Ultims in the Route du Rhum: Land of the giants
by La Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe 28 Oct 06:31 PDT
1 November 2026
Route du Rhum - destination Guadeloupe © Loic VENANCE / AFP
It's a full house! All of the world's eight giant 32 metre long Ultim-class trimarans will gather on the same starting line Sunday off Saint Malor for the classic ocean sprint, the Route du Rhum Destination Guadeloupe.
The defending champion Charles Caudrelier has a revolutionary, brand new machine (Gitana 18) which is very, very early in its development. Armel Le Cléac'h (Maxi Banque Populaire XI) and Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3) are banking on their well proven trimarans; Anthony Marchand (Actual Ultim 4) has taken the helm over the boat which won in 2022; and Tom Laperche (SVR-Lazartigue) has a strong case for challenging his more experienced rivals. Meanwhile, Guirec Soudée (Liamm), Alexia Barrier (IDEC Sport-CIC) and Louis Burton (Ultim Armand Thiery) bring their own set of unknowns. It's an exciting field blessed with a lot of unknowns.
The new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild: the great unknown
Is there a chance Charles Caudrelier could win again? The sailor has a great record on Transatlantics and round the world. But his radical new boat is more complicated in terms of the moving parts and he is only just learning it. In 2022 victory he had a 2017 launched boat which had been progressively updated and he had completely mastered it, then he considered himself the weak link. Now, four years later, the roles are reversed. Launched just eight months ago the new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild features Y-shaped foils which are designed for continuous flight. As it should, it really moves the design technology forwards in big steps but the learning curve is steep for Caudrelier and the team who chose to skip the September races instead focussing on extensive testing and reliability.
The Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe is a baptism by fire, their first race. "During the last edition, I said that I might be the weak link. Today, I have the experience, but the boat still lacks miles at sea. Gitana 18 is very promising, yet it is still in the midst of its first tuning phase. We won't be at 100% of its potential at the start, even though the team has given everything to ensure we are competitive. Generally, it takes two or three years to fully develop a boat like this. And when you choose to innovate to such an extent, you inevitably take risks."
His rivals are intrigued, they, least of all do not know how the newest boat will go, and they have questions, starting with Tom Laperche (SVR-Lazartigue). "It's potentially a whole new concept, a generation ahead of our current boats. There will surely be moments where it goes very fast, and Charles is a master of solo sailing. But no one really knows where they stand right now. It's intriguing." This Sunday, the speculation will end and the real-world testing will begin.
Ambitious contenders
Young Tom Laperche brings some strong credentials to the table. At the helm of a trimaran he knows inside out—and fresh off victory in the most recent 24H Ultim—he ranks among the most serious contenders. "
I'm very happy to be at the start of this first Route du Rhum under such conditions, with a well-tuned boat and a solid team. It's an event that I dreamed about as a child; the images from it are what truly inspired me to get into offshore racing. It's always good to win—it validates things, both on the water and in terms of how the team is organized. The goal is to carry that same momentum into the start next Sunday." Facing him are two sailors who have some unfinished business with this race.
Armel Le Cléac'h (Maxi Banque Populaire XI), setting off for the fifth time, has never won and would dearly love to add to a record that includes the Vendée Globe, the Solitaire du Figaro, and the Transat Jacques Vabre. Having finished second in 2010, the sailor from Finistère now has a boat—launched in 2021 and patiently optimized and refined for reliability—with which he hopes to finally claim the title that has so far eluded him. Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3) returns fresh from setting the Jules Verne Trophy record last winter. For his eighth attempt—twenty-eight years after his victory in the IMOCA class—he is still aiming for the top once again and Coville has more multihull miles under his belt than anyone.
Anthony Marchand: the legacy; Louis Burton, the discovery
Anthony Marchand (Actual Ultim 4) doesn't have to look far for reasons to believe in his chances. His trimaran was winner of the last race as Gitana 17, setting the course record at 6d 19h 47m 25s in November 2022.
