When the Rothschilds and Gitana team unveil a new boat, they do it properly – and last night the huge team base in Lorient, France, became the theatrical backdrop to the grand unveiling of Gitana 18, the highly anticipated new foiling Ultim.

In a dramatic ‘reveal’ a silk curtain dropped mid-press conference and the gathered guests – a couple of hundred media, technical partners, and the great and good of French ocean racing – realised they were underneath one of the most top secret boat building projects of recent years.

But perhaps even more dramatic was the boat itself – or certainly the appendages that will be fixed to it.

The radical new foils for the Ultim Gitana 18 – the flaps on the trailing edge can be trimmed independently, while the arms can also be lifted, and the rake adjusted.

The L-shaped foils of the current ocean-going trimarans have been replaced with what the team refer to as ‘Y’ foils – giant appendages with 5m span set on enormous swinging arms, that show a clear lineage from the America’s Cup.

The central ‘wing’ beneath the boat is a sculptural 3m of metal (they won’t disclose which one).

Radical rudder design

But the rudders are unlike anything seen before – an inverted ‘U’ or A-frame design. Unlike a conventional rudder, which itself turns, the double chords of the rudder are fixed, while flaps at the trailing edge control direction – all designed to overcome the deformation that the hugely loaded rudders would experience, and apparently with no drag penalty.

The rudders of the new Gitana 18 are a revolutionary A-frame or ‘U’ shape, with twin fixed stocks or chords, but adjustable flaps.

Meanwhile the rig is not only a canting wing mast, but is designed to bend to allow the crew to control the mainsail’s power – particularly in the shift between take-off and flight, and in squally conditions where the trimaran could become overpowered. It’s another element which is entirely new on this scale, and is the first Ultim mast made by Southern Spars in New Zealand.

“With this new boat, we hope to achieve as close to perfect flight as possible. Ideally, we’ll be able to fly very high without ever touching the waves. We hope to be able to fly in 3m waves and reach an average sailing speed bordering on 40 knots”, explains Charles Caudrelier, the skipper of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild Gitana 18.

The team told me that top speed potential is over 55 knots.

Gitana 18: designed to fly

The project was designed by known out-of-the-box thinker Guillaume Verdier with the 30-man in-house team at Gitana. Its primary goal is to foil for 100% of its sailing time, achieved by both decreasing the wind strength at which it can foil, while also sustaining higher average speeds at flight.

It builds on much of the knowledge, data and experience the team have gained from their previous Gitana 17 (now Actual Ultim 4), which was launched eight years ago and became the most optimised and successful of all the 100ft trimarans, winning the Transat Jacques Vabre, Route du Rhum, and Arkea Ultim Challenge, while covering over 200,000 miles of ocean.

The new Gitana 18 in the team base in Lorient

Owner Ariane de Rothschild also spoke at the launch, which she attended with her daughters. They are represented on the boat’s spectacular livery, designed by French artistic duo Florian and Michaël Quistrebert, in collaboration with the Palais de Tokyo. Gitana 18 is the 28th boat in the Rothschild/Gitana stable, which next year celebrates 150 years in the sport.

“Within my family, we’ve always enjoyed a passion for competition, performance and also one of technological disruption. It’s about being disruptive, knowing how to take risks, gauging them and managing them. This is fully in line with our philosophy,” said Ariane de Rothschild.”

The Rothschild family and Gitana team hosted a spectacular unveiling of the newest Ultim, Gitana 18,  on Wednesday 3 December.

You can’t rush perfection, and the boat is definitely launching a little later than anticipated, but a project of this magnitude will take months to work up. Its first event will be the 2026 Route du Rhum, which skipper Caudrelier will be looking to defend his title in, before taking on solo around the world and crewed Jules Verne record bids.

We’ll take an in-depth look at this incredible creation in the February issue of Yachting World, out January 8th.

The post Have you ever seen rudders like that before? Radical top-secret Gitana 18 Ultim unveiled appeared first on Yachting World.

The Famous Project CIC, the all-women challenge for the Jules Verne Trophy, the non-stop around the world record, departed on Saturday 29 November.

The team, which is skippered by French former Vendée Globe skipper Alexia Barrier and was set up together with British record-breaking yachtswoman Dee Caffari, is aiming to become the first all-female crew to complete a Jules Verne attempt.

But above all they are chasing one of the all-time great sailing records, the non-stop, no-holds-barred around the world record time, which currently stands at 40 days and 23 hours, set by Idec Sport in 2017.

As Dee Caffari posted on her Facebook page: “Sh*t is about to get real!”

Barrier and Caffari are racing with Annemieke Bes, Rebecca Gmuer, Deb Blair, Molly Lapointe, Xiquita Etchegoyen, and Stacey Jackson aboard Idec Sport, the same maxi-trimaran which set the current Jules Verne record in 2017, skippered by Francis Joyon.

The Famous Project CIC, 100% women crew, crossing the start line for Trophée Jules Verne on November 29, in Brest, France. Photo by Jean-Marie Liot / The Famous Project CIC

Starting a Jules Verne challenge

The Jules Verne Trophy has an official start/finish line between the Créac’h lighthouse on the island of Ouessant, France, and Lizard Point lighthouse on the southernmost tip of England.

Crews must sail around the world, passing Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin, and Cape Horn to port, before crossing the same line in the opposite direction to finish – a ‘great circle’ distance of 21,760 nautical miles (40,300km).

But the Jules Verne has no set start time, so teams may leave whenever their weather routers believe a suitable window of opportunity for a fast Atlantic descent is opening up.The Famous Project first moved to what’s known as ‘Code Green’, or ready to depart. Having left Brest, they crossed the line at 01.40 UTC (14 h 40 FR) on Saturday, November 29.

The Jules Verne Trophy course

Toughest 24 hours at start

The Famous Project crew set off in tough conditions with a blustery north-westerly, and will immediately face 4-5m waves in the Bay of Biscay.

“I feel very lucky and grateful for all the work that has been done over the last few months and years, all together. It’s really a collective celebration to be at the starting line,” said Barrier.

“Obviously, I’m a little nervous because what we’re doing is huge. But what reassures me a lot is having these incredible girls by my side. I’m not alone and I know my team is up to the task.

