CharterWorld does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the current accuracy, completeness, validity, or usefulness of any superyacht information and/or images displayed. All boat information is subject to change without prior notice and may not be current.

Quick Enquiry

"People more and more are realizing the advantage of the multi-hull platform for cruising. It’s stable, it offers a lot of space, and it goes fast" - "The success of a boat, of a design, is really tied to the relationship you have with a customer. The best yachts that we have designed were also nice human relationships. That’s been true since the beginning. When you get on very well with people, you feel better about what they really like, how they will sail, how they will enjoy the boat, and that proximity leads to a boat naturally that you like." - Marc Van Peteghem (and Vincent Lauriot-Prévost) founded VPLP which is responsible for designing the world's most innovative racing boats and largest luxury catamarans.

Sailing Wally 77.4 Carrera | From US$ 28,000/wk

ANEMOS | From EUR€ 22,000/wk

NIMROD previously Happy Joss | From EUR€ 20,000/wk

Round the world race: 100ft trimarans set for solo race

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 2023The 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.  Article continues below…

Aiming for the impossible: The inside story of the 2020 Jules Verne contenders

Forty days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds: that is the time that is embedded in the psyche of…

Coville sets incredible new 49-day solo round the world record – with a blistering average speed of 23 knots

Solo sailor Thomas Coville has pulverised one of the hardest records in sport: the single-handed round the world record. He…

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!”

If you enjoyed this….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

The post Round the world race: 100ft trimarans set for solo race appeared first on Yachting World.

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

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

Related Posts

Ultim Challenge done with final finish →

Coville finishes second in Arkea Ultim Challenge →

Caudrelier wins Arkea Ultim Challenge →

Evil welcome for Arkea Ultim Challenge →

Comments are closed.

© 2024 Scuttlebutt Sailing News. Inbox Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. made by VSSL Agency .

• Privacy Statement
• Advertise With Us

Get Your Sailing News Fix!

Your download by email.

• Your Name...
• Your Email... *
• Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Two giant foiling trimarans set for a Fastnet Race battle

• Toby Heppell
• July 18, 2023

The battle to be the first boat home will be hard fought between two giant trimarans in this years Fastnet Race, with the foilers promising an epic battle

As with most big races around the world, bragging rights in the Rolex Fastnet Race race are split into two broad camps, the line honours winners (the first boat to complete the course) and the winner of the event on corrected time.

And since the inclusion of multihulls 20 years ago, these categories are split again into monohull and multihull line honours and handicap winners.

Most of those taking part in the race, in either monohulls or multihulls, will only be focussed on the handicap results as a line honours win is out of reach of all but the fastest, biggest and most expensive boats in the world.

For the Rolex Fastnet Race 2023 , the fastest boat to complete the course will almost certainly be one of the two 100ft foiling trimarans, the Ultim of Banque Populaire XI and SVR-Lazartigue .

Banque Populaire XI in full flight. Photo: Jeremie Lecaudey

Fastest Fastnet Race Multihulls

The foiling ocean racers are at the very forefront of technical innovation and are designed to break records – be that offshore races, ocean crossings or the ultimate prize a Jules Verne Round the World record .

The Ultim trimarans are set to become especially newsworthy over the next months with the first ever race for five of these extreme 32m long by 23m wide flying trimarans, around the world, non-stop, singlehanded, setting sail from Brest, France on 7 January next year.

Before then two of the main contenders will be leading the charge on the rather shorter 695 mile Rolex Fastnet Race.

A rticle continues below…

Extraordinary boats: Banque Populaire XI

Banque Populaire is one of the world’s most experienced and successful sailing teams, and was the force behind Armel Le…

The ultimate foiling machine? Onboard SVR-Lazartigue

Launched in July after 150,000 hours of work, SVR-Lazartigue is the latest addition to the burgeoning Ultim 32/23 fleet. In…

How to win the Rolex Fastnet Race: expert navigator’s tips

The 2021 edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race came with an interesting change. The finish line, having always previously been…

SVR-Lazartigue and Banque Populaire XI are skippered by two titans of offshore racing, Francois Gabart and Armel le Cleac’h respectively. Both are Vendée Globe winners (Gabart 2012, le Cleac’h 2016). Le Cleac’h is part of the exclusive club of triple winners of La Solitaire du Figaro (the unofficial world championship of solo offshore racing). He has been racing Ultims since 2013, this being his second boat.

Similarly, Gabart joined the Ultim class in 2015 winning many events with his MACIF trimaran, culminating in his record for sailing singlehanded non-stop around the world of just 42d 16h 40m 35s, incredibly just under two days shy of the fully crewed record.

Gabart has competed in the Rolex Fastnet Race twice before, winning on his IMOCA 60 MACIF in 2013 and then, in 2019, leading into the Plymouth finish line aboard his Ultim trimaran, only to be pipped at the post by Groupe Edmond de Rothschild , finishing less than one minute astern. “That was a little disappointing,” Gabart admits.

Charles Caudrelier and Franck Cammas on Maxi Edmond de Rothschild win the last Fastnet Race in 2021. Photo: Eloi Stichelbaut / PolaRYSE / Gitana

Neither of these Ultims competed in the 2021 race, when Charles Caudrelier and Franck Cammas on Maxi Edmond de Rothschild established the record for the new course to Cherbourg of 1d 9h 14m 54s.

Their Ultims are more than capable of bettering this and it’s possible a good breeze could even see the 14-year-old outright record for the most miles covered in 24 hours (908.2 miles/average speed 37.84 knots), also broken, given enough runway with suitable conditions and the will. If pressed, the latest Ultims could cover 1000 miles in a day (average speed 41.6 knots).

The top speed on Banque Populaire XI to date is 47 knots, but it is not top speed but high average speeds that Le Cleac’h says is the objective. “40-42 knots for one or two hours is very good, or 35-37 knots for 24 hours. We know that it is possible with our boat if the conditions are good.”

The performance of the Ultims has taken a massive leap in recent years, since new foil configurations have enabled them to fly.

For Banque Populaire XI getting airborne requires 12-13 knots of wind/22-23 knots of boat speed. Ideal conditions are no more than 20 knots as above this the sea state becomes too rough to use the foils effectively. Upwind in 15-17 knots Banque Populaire XI flies and will be making 27-30 knots. “That is the big step forward compared to the last Ultims, and that difference is very important compared to the older generation Ultims.”

“We regularly reach speeds of over 40 knots at less than 90° true wind angle (TWA),” says Gabbart. “In certain conditions, such as 25 knots of wind on flat seas, at 65°-70° off the wind, you’re doing 40 knots. That’s 60-65 knots of apparent wind speed. The maximum AWS in our log is not far from 70 knots.”

Of course one of these two foiling beasts being first to finish the Fastnet Race does require that they actually finish. The giant trimarans are at the very forefront of innovation and are famously susceptible to damage.

Reliability is improving, however, as foiling technology improves but even these hugely developed technological marvels the old adage holds true; ‘to finish first, first you have to finish’.

If you enjoyed this….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams. Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Bateaux.com

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.