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Every leg, every skipper, every night at sea. The logbook of the 2024 edition, solo and non-stop around the world.
RAMPING UP !
ARMEL LE CLÉAC'H, DESIRE AND COMPOSURE
Armel Le Cléac'h will take to the start line on 7 January as the winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre - Normandie Le Havre. History will record that this is Armel's first victory in the Route du Café, a race that was strangely missing from his list of achievements. His own story tells a different story: between Le Havre and Fort de France, Armel won his first major multihull race, quite simply. Sailing several hulls is not Armel Le Cléac'h's first love. The impressive CV of the man who first...
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The Transat Jacques Vabre provides a wealth of information!
These are scenes they all aspire to relive in a few months' time in Brest. Crossing the line, the boats escorting the ULTIMs, arrivals in port, embraces and emotional glances. This is what has happened in the warmth of Martinique over the last few days after covering more than 9,200 miles and a breathless battle in the heart of the Atlantic. The ULTIMs brought the Transat Jacques Vabre, which was celebrating its 30th anniversary, to a brilliant conclusion. The first observation is one of...
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How were the ULTIMs born?
“No one had imagined the concept from A to Z. It’s a story that ended up giving birth. That of a brilliant boat, of the technology of the Cup and also of men who want to move their playground around the world..." This is how Thomas Coville sums up the story of the ULTIM, which drives his life and that of a handful of exceptional skippers for almost 15 years. The brilliant boat is Groupama 3, launched in 2006. At the time, the offshore racing trimarans were all 60 feet (the ORMA), and the...
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La Transat Jacques Vabre to build momentum!
Visitors to the Transat Jacques Vabre - Normandie Le Havre village have been able to admire the ULTIMs moored at the same pontoon since the end of last week. The picture will be similar from 27 December, when these giant boats can be seen in Brest before setting off on what promises to be a historic challenge. While only four sailors have completed the solo, multihull, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe, six sailors (subject to Eric Péron's qualification) will attempt it in their turn as...
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D-100 UNTIL THIS GIANT EVENT!
*Two races to build power "We're all about to climb a mountain that's even bigger than the others," agrees Armel Le Cléac'h (Maxi Banque Populaire XI). "It seems incredible to think that what we're about to attempt is possible," smiled Anthony Marchand (Actual Ultim 3). Since the autumn break, the skippers have been busy. They have all put their multihulls back in the water and have been doing a lot of training and practice sessions - sometimes together - in order to optimise the settings and...
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THE ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE - BREST WELCOMES A SIXTH CANDIDATE IN THE PERSON OF ERIC PÉRON (ADAGIO)
“_We are delighted with the arrival of a sixth candidate alongside the five already registered. We also welcome with pleasure ADAGIO, a new leading player in offshore racing, reacts Joseph Bizard, General Director of OC Sport Pen Duick, organizer of the event. _This is very good news for the ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE – Brest. Of course, for his registration to become definitive, Eric Péron must still subscribe to the administrative formalities of the registration file. He must manage this last...
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ALL ENTHUSIASTIC AND MOBILISED!
**Close-knit and determined partners This race, which for a long time seemed to be an unattainable dream for many skippers and ocean racing enthusiasts, has been made possible thanks to the commitment of the partners mobilised to ensure the success of this first edition. The ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE - Brest corporate club, supported by l'association des Conquérants Bretons, la Région Bretagne, ARKEA and organiser OC Sport Pen Duick, demonstrated this on Wednesday evening by bringing them all...
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FIVE GIANTS ASSAULTING HISTORY
© polaRYSE / GITANA SA An experienced trio and two “bizuths” Among these sailors, three qualified by crossing the finish line of the last Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. This is the case of the winner of la Transatlantic, Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild), Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3, 3rd in Guadeloupe) and Armel Le Cléac’h (Banque Populaire XI). The two “bizuths” of the class, Anthony Marchand and Tom Laperche, who respectively succeed Yves Le Blevec and François Gabart...
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200 DAYS UNTIL THE START GUN !
Alpina, audacity, adventure and innovation The start will be on January 7, 2024 in Brest that is in 200 days time. A particularly symbolic date for the teams, the organization (OC Sport Pen Duick), their Title Partner (Arkea) and the Main Partners (Brest Métropole and City, the Brittany Region, the Department of Finistère). This group is now joined on this unprecedented adventure by Alpina. The Swiss watchmaker which celebrates 140 years in business in 2023 and has always been driven by an...
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BREST, AS AN EVIDENCE !
Julien Carmona, Président of Crédit Mutuel Arkéa and of Crédit Mutuel de Bretagne : « Le Crédit Mutuel Arkéa is proud to be the title partner of the ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE - Brest alongside local economic and institutional players, with whom we have the pleasure of exchanging and working on a daily basis. The headquarters of our group is in fact located near Brest and this territory represents one of our historic employment areas. As a financial partner, we rely on our strong local roots to...
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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...
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