“We’ll be sailing downwind until we reach the equator. These are conditions we know well. Further on, the doldrums are still shifting.

“As Brian Thompson, who has helped us a lot throughout this training course on trimarans with the girls, would say, ‘You’re going to experience the toughest 24 hours of your Jules Verne Trophy.’ So we need to stay focused and conservative so we don’t hurt ourselves or break anything on the first day.”

Boat and crew of The Famous Project CIC, 100% women crew, before start for Trophée Jules Verne on November 29, in Brest, France. Photo by Jean-Marie Liot / The Famous Project CIC

“I’m surprisingly calm, but I think I’m calm to help everyone else, because you can feel a certain nervousness,” said Dee Caffari on the morning of the start.

“The main goal has always been to get to the starting line, and I think today we took a big step forward. It’s an important milestone, and I think it deserves a little celebration.

“It’s been a long road, with ups and downs, but Alexia never lost confidence or faith in herself, and I supported her throughout. So I’m very happy to be here. Today it’s about reminding the girls that we’re just going to sail, which is what they do perfectly, but simply that they won’t be sleeping in a bed for a few days. That’s exactly what we practiced in training, so we’re just going to set off, enjoy ourselves, and do what we know how to do.

“We wanted a perfect start, but perfection doesn’t exist in sailing, because we’re at the mercy of Mother Nature. That said, it’s a very good start.”

Skipper Alexia Barrier (FRA) before start of The Famous Project CIC attempt on the Trophée Jules Verne. Photo by Jean-Marie Liot / The Famous Project CIC

Jules Verne weather window

Ashore the team is supported by meteorologist Christian Dumard. The circulation of two high pressure systems over the North Atlantic has created an opportunity for a starting window, though the team will have an immediate race against time as the movement of an anticyclone threatens to close the route off Cape Finisterre.

“The front will pass over the starting area on Saturday morning,” explains Dumard. “The idea is to leave just behind it, in the early afternoon, in a north-westerly wind of less than 30 knots, which will gradually weaken.

“This window is very short and does not necessarily offer an absolute chance of achieving a ‘blistering’ time at the equator. But it does offer favorable wind and sea conditions for downwind sailing and a relatively comfortable start for the crew.”

“We will leave Brest on Saturday before noon and cross the line about two hours later. There will be rough seas, with swells of over 4 meters, which are perfectly manageable aboard Idec Sport,” adds Barrier.

“The danger is that the high-pressure system centered off the coast of Portugal will grow and block us as we pass Cape Finisterre. We would then have to turn back and resume our standby in Brest.”

A big crowd turned out to see the crew of The Famous Project off from Brest. Photo Jean-Marie Liot/The Famous Project CIC

All-female team

The Famous Project was launched in 2022, with the team initially training in a MOD70 before taking delivery of Idec Sport. They have been working with round the world yachtsman Brian Thomspon, with fellow British ocean sailor Jonny Malbon the Team Director.

In a recent blog post, Dee Caffari reported that the team’s final training sessions in late October ahead of the record were both invaluable, and challenging.

“These training sessions are where theory meets reality – intense, demanding, and absolutely invaluable.

“We were fortunate to train with Brian Thompson, whose expertise and calm authority at sea are second to none. Brian’s coaching has helped us fine-tune our performance and strengthen our team dynamics – those crucial marginal gains that will make all the difference when we take on the planet’s toughest challenge.

“This month, Mother Nature decided to push us harder. The conditions were significantly bigger and stronger than what we experienced during the summer -exactly what we needed. It’s one thing to sail fast in perfect conditions; it’s quite another to maintain that performance when the waves are towering and the wind is howling.

“These challenging sessions gave us a much more realistic preview of what life will really be like as we chase the record around the world.”

Skipper Alexia Barrier and his crew training onboard the Maxi-Trimaran The Famous Project CIC, off Groix island. Photo: Jean-Marie LIOT / The Famous Project CIC

Jules Verne attempts

There have been numerous attempts on the Jules Trophy record since Joyon set the current record in 2017. That time of 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes requires an average speed of 22.84 knots.

The foiling Ultim trimarans – capable of maintaining consistent speeds in the high 30s – have set off several times. In 2024 Thomas Coville’s Sodebo and Francois Gabart’s SVR-Lazartigue started within hours of each other, but both had to pause their attempt after damage or gear failure. Sodebo restarted last winter, but later had to retire after losing their central rudder.

In 2020, Charles Caudrelier’s team on Gitana 17 and Sodebo also set off in the same weather window in late November, but both had retired by mid-December after colliding with underwater objects.

Sodebo is among the Ultims that has made numerous attempts at the Jules Verne Trophy. Photo: Pierre Bouras/DPPI

The last all-female attempt on the Jules Verne, Tracy Edwards’ Royal & Sun Alliance in 1998, ended when the 92ft catamaran dismasted in the South Pacific 2,000 miles off the coast of Chile.

Idec Sport, the trimaran the Famous Project CIC crew are sailing, is a non-foiling design that was originally launched in 2006 as Groupama 3, and won the Jules Verne Trophy in 2010, skippered by Franck Cammas. While its peak speed is less than that of an Ultim, it is a robust and well-proven boat which has successfully completed multiple non-stop around the world passages – the first challenge of any Jules Verne attempt.

How to follow The Famous Project Jules Verne bid

You can follow The Famous Project’s attempt at thefamousproject.io

The team also has an app, active social media, and plan to share live daily updates on their YouTube channel.

The post All-female round the world record attempt sets sail in tough conditions appeared first on Yachting World.

The Transat Café L’Or – formerly known as the Transat Jacques Vabre – has got off to a dramatic start with three Ocean Fifty trimarans capsizing in the first night of racing.

Four classes compete in the double-handed transatlantic race from Le Havre to Martinique: Ocean Fifty trimarans, Ultim trimarans, Class 40 monohulls and IMOCA monohulls.

A series of fronts in the Channel and North Atlantic have made conditions difficult, with the race village closed on Thursday 23 October. The scheduled start for the Ultims, Class 40s and IMOCAs was delayed from Saturday 25 to today, Sunday 26 October.

However, the 10 trimarans in the Ocean Fifty fleet started on Saturday afternoon at 1630hrs, aiming to get out of the Channel before the biggest winds hit on Sunday night.

The Ocean Fifty fleet at the start of the Transat Café l’Or on October 25, 2025 in Le Havre, France. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot / Alea

Three trimarans capsize

The first capsize was reported on the first evening at 2027 UTC (1027 pm local time) when the Ocean Fifty Lazare X Hellio flipped off La Hague, the first peninsular after the start at Le Havre. The trimaran had set off just four hours previously. Both skippers, Erwan Le Draoulec and Tanguy Le Turquais, were safely airlifted to shore.

French coastguard services (SNSM) marked the boat’s position, which was later recovered.

Weather conditions in the area were reported as rough, with steady winds of 22 to 25 knots, gusts up to 30 knots, and 3m waves.

The Ocean Fifty Lazare x Hellio being towed by the French SNSM rescue service after capsizing off Cherbourg, during the Transat Café l’Or race on October 26, 2025. Photo: Lazare Sailing Team

Skipper Tanguy Le Turquais posted on social media today: “Emotionally I can say that it was a bit shocking to see Erwan get in the helicopter from the central hull, then my turn [to get into the] chopper and see Lazarus x Hellio, with its white crossbeams and hulls half underwater… These are quite shocking images.”

The capsized Ocean Fifty Koesio washed up off a beach on Guernsey. Photo: Guernsey Coastguard

Around four hours later at 0025 UTC (0225 local time), the race management team was informed that a second Ocean Fifty, Koesio, had capsized north of Guernsey. At the time, the boat was in 8th position and sailing in a 25-knot northerly wind with 2.5m waves.

Co-skippers Erwan Leroux and Audrey Ogereau were both safe and unhurt, and rescued by helicopter. On Sunday morning the wreck of the trimaran had washed up on a shingle beach at Perelle on Guernsey.

Next to capsize was Inter Invest, skippered by Matthieu Perraut and Jean-Baptiste Gellée, which was reported as having capsized off the coast of the Abers, the north-west the tip of Brittany at 0405 UTC. Co-skippers Perraut and Gellée were also both safe and in good health, and airlifted from the trimaran around 0600. The boat was later salvaged by the 35m/115ft trimaran Merida.

Ocean Fifty Inter Invest, skippers Matthieu Perraut and Jean Baptiste Gellée at the start of the Transat Café l’Or on October 25, 2025. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot / Alea

Ocean Fifty: on the red line

The Ocean Fifty fleet is notorious for racing ‘on the edge’. In 2018 six of the 50ft trimarans started the TJV, with only three finishing.

“The vigilance level is a little higher than for the other [classes],” commented Elodie-Jane Mettraux before the race. Mettraux is racing ​​with Anne-Claire Le Berre on Upwind by MerConcept.

“We know there’s a red line that we mustn’t cross, otherwise we’ll capsize,” added her co-skipper Anne-Claire Le Berre. “It adds extra nervous tension and forces us to be even more focused.”

Co-skipper of the capsized Koesio Erwan Le Roux had told race media before the start: “It’s easy to put the foot right down hard on the accelerator, but capsizing is the problem if you push too hard.”

Ocean Fifty Koesio, skippers Erwan Le Roux and Audrey Ogereau at the start of the Transat Café l’Or 2025 on October 25, in Le Havre, France. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot / Alea

Tanguy Le Turquais, a recent convert from the IMOCA and co-skipper of the capsized Lazare X Hellio had also spoken of the risks before the start, saying: “On board, you realize that you are slowly getting used to it, to increasing the threshold of fear.”

Transat Café L’Or start

The remaining three classes got underway at lunchtime today. They include four giant Ultim trimarans, 18 IMOCAs and 42 Class 40s. The course lengths of the Transat Café L’Or vary to try and have the four classes arrive in Martinique at approximately the same time between 5-7 November.

The Ultims have been set a 6200-mile course that takes the fastest ocean racing boats in the world into the Southern Hemisphere to a waypoint south of Ascension Island and sees them cross the Doldrums twice.

The Ocean Fifty fleet was set a 4600-mile course, rounding the island of Sal in the Cape Verdes before turning right for Martinique.

The 18 IMOCAs are racing on a 4350-mile track that leaves the Canaries to starboard.

Because of an incoming frontal system with an expected deterioration in weather conditions at theentrance to the Bay of Biscay, the race management team has decided to alter the Class 40 course. The 42 boats will stop in La Coruña (Spain) to seek shelter, and a second start will then be given as soon as conditions permit.

The overall ranking of the Transat Café L’Or Le Havre Normandie in the Class 40 fleet will be calculated based on the combined times of the two legs.

The post Three 50ft trimarans capsize in first night of Transat race: all skippers rescued   appeared first on Yachting World.

Biotherm is the official victor of the Ocean Race Europe 2025 having crowned an impressive overall performance with yet another first place finish at the end of Leg 5, as well as a first place win in the Coastal Race held in Boka Bay, Montegnegro.

Throughout the seven week, 4,500 nautical mile race around Europe, Biotherm has maintained a consistent overall lead, winning the first, second, and third legs of the race and collecting Scoring Gate points in each instance.

The only mark in the team’s neat run is a third place finish in Leg 4, which was instead a homecoming victory for Italian sailor Ambrogio Beccaria’s Team Allagrande Mapei. After the dramatic collision with Team Holcim-PRB early in the race, for which they were not granted redress, Allagrande finished fifth overall.

In second and third place were Yoann Richomme‘s Paprec Arkéa and Rosalind Kuiper’s Team Holcim-PRB. Team Malizia came in fourth, with Canada Ocean Racing and Team Amaala bringing up the rear.

Photo: Vincent Curutchet / The Ocean Race.

Biotherm skipper Paul Meilhat credits all-around collaboration between the shore teams and racing crew, as well as the boat’s preparation, for their triumphant victory.

“There are two parts of this victory,” he said, naming the organisation on shore and the boat’s preparation.

“Biotherm is more designed for this sort of race because it is really fast in transitions – light winds and flat water. We did a lot of improvements on the boat this winter. Also the crew, the motivation – I think we are all focused, we all concentrated, and we all wanted to win the race – that was the case from Kiel.”

How did the Ocean Race Europe end?

Final overall ranking of the Ocean Race Europe:

1. Biotherm – 55 points
2. Paprec Arkéa – 40 points
3. Team Holcim-PRB – 38.5 points
4. Team Malizia – 27 points
5. Allagrande Mapei Racing – 26 points
6. Be Water Positive – 18 points
7. Team Amaala – 9 points

Article contiues below…

The Ocean Race Europe 2025: Everything you need to know

Seven teams, six weeks, five legs, one unforgettable race. For its 2025 edition, the Ocean Race Europe will bring together…

‘This one was special’ – Homecoming victory for Beccaria in The Ocean Race Europe Leg 4

Ambrogio Beccaria’s team Allagrande Mapei Racing made a triumphant finish to The Ocean Race Europe Leg 4 as they arrived…

The Ocean Race Europe Leg 5 at a glance:

• • Stopover events in Genoa highlighted the importance of ocean conservation, and how offshore racing can be a tool for environmental advocacy
  • The Ocean Race Europe Leg 5 started slow, with two days of light winds after the fleet left Genoa
  • Thunderstorms, lightning, and torrential rains hit on Day 3, with teams reaching foiling speeds of up to 34 knots
  • The fleet segmented off of Sicily, with five boats in the leading group sailing ahead of a stormy transition zone and two teams, Amaala and Canada Ocean Racing, trapped far behind
  • A momentary overtake from Holcim-PRB off of Sicily reshuffled the fleet order
  • Tactical gambles from Allagrande and Paprec Arkèa failed to pay off
  • Biotherm was first into Boka Bay, followed by Holcim-PRB
  • The Coastal Race in Boka Bay brought a fresh wave of excitement and gave teams a last-minute chance to rack up points before the race’s end

The Ocean Race Europe Stops in Genoa

Photo: Jean Louis Carli / The Ocean Race.

The Ocean Race Europe fleet stopped in Genoa’s Porto Antico after an exciting finish to Leg 4, which saw leg winners Allagrande Mapei snatch first place after pulling ahead of Paprec Arkèa.

Allagrande and Genoa’s home-grown skipper Ambrogio Beccaria were greeted by an outpouring of local support, with fans, family, and media alike flocking to the race village for photos, pit lane tours, and speed tests in the Golfo Paradiso.

The stopover was also a launch pad for another Italian sailor’s upcoming endeavours.

Double olympian and Women’s America’s Cup sailor Francesca Clapcich, who also won the 2022-23 Ocean Race with 11th Hour Racing, supported her bid for the 2028 Vendée Globe with a presentation at the local maritime museum. Following the Ocean Race Europe, she will take over Malizia from current skipper Boris Hermann.

Photo: Marie Lefloch I Team Malizia.

Over four days, talks, screenings, and workshops from local activists, sponsors, and grassroots environmental groups highlighted the Ocean Race Europe’s guiding theme of sustainability. With both sailors and race officials advocating for ocean health in real time, and teams gathering valuable water samples offshore, the commitment to Racing for the Ocean was clear.

In a panel discussion following a special showing of David Attenborough’s Oceans, Holcim-PRB’s on board report Georgia Schofield stressed,

“We cannot keep sailing, keep enjoying the sea, without protecting our playground.”

Head to our socials for a behind-the-scenes look at the events and the action, including an exclusive cockpit tour with Team Malizia!

Departure from Genoa for the end of the Ocean Race Europe

Photo: The Ocean Race Europe.

After the Genoa stopover, the Ocean Race Europe’s fleet of IMOCAs set off again for the race’s final leg, a 1,600 nm passage to Boka Bay, Montenegro that would take them down the volatile western side of Corsica and Sardinia, south of Sicily, and into the Adriatic Sea.

“It’s a long zig-zag of eight or nine days through the Med with a lot of curves and local effects and local winds – not a huge wind field but little patches here and there,” Boris Hermann explained.

Leg 4 winner Ambrogio Beccaria’s Allagrande Mapei Racing made an early running start off the coast of Ligury, but the whole fleet was soon subdued by breezes barely scraping five knots. They inched along at three to four knots of speed throughout the night. Not quite a nail-biter!

Photo: Pierre Bouras / The Ocean Race.

Thunder, lightning, and broaches (oh my!)

After a quiet start, the front of the fleet hit a low pressure weather system packing winds over 30 knots that sent them tearing downwind.

‘We were going so fast that we caught up to the thunderstorm and the clouds,’ said Yoann Richomme of Paprec Arkea.

Reports of broaching, loss of control, and footage of crew members getting jostled about abounded.

An involuntary gybe on Paprec Arkea caused damage to a headsail sheet, as well as ripping the radar unit off its bracket on the front of the mast, while Holcim-PRB ended up on its side.

Photo: Gauthier Lebec / The Ocean Race.

The fleet was segmented by a thunderstorm line delineating two different weather regions.

Ahead of it, the first four boats in the fleet powered along in 30 knots of northwest wind.

Behind, cut off from the fresh downwind breeze, Holcim-PRB, Canada Ocean Racing, and Team Amaala were left chasing the fleet at half speed in just 12 knots of southeast.

Photo: Anne Beaugé / The Ocean Race.

An exciting overnight speed test saw Paprec and Allagrande fighting neck-and-neck in an exciting drag race.

“Both boats were doing 35 knots with maybe 100-metres of distance between us,” said Allagrande skipper Ambrogio Beccaria. “It was quite scary, unreal – one of the best sailing moments of my life for sure.”

Unstable conditions, thunderstorms aplenty, and frequent wind turns saw a reshuffling of the Leg 5 leaderboard as the Ocean Race Europe fleet came up on Sicily.

“You always need to be careful in these conditions – always one hand for the boat and the other for whatever it is you are doing,” warned Francesca Clapcich.

Holcim-PRB makes a comeback off Sicily

As they hit lighter winds under Sicily, Holcim-PRB made straight for the waypoint instead of tacking to the North like Allagrande, Biotherm, Malizia, and Paprec.

Skipper Rosalin Kuiper’s gamble quickly paid off– Holcim-PRB jumped from fifth to first place.

Photo: Jean-Louis Carli / The Ocean Race Europe 2025.

Biotherm retakes the lead towards Boka Bay

After rounding the final ‘India’ waypoint, the leading pack rearranged once again.

With Biotherm again in the lead, followed by Allagrande Mapei, Malizia, Paprec, and Team Holcim-PRB, the compressed fleet proceeded North upwind.

“These are good Biotherm conditions – flat water, medium wind – it’s perfect,” said Meilhat. “We have a lot of upwind now as we head to the North.”

Beccaria said he hoped instead for downwind conditions, hoping to pass closer to Italian shores. Allagrande eventually broke away from the rest of the front of the pack in search of more favourable conditions, but the gamble dropped them from third to fifth when the expected wind proved elusive.

Photo: Adrien Cordier / The Ocean Race.

Meanwhile, Canada Ocean Racing and Team Amaala crawled on at the back of the fleet.

To facilitate stopover activities in Boka Bay (and the expected Coastal Race), the Race Committee offered an alternative waypoint to give the two teams the option of shortening the race course, which meant the fleet trailers would trade an earlier arrival for the possibility of placing higher than sixth for the leg.

The Ocean Race Europe sails into the Adriatic sea

Photo: Pierre Bouras / The Ocean Race.

As the fleet entered the Adriatic, Biotherm was still at the front and covering their closest rivals tack for tack.

Paprec Arkèa gambled on an eastern route along the Albanian coastline with little success.

Not far behind, Holcim-PRB and Malizia jostled in an upwind match race, with sailors on both boats keeping a close eye on each other’s sail choice, boat speed, and angle.

While touring the boats during the stopover in Genoa, we learned that some teams like to keep their tricks up their sleeve, even changing or disguising their sail bags to keep their tactical choices a secret until the last moment!

The conditions required teams to stay on high alert to not lose their ground.

“You would think these are pretty steady, similar conditions, but it is not easy,” explained Holcim-PRB sailor Carolijn Brouwer. “The wind is up and down between nine and 12 knots. When we are sailing upwind when we get to 12 knots we are at the upper range of the big sail we have on – the J0. The wind is incredibly shifty – 20 to 25 degrees sometimes.

You really need to be precise and on top of it all the time, to react to the differences in pressure and the shifts in the breeze. That requires a fair bit of concentration and you have to be paying attention all the time.”

Biotherm wins final leg of the Ocean Race Europe

Photo: Julien Champolion / The Ocean Race.

It hardly came as a surprise when Biotherm was first into Boka Bay, having completed the 1,600 nm leg in seven days, eight hours, 33 minutes, and 13 seconds.

Rosalin Kuiper’s Team Holcim-PRB took second place for Leg 5 after staging an impressive comeback to rejoin the leading pack. Third was Boris Herrmann’s Team Malizia; failed tactical experiments from Ambrogio Beccaria’s Allagrande Mapei and Yoann Richomme’s Paprec Arkea left them in fourth and fifth.

“It didn’t pay off,” Richomme commented. ‘But that’s racing sometimes.”

Nonetheless, Beccaria seemed satisfied with the sheer range of conditions teams faced during the Ocean Race Europe Leg 5.

“Leg 5 for us was a real Odyssey, a huge race where a lot of things happened. We had a lot of light wind and strong wind. All the way down to Corsica and Sardinia we had a lot of wind. On the way to Ustica we had a huge amount of wind and a super flat sea, so we were at 35 knots of steady boatspeed – it was unreal,” he commented.

The Ocean Race Europe’s Coastal Race in Boka Bay

Photo: Vincent Curutchet / The Ocean Race.

A Coastal Race upon the fleet’s arrival in Boka Bay closed out the racing events and gave teams a chance to grab last-minute points for their overall ranking.

The results of the Coastal Race pretty closely matched the overall leaderboard, with the only difference being team Allagrande Mapei edging out team Be Water Positive overall thanks to their Leg 4 win.

Even in close quarters, Biotherm once again came first, followed by Paprec Arkea, Holcim-PRB, and Team Malizia.

The Boka Bay Coastal Race results:

1. Biotherm
2. Paprec Arkéa
3. Team Holcim PRB
4. Team Malizia
5. Be Water Positive
6. Allagrande Mapei Racing
7. Team Amaala

What’s next for the Ocean Race?

Photo: Julien Champolion / The Ocean Race.

While the teams rest, reshuffle, and recover after their 7-week sprint around Europe, the Ocean Race events group is busy planning the upcoming calendar.

In November, The Ocean Race Summit Youth in Genova will explore how sport can be a platform for environmental change, and a tool to help build a more sustainable future for our world’s oceans.

In 2026, the first Ocean Race Atlantic will connect New York and Barcelona with a 3,200 nautical mile sprint. It will be the first point-to-point race in the 50-plus year history of The Ocean Race. Like the Ocean Race Europe, the event will feature mixed crews, though this time with a industry-first 50-50 gender split, as well as a focus on ocean conservation advocacy.

In 2027, the 15th edition of the iconic round-the-world Ocean Race will set off from Alicante, Spain.

“The Ocean Race is always on,” says Race Chairman of The Ocean Race Richard Brisius. “Our drive to protect and restore ocean health is a daily mission […] These events serve as inspirational touch points on the journey where we all get together with renewed focus and determination as we connect with the ocean.”

If you enjoyed this article on the Ocean Race Europe 2025…

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The post Biotherm wins the Ocean Race Europe Leg 5— and the rest of it appeared first on Yachting World.

Ambrogio Beccaria’s team Allagrande Mapei Racing made a triumphant finish to The Ocean Race Europe Leg 4 as they arrived in Genoa, Italy early Wednesday morning.

Beccaria, who built and launched his Class 40 yacht in Genoa in 2022, said he considers the city his second home, and was overjoyed to have gone from missing Leg 1 completely due to a dramatic collision with Holcim-PRB to winning this stretch.

The Ocean Race Europe Leg 4 saw the fleet of IMOCA 60s on a 600 nautical mile leg that started in Nice before snaking around Corsica, through the famed Bouches de Bonifacio, and into Genoa, which hosted the Grand Finale of inaugural edition of The Ocean Race Europe in 2021.

Already at the start of the Ocean Race Europe Leg 4, Beccaria had said he had only one goal– to be first across the finish line in Genoa.

After coming ashore in the night, having finished the leg at 01:42:14 local time on Wednesday 3 September, he confirmed, “I always want to win every leg. But this one was special because the finish was in Italy.”

Beccaria wasn’t the only Italian sailor looking forward to a homecoming.

Francesca Clapcich of Team Malizia said, “I’m really looking forward to having a lot of Italian people coming down in Porto Antico in the middle of the city. We have an Italian boat also in this race with Ambrogio. Hopefully people will be really excited to come down, check it out, and spend time together.”

Second at the end of the Ocean Race Europe Leg 4 was Yoan Richomme’s Paprec Arkéa, followed by overall race leader Biotherm in third.

Ocean Race Europe Leg 4 at a glance

• The fleet leaves Nice sailing upwind
• Biotherm first through the scoring gate off Monaco
• Light winds off the Western side of Corsica
• The pace picks up as the fleet races through the Strait of Bonifacio
• Power outage onboard Allagrande Mapei as they pass the Island of Elba
• Homecoming victory for Ambrogio Beccaria and team Allagrande Mapei

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Ocean Race Europle Leg 4 starts in Nice

The fleet, Code Zero headsails high, headed upwind in 8 knots of wind. Photo: Jean-Lous Carli / The Ocean Race Europe 2025.

Holcim-PRB, with Nico Lunven replacing skipper Rosalin Kuiper for Leg 4, and Paul Meilhat’s Biotherm made the cleanest start, slipping away from the pack within the first minutes of the race.

Team Amaala opted for a port start, heading offshore hoping for stronger winds and hoping to reap the benefits of a radically different tactic.

Paul Meilhat of Biotherm, the race’s clear overall leader, had commented, ‘It’s better to be the hunted than the hunter, that’s for sure. I don’t really care about the pressure. It’s not that I like it, but it doesn’t affect me a lot. When you’re chasing the others, it’s more pressure. You have a problem to fix, you’re not really confident.”

True to his word, Biotherm was once again first through the scoring gate at Monaco, snatching the lead from Paprec Arkéa at the last second.

Photo: Gauthier Lebec / the Ocean Race Europe 2025.

The winds died away overnight, taking the fleet through patches of calm. Paprec Arkéa held speed more consistently than the fleet, managing to gain a one mile lead.

A breath of air around 2am separated leaders Holcim, Paprec, and Biotherm from the rest of the group.

“Our first night at sea didn’t really go according to plan,” said Team Malizia’s Cole Brauer of falling behind, which she called “disappointing.” “They were blasting away while we were just sitting ducks.”

Uncertainty in the Mediterranean

In the Mediterranean, “Nobody knows what’s going to happen,” said Biotherm’s Benjamin Ferré. “We study the Meteo and try to understand what will happen, but in the end it is totally different. So we just have to adapt, keep moving, keep focused, and try to go as fast as possible in the right direction.”

Pip Hare, who sailed the last leg of The Ocean Race Europe 2021, said, “My experience is there is not a lot of wind, with waterspouts and thunderstorms – it throws it all at you.”

Photo: The Ocean Race Europe, Powered by PredictWind.

As in Leg 3, Italian sailor Ambrogio Beccaria of Allagrande Mapei remained unfazed by the unpredictable conditions in his home waters.

“I love Mediterranean sailing,” he commented. “I was born here and it is what made me love the sea. I hope she loves me too, but sometimes it is a difficult relationship and it is hard to understand what she wants.”

Sprint through the Bouches of Bonifacio

Team Hoclim-PRB pulled ahead as the fleet approached Bonifacio, with Biotherm and Paprec Arkéa close behind. They were fresh off a long night of light air sailing, during which the fleet stayed compact.

“There’s going to be lots of manoeuvres now, lots of tacking, a transition. We will probably go into the strait upwind and come out of it downwind. It’s going to be a busy few hours,” said Alan Roberts aboard Team Holcim-PRB.

As the fleet came into the Strait of Bonifacio and the wind increased from five knots to nearly thirty, the sailors had to exchange their enormous Code Zero headsails for smaller J3s.

Photo: Julie Champolion / The Ocean Race Europe 2025.

“Racing around Corsica is always very tricky because the mountains on the island are big and their wind shadows are huge,” says Paprec Arkéa’s Yoann Richomme.

Holcim – PRB skipper Lunven explained how the Venturi effect impacted conditions, “In the Bonifacio Strait the wind increased because of the funnelling effect between Corsica on our port side and Sardinia on our starboard side. These islands are very high – especially Corsica – between 2,000 and 2,500 metres. It is a narrow passage between the two, so the wind accelerates a lot.’

Still, he commented, ‘30 knots for Bonifacio is an easy day – it could have been way worse!”

Allagrande pulls ahead off the Island of Elba

Photo: Pierre Bouras / The Ocean Race Europe 2025.

Even as they dealt with an onboard power issue that left them without sailing instruments for an hour, Ambrogio Beccaria’s team Allagrande Mapei managed to pull ahead of the fleet while passing the island of Elba.

“At one point we tried to charge our battery and the engine didn’t start. So we had to shut down the whole boat, steer the boat with nothing – at night. Morgan succeeded in repairing the alternator and we were able to go on with the race. But that moment could have been the end for us,” said Beccaria.

Allagrande’s triumphant arrival in Genoa

Photo: Lloyd Images / The Ocean Race 2025.

Beccaria’s Allagrande Mapei held on to their lead and made the most of an incoming breeze from a Mediterranean low pressure system. They sprinted towards Genoa, hitting 25 knots of downwind foiling speed and increasing their advantage to 20 nautical miles over chasers Paprec Arkéa.

Undaunted, Paprec Arkéa managed to shrink the gap to just eight miles, but it ultimately wasn’t enough to overtake Beccaria’s homecoming team, which pulled away again thanks to an offshore drainage breeze.

When is the Ocean Race Europe Leg 5?

After enjoying celebrations and some much-needed rest in Genoa, the fleet will set off for Ocean Race Europe Leg 5, the race’s last, on 7 August. The 1,000 nautical mile dash to Montenegro will take them through a scoring gate at Santo Stefano, in the Arcipelago della Maddalena, before the race’s grand finale in Boka Bay.

If you enjoyed this recap of the Ocean Race Europe Leg 4….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

The post ‘This one was special’ – Homecoming victory for Beccaria in The Ocean Race Europe Leg 4 appeared first on Yachting World.

In the latest from the Ocean Race Europe Leg 3, Biotherm is still defending its perfect streak from Leg 1 and Leg 2.

The race leader arrived in Nice just before dawn on 29 August, with Holcim-PRB following just twenty-seven minutes later. Both foiling IMOCAs averaged over 20 knots of boatspeed as they raced towards the finish line.

In third, Ambrogio Beccaria’s Allagrande Mapei, finishing just 53 minutets after Holcim-PRB.

“We didn’t make all good choices,” said Beccaria. “But we are improving so much as a team. Our boat is not designed to sail in light unstable winds like here, but as soon as we have wind we are flying. We love the boat and we love the team.”

Yoann Richomme’s Team Paprec Arkéa (FRA) – skippered on this leg by Corentin Horeau (FRA) for this leg followed in 4th, despite sustaining damage after a broken halyard sent the J0 headsail into the water.

Photo: Vincent Curutchet / The Ocean Race Europe 2025.

The rest of the Ocean Race Europe fleet soon finished their 3-day, 680 nautical mile passage. The Mediterranean challenged sailors right up until the end, with unpredictable weather conditions, low pressure fronts, and sudden squalls of up to 70 knots.

“In the light winds it can be more work than in the strong winds,” said Malizia’s Boris Hermann. “We had all conditions – from reefed and small headsails to spinnakers. We used all the sails which is not normally the case on most legs. It was all-the-time full-on action and enjoyable racing. It was so motivating to have our competition in sight all the time.”

“It was an incredible leg,” added Holcim – PRB skipper Rosalin Kuiper. “I have never experienced something like this: so many manoeuvres, all the weather models were different to what we saw on the water. We had to be super flexible and dynamic and we didn’t sleep much – the crew is exhausted.”

Ocean Race Leg 3 at a glance

• Uncertainty over Mediterranean conditions, long nights of light airs and frequent sail changes along the Spanish coast
• Neck-and-neck race between Biotherm and Holcim-PRB before Biotherm regained the lead
• Unstable forecasts prompt a race course adjustment away from Ille de Giraglia to a virtual waypoint
• Team Amaala, trailing behind the fleet, is hit with gusts surpassing 70 knots

Leaderboard

1. Biotherm (Skipper: Paul Meilhat)
2. Team Holcim-PRB (Skipper: Rosalin Kuiper)
3. Allagrande Mapei Racing (Skipper: Ambrogio Beccaria)
4. Paprec Arkéa Team (Skipper: Corentin Horeau)
5. Team Malizia (Skiper: Boris Hermann)
6. Canada Ocean Racing – Be Water Positive (Skipper Scott Shawyer)
7. (Still to finish) Team Amaala (Skipper: Alan Roura)

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The start of Ocean Race Europe Leg 3

Credits: Richard Mardens / The Ocean Race.

The fleet left Cartagena on the afternoon of 26 August in 12-17 knots of fresh north-easterly. Crews sailed upwind, braiding a neat line of tacks up the Spanish coastline.

Biotherm was again first through the scoring gate at Cabo de Palos, making the most of the ideal conditions and confirming their as-yet untarnished score.

All teams reported feeling unsettled by the incoming low pressure and the general meteorological instability of the Mediterranean.

Paul Meilhat of Biotherm commented before setting off, “There is low pressure on the way. We don’t really know what will happen but it will change the timings a lot – so we don’t really know what the course will be.”

“It’s going to be super challenging,” said Team Holcim-PRB’s Rosalin Kuiper. “We will prepare for every scenario and we will see when we are out there.”

Boris Hermann, who replaced Leg 2 skipper Will Harris onboard Malizia, says “The centre of that low might coincide with our biggest obstacle – which is the beautiful island of Mallorca. We might sneak very close past the northern coast of Mallorca, but other scenarios yield different routes. There will be surprises up until the end.”

Biotherm also made some crew changes for the Ocean Race Europe Leg 3, replacing Jack Boutel with fellow frenchman and Vendee Globe alum Benjamin Ferré.

First night of Ocean Race Europe Leg 3

Photo: Adrien Cordier / The Ocean Race.

Heading into the night, teams had to chose between preserving an ideal heading with less wind, or chasing stronger breezes offshore.

“It’s been breeze versus angle pretty much the whole night,” explained Team Malizia’s Cole Brauer. “You get a nicer angle going into the shore, but less breeze, so you kind of have to play both sides to find a little happy middle ground.”

The upwind conditions came with an intense workload for crews, demanding frequent tacks and constant trimming.

Italian sailor Ambrogio Beccaria of Allagrande Mapei was unfazed by the unpredictable conditions.

“I love Mediterranean sailing,” he commented. “I was born here and it is what made me love the sea. I hope she loves me too, but sometimes it is a difficult relationship and it is hard to understand what she wants.”

His team was considering several possible routing options. “We need to use our instincts,” he said of deciding tactics. “We like that.”

Biotherm and Holcim-PRB race neck-to-neck

Photo: Richard Mardens / The Ocean Race.

The pace picked up after a long night of light, humid airs. Holcim-PRB’s Carolijn Brouwer described the conditions as: “Hot, sticky, sweaty – but fun.”

“I don’t know how many times we changed headsail – maybe five or six times – so it is a lot of work for the crew,” said Mielhat.

The middle of the second day saw 16 knots of northerly breeze, and Biotherm and Holcim-PRB locked in a close battle for first place. In some points, the two contenders were separated by just a half mile. Team Paprec Arkéa, closely followed by the rest of the fleet, fell another 12 miles behind.

Biotherm pulled ahead after a close battle, but the leading team never rested on its laurels.

Photo: Jean-Louis Carli / The Ocean Race Europe 2025.

Biotherm sailor Sam Goodchild (GBR) commented, “All night we felt like they were going quicker than us behind us and we were going into lighter winds – so we felt like they were catching up. The forecast was saying that we were going to park in front of Nice for a few hours to wait for the wind. All of that was not for relaxing.”

“The only moment we felt ‘we have got this’ was about half a mile from the finish line, when we could see wind between us and the finish.”

Holcim – PRB helmsman Franck Cammas commented, “We fought against Biotherm from the beginning to the end. Even two hours before the finish we hoped to overtake them. The battle is very nice. It’s what we love in The Ocean Race: to fight against the very best crew in the world and to be able to see them all the time.”

Brutal last day of the Ocean Race Europe Leg 3

Photo: Pierre Bouras / The Ocean Race.

Stronger winds arrived as the fleet approached the French coast, close to the island of Poquerolles.

In light of the meteorological instability, Race Control issued a course amendment that shifted the final turning mark of Leg 3 from the Ile De La Giraglia to a virtual waypoint 20 miles further to the northwest. The switch kept the fleet from having to round the island in potentially treacherous conditions, which are forecast to include thunderstorms and gale force winds.

The dismal forecast kept its promise when a sudden wind squall with winds reaching 70 knots sent Team Amaala skipper Alan Roura on deck to reduce sail (in his underpants!).

Roura commented that he has never experienced such heavy swells in the Mediterranean Sea before, and that maintaining the speed of the boat was of a lower priority than securing the sails to prevent them from being displaced from the deck of the boat.

“It was beautiful. We really enjoyed it so much,” he said after the finish, in typical good humour. “We love it when it’s stormy like this. Until the end we were in the game and that’s a good feeling. We were last, but not by so much!”

Photo: Jean-Louis Carli / The Ocean Race Europe 2025.

When is the Ocean Race Europe Leg 4?

The fleet will set off for Ocean Race Europe Leg 4 on 31 August for a 600 nautical mile sprint to Genoa, Italy, which hosted the Grand Finale of the first inaugural Ocean Race Europe in 2021.

If you enjoyed this recap of the Ocean Race Europe Leg 3….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

The post Biotherm wins Ocean Race Europe Leg 3 after going neck-and-neck with Team Holcim-PRB appeared first on Yachting World.

Paul Meilhat‘s Biotherm continues to defend its undisputed lead in The Ocean Race Europe Leg 2.

After recovering from a brief overtake by Yoan Richomme‘s Paprec Arkéa, Team Biotherm came into Cartagena at 04:53am early on Saturday morning, closing out the fleet’s longest haul, 1,400 NM from Portsmouth to Cartagena, with an unblemished score and the maximum available points.

Holcim PRB, one of two IMOCA 60s involved in the dramatic collision at the start of the Ocean Race Europe 2025, finished second after its recovery.

“It’s amazing to be here in second place… A week ago we couldn’t imagine being on the starting line,” said skipper Rosalin Kuiper.

Holcim-PRB was awarded redress after the collision in Kiel, putting the team firmly back in the running.

In a hearing that took place during the stopover in Cartagena, The International Jury ruled that neither Allagrande mapei nor Holcim-PRB would sustain further penalties, and that Holcim-PRB’s finishing position in Leg 1 will be equal to its average finishing position at the finish of legs 2 to 5.

Team Allagrande Mapei was not granted redress.

“We respect their ruling, even if it’s not the outcome we were hoping for. That’s part of our sport, and we accept it,” said skipper Ambrogio Beccaria.

The Ocean Race Europe Leg 2 at a glance

• Team Holcim-PRB granted redress by the International Jury after the collision at the start of Leg 1
• Smooth downwind sailing at the Start of Leg 2, with all seven boats finally back in the race
• The fleet compresses in a windless patch off of Brittany, Paprec Arkéa falls behind
• Teams catch their breath in a brief fly-by stop-over in Matosinhos-Porto
• Heavy downwind conditions off the coast of Portugal allow Paprec Arkéa to gain a momentary lead
• Entrance into the Mediterranean brings patchy, unpredictable conditions and lighter winds
• The fleet catches up to Paprec, with Biotherm regaining the lead in time to win Leg 2

Biotherm wins Ocean Race Europe Leg 1, 2 boats still racing to finish repairs before Leg 2

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Start of Leg 2, two boats recovered after the collision in Leg 1

Photo: Pierre Bouras / The Ocean Race.

The Ocean Race Europe Leg 2 kicked off on 17 August in Portsmouth. The fleet was once again 7-strong, with Holcim-PRB and Allagrande Mapei recovered after the collision in Leg 1.

“It’s amazing we’re back in the race,” said Alan Roberts of team Holcim-PRB. “We’re not just back, we’re a boat that’s at 100%, even more ambitious and motivated than before to get out there and perform.”

“Adversity either splits or unites you,” he added. “In this case it has united us.”

With 10-14 knots of wind and a favourable current, the conditions made for perfect downwind sailing. The fleet charged down the Solent under spinnaker.

Paul Meilhat’s Biotherm was again first through the scoring gate at the Needles, overtaking Paprec Arkéa’s initial lead.

To follow was the newly-recovered Team Holcim PRB, then Team Malizia and Canada Ocean Racing – Be Water Positive, and Allagrande Mapei and Team Amaala in sixth and seventh.

Photo: Jean-Louis Carli / The Ocean Race.

Strong conditions soon after the start of Leg 2 proved divisive.

“Our boat is especially made for strong winds, so we love to see these conditions,” said skipper Allagrande Mapei’s skipper Ambrogio Beccaria.

Malizia’s co-skipper Will Harris, who is taking over from Boris Hermann for Leg 2, was just as positive.

“High speeds and high wind – we really love that onboard Malizia. Those are our conditions, so we’ve got to make the most of it,” he said.

Biotherm’s Paul Meilhat was less enthusiastic, commenting that although his team’s boat isn’t at its best in strong conditions, they only stand to gain by the lighter winds predicted for their entrance into the Mediterranean.

First night of Ocean Race Europe Leg 2

Photo: Flore Hartout / The Ocean Race.

After hurtling out of Portsmouth, the fleet fell to a windless patch off the northwest tip of Brittany. As forecast, the easterlies gave way to a transition zone with just a few knots of breeze.

The fleet compressed as the breeze collapsed