RACE NOTICE REVEALED!
What should we remember from the points of settlement of this great first? Firstly, the appearance of the course. “It’s a world tour “from West to East”, in the direction of the prevailing winds and currents. The start will be given outside Brest harbor. The competitors will then have to go beyond the Capes of Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn, leaving them to port. Same thing for the Antarctic continent and the ice zone. The finish, for its part, will be judged outside Brest harbor”, details Guillaume Rottée, the Race Director, indicating that the rules in force will be those of the Ultim 32/23 Class . “Each sailor will have to complete a qualification course of at least 2,500 nautical miles”, he explains, recalling also that the deadline for registering registration requests is set for May 31, 2023 while the final list of boats registered to start the race will be published no later than June 5, 2023. _“The minimum number of boats at the start for the event to take place is set at four. The maximum number is limited to eight. A replacement skipper is, moreover, obligatory for each boat,” explains Guillaume Rottée.
As a reminder, to date, five teams have validated their participation in this extraordinary event including Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild), Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3) and Armel Le Cleac 'h (Maxi Banque Populaire XI), already qualified for the event following La Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe. Anthony Marchand (Actual Ultim 3) and Éric Péron (Ultim Sailing) are also among the sailors who have officially confirmed their participation in this fantastic maritime epic but will have to complete the required course to definitively confirm their registration.
A few small subtleties, such as the “Ghost” mode, will certainly spice up the game of this maritime event. A mode that each skipper can activate for a period of 24 hours and up to twice during the race, except within a radius of less than 500 miles from the start or finish line. _“During the period, its geographical position will then be hidden from the public and other competitors. This will add a good dose of suspense for the observers and undoubtedly add a little salt to the race for the runners. This is also a point in the notice of race which was very well received by the different teams. Overall, we tried to listen to the runners as much as possible and we therefore worked on the notice of race in consultation with the teams. Certain points in the notice of race have evolved slightly, in order to satisfy all competitors. So, for example, the closing date of the finish line was set at 100 days after the departure date from Brest, in order to maximize everyone's chances of completing the loop,” says Guillaume Rottée.
In this sense, technical stopovers will be authorized, but whether they take place at the quayside in a port, at anchor or at the cape, they will be subject to a minimum stopping time of 24 hours. Finally, last important point: regarding the notion of assistance. Clearly, any human and/or technological intervention external to the boat allowing remote action on one or more elements, equipment(s), or settings of the boat in place of the navigator will be prohibited. “This solo world tour in Ultim 32/23 definitely promises to be an extraordinary challenge! » assures Guillaume Rottée.
They said :
**Hervé Favre, President of OC Sport Pen Duick:** _“The publication of the notice of race for the ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE – Brest is a strong symbolic moment for the organization of the event. This concretizes all the work that was carried out with the teams and with the Ultim 32/23 class to create the sporting format of the event. This same format is the fruit of several years of work and will both guarantee a great event on the water in the best conditions and offer a great sporting spectacle. »_
**Stéphane Guilbaut, General Director of the Ultim 32/23 class:** _“We feel that the race is coming. We also feel that this ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE – Brest is not a completely classic event since it is a solo round-the-world trip in an Ultim, which is quite something. The route is simple and easy to explain. For the rest of the points in the notice of race, we mainly focused on the safety of the sailors. The start date of the event is very special and promises quite tough weather conditions but Brest is an ideal starting and finishing point for a circumnavigation. The start and finish lines will be made in such a way that the solo sailors will complete the exact course of the round the world record, which is interesting since the reference times are precisely made to be beaten. »_
