The Maxi Banque Populaire 15 - a new Ultim for 2029
by Voile Banque Populaire 16 Mar 06:15 PDT
Maxi Banque Populaire 15 is planned to launch in 2029 © Pierre Bouras
A major supporter of sailing since 1989, Banque Populaire is particularly distinguished as a long-standing sponsor of offshore racing. It is with pride that the Bank of Sailing is launching, for the ninth time in its history, the construction of a new boat, an Ultim trimaran to be christened "Maxi Banque Populaire 15", with Armel Le Cléac'h as skipper.
This ambitious project, both innovative, bold, and high-performing, aims to perpetuate Banque Populaire's ambition to remain at the pinnacle of offshore racing with one of the fastest boats in the world. It will be supported by the entire Team Banque Populaire, whose experience, expertise, and know-how make this extraordinary challenge possible.
Throughout the design and construction of the trimaran - which will be managed from its technical base in Lorient - Banque Populaire, France's leading corporate bank, will contribute to the vitality of this cutting-edge industry by partnering with nearly 150 French companies that will be involved and stakeholders in this project. The Maxi Banque Populaire 15 is expected to be launched in the first half of 2029.
Armel Le Cléac'h will take the helm of this new 32-meter-long and 23-meter-wide giant, which will join the Ultim class, the world's fastest sailing trimarans. It will be at the forefront of the sport, benefiting from the latest advancements in materials, onboard systems, and technology. The new multihull will compete in prestigious races, allowing Team Banque Populaire to aim for victory, such as the 2030 Route du Rhum and the 2032 Arkea Ultim Challenge.
It will also be used to attempt records, including the most iconic of them all, the Jules Verne Trophy (a crewed round-the-world race). This challenge aims to further enhance the achievements of the Banque Populaire sailing team, which, over its 37 years of involvement in the sport, has broken 18 records and boasts more than 20 victories in the most prestigious ocean races.
To realise this extraordinary project, the Team Banque Populaire design office has assembled a design team composed of Antoine Koch (AKO), Gsea Design, and Finot Conq. This is the first time that the naval architecture firm AKO, renowned for its high-performance monohulls, has been fully involved in the construction of an Ultim trimaran. The firm is also collaborating with the Team on the construction of the IMOCA Banque Populaire 14, which will be launched next year. As with previous boats, the CDK Technologies shipyard, based in Lorient, will be responsible for building the maxi-trimaran. Twenty-eight months of construction will be required before its launch, scheduled for the first half of 2029.
For Banque Populaire, a competitor but also a shipowner, launching such a project goes far beyond the realm of sport. The construction of this multihull involves a whole network of craftspeople, independent professionals, and SMEs who will contribute their expertise to the creation of this giant. Nearly 150 companies are expected to be involved, most of which are based in the Sailing Valley in Brittany. This large-scale, ambitious, and collaborative effort illustrates the capacity of an entire sector to push its boundaries. Through this collective and entrepreneurial adventure, Banque Populaire, the leading bank for businesses in France (1), reaffirms its commitment to and support for all those who contribute to the excellence of French craftsmanship.
More than ever, the bank, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2029, stands out as a major player in the sport. This year, it has two boats ready to shine in major races: the Route du Rhum with Armel Le Cléac'h (Banque Populaire XI) and the Solitaire du Figaro with Loïs Berrehar. At the same time, the IMOCA Banque Populaire 14 is under construction and will be launched early next year in preparation for the 2028 Vendée Globe. This further underscores the ambition and enthusiasm of Team Banque Populaire and its employees to experience the greatest thrills together.
Pierre-Laurent Berne, Director of Development for Banque Populaire, said "Last year, following the Olympic Games, for which we were partners, we reaffirmed our commitment to sailing and surfing. On a daily basis, we share the same values of cooperation, pushing boundaries, and entrepreneurial spirit with Team Banque Populaire. This new large-scale project is the best illustration of this: it's a human, technical, technological, and economic adventure with a strong collective dimension. Banque Populaire, as the long-standing owner, is proud to instil this momentum, as it always has. This is a source of pride for all our employees, a central aspect of our commitment that demonstrates our unwavering dedication. Like all the projects undertaken by the team in Ultim, IMOCA, and Figaro classes, I am convinced that the Maxi Banque Populaire 15 will allow us to remain at the forefront of the sport."
Armel Le Cléac'h, Banque Populaire skipper, said "I am very happy and realise how fortunate I am to be part of a team about to embark on this new human, technological, and sporting adventure. What's fantastic about this project is that it has matured through discussions with management over the past few years. It is the result of collective thinking and ongoing dialogue that allowed this idea to emerge. We were determined to have a cutting-edge boat for the 2030 Route du Rhum to compete with the best. We will draw on our years of experience, particularly with Banque Populaire XI, and push the boundaries of innovation and performance. This is a wonderful opportunity, collectively, to build a boat that reflects who we are."
Erwan Steff, Team Director of Team Banque Populaire, said: "This announcement once again demonstrates Banque Populaire's incredible confidence in the team. We all share the same desire to launch an innovative boat that will have the potential to make its mark on offshore racing for the next ten years. Since the advent of foils, we have continued to explore new territory, innovate, and find solutions to be even more competitive. We are very pleased to partner with Antoine Koch's firm, which is already involved in the construction of the IMOCA Banque Populaire 14. Koch has a fresh vision and knows how to be bold. Above all, what drives us is building a reliable boat, capable of going the distance and winning races. Within the Team, we are all aware of the enormous opportunity to be able to build a new Ultim. We are approaching this challenge with humility, seriousness, and tremendous enthusiasm."
Sébastien Josse, Sporting Director of Team Banque Populaire, said "Like the whole team, I'm particularly excited to be part of this new adventure. A lot of water has flowed under the foils since the first Ultim trimarans (laughs). We now know that these boats are capable of flying for long periods and circumnavigating the globe... It's with the benefit of our experience gained in recent years that we'll be focusing on building the Maxi Banque Populaire 15. We want a versatile boat and to further improve its performance on certain points of sail, especially downwind. The goal is to do everything possible to ensure it's competitive in the 2030 Route du Rhum. Between this project, the IMOCA under construction, the current Ultim, and the Figaro, the prospects within the team are simply incredible!"
Maël Devoldere, head of the design office at Team Banque Populaire, said "It's incredible to have the chance to design the Ultim of tomorrow. We rarely get the opportunity in a lifetime to work on the design of a dream boat. When we conceived the first generation of Ultim, it was a leap into the unknown. Now, we have more certainty about foiling. It's up to us to do everything we can to stay ahead of the curve, find the keys to winning races and breaking records. We need to find the right balance between reliability and boldness. What we're particularly looking to optimise is getting up on the foils faster, but also being more efficient downwind in rough seas. We're very happy to be working with Antoine Koch, who represents the next generation of naval architects, and everyone who collaborates with him to find the best solutions to be even more competitive."