Protecting the ocean

Protecting the oceans we cross

Only four solo sailors have ever completed a circumnavigation on these boats. You need a lot of experience to control them, especially when you have to sail through a storm and the waves are very big. The 6 participants in the ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE - Brest will leave Brest, sail down to South Africa before skirting Australia, rounding South America and returning to Brest. They will therefore be crossing a large part of the world ocean, passing through the following geographical oceans: the Atlantic, the Indian and the Pacific.

For the race organisers, OC Sport Pen Duick, this round-the-world race is an opportunity to highlight the importance of protecting the oceans. Global warming, pollution and overfishing are threatening the health and balance of the oceans.

Surfrider Foundation and IFREMER, two partners for a great cause

To support the ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE-Brest in its great adventure of transition, OC Sport Pen Duick - the event organiser - has chosen to join forces with Surfrider Foundation and IFREMER. The research organisation is ensuring scientific consistency, while Surfrider Foundation will be offering fun activities in the village to help protect the ocean.

Who is Surfrider Foundation?

For more than 30 years, this NGO has been working with all stakeholders in society to defend and preserve the ocean. The ocean is the main climate regulator, absorbing 1/3 of the CO2 emitted by human activities and producing 50% of the oxygen we breathe. Changing our relationship with the ocean is therefore a major challenge if we are to limit the climate crisis we are experiencing.

L’IFREMER, what is it ?

Ifremer is the only French research organisation entirely dedicated to the oceans. Its laboratories are located at around twenty sites in the three major oceans: the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic and the Pacific.
The Brest Plouzané site is the largest in terms of size and number of staff (over 900), and is also the headquarters of the Institute and the French Oceanographic Fleet.

An educational kit to find out more

Educational content - ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE-Brest is making an educational kit available to download free of charge to discover this fabulous and fragile world.

An exhibition to take you further

And if you'd like to find out more about the race and its sailors, visit the race village from 29 December to 07 January and the Ateliers des Capucins from the start of the race to the end of February. There's also an exhibition on protecting the ocean where you can find out even more!