It remains a powerful machine with a proven potential. Marchand may be new to the Route du Rhum but he has tens of thousands of Ultim miles under his belt from the Arkea Ultim Challenge solo race round the world in 2024. But the intensity is getting greater and greater all the time. "During the 24H Ultim, I was quite struck by the pace we've managed to maintain. We sail these boats much like Figaro —constantly making adjustments, trimming the sheets, the traveler, the sails... Six days at this intensity—it's going to be quite a ride!"
At this level of demand rest will be at a premium and needs to be carefully scheduled in terms of what is about to happen. "The first 36 hours will be crucial. We'll need to be fully dialled in right from the start, while also finding the right rhythm. Between the pressure of the departure and the hectic pace of the last few days, it's easy to get caught off guard. We have to manage to get into the race without having already burned through too much energy back on shore." His ambition? "I'd like to finish with the feeling that I gave it everything—that I sailed a great course and put in a solid performance. That said, I'd still be disappointed not to make the podium. It's a worthy goal. And then, who knows—if things go really well..."
For Louis Burton (skipper of the Ultim Armand Thiery), the stakes are different. The sailor from Saint-Malo—who placed third in the 2020-2021 Vendée Globe—is exploring this new class after fifteen years spent racing monohulls. Since his first Route du Rhum in the Class40 category back in 2010, he has consistently stepped up to bigger and more complex challenges. This time, the leap is particularly dramatic.
His trimaran—launched in 2015 and previously raced under different colors—provides him with a proven foiling platform, even if it's not as cutting-edge as those of some of his rivals. "It's a fantastic machine for getting started in this class. It features foiling technology, yet we understand enough about it to push it. We've spent a lot of time sailing it since we acquired it, and we've made the absolute most of our training time." Facing the rest of the Ultim fleet, the skipper's primary focus is to get his bearings in this new world. "Out of the eight of us three are essentially newcomers to this category. The others already can push to the limits. I'm going to try to stay humble, avoid making any silly mistakes, and learn how they sail—what speeds they reach and how they push their boats."
In his view, a sixth-place finish would match the theoretical hierarchy. Yet, as a true competitor, he isn't ruling out a better finish. "If I reach the other side with the boat in good condition—in a spot that reflects its true potential—I'll be happy. And if I manage to break into the top five, that would be fantastic for a first attempt!" But Louis Burton has never been known for taking it easy on his craft. He is more used to pushing at 105% of what his boats potential and he may yet spring a surprise result.
Guirec Soudée, changing the tempo
Another unique profile is that of Guirec Soudée (Liamm). Just months after completing his first Vendée Globe, the sailor took on a completely different kind of challenge: a solo, round-the-world voyage in the 'wrong' direction—from east to west—aboard an Ultim-class trimaran.
Last March, he became the fastest sailor to ever complete this feat taking 94 days, 21 hours, and 58 minutes. While this achievement demonstrates his audacity and stamina on his extraordinary machine, sustaining a performance over a long period, it does not necessarily offer a decisive advantage for the very specific format of the Route du Rhum.
The shift in approach is significant: whereas his previous challenge required him to preserve his boat for weeks on end, this time he will need to push the limits much harder. "Obviously, reaching the podium will be a major challenge. But it's also a very resilient boat. One thing is certain: as always, I'll give it my absolute best—I'll be 300% committed."
Alexia Barrier, a significant debut
Alexia Barrier (IDEC Sport - CIC) also brings a unique backstory to this race. As the first woman to start the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe in the Ultim class, she returns to the race eight years after competing in the IMOCA category—this time with fresh experience, having led an all-female crew for the Jules Verne Trophy.
"I'm thrilled to be part of this lineup. There are only eight Ultims on the planet, and all of them will be at the start—it's incredible! For me, this is my second time in the race, but it feels almost like a first, given this boat and the new project. I have less solo experience on a multihull than I did on a monohull back in 2018. On the other hand, my round-the-world voyage with 'The Famous Project' has given me an incredible surge of energy."
Her boat, while older than those of her main rivals, boasts a prestigious track record. The goal isn't to demand the impossible, but rather to live up to the vessel's storied history as the Ultim which has already won three times, in the hands of Franck Cammas (2010), Loïck Peyron (2014), and Francis Joyon (2018).and. "I'm not putting any pressure on myself regarding the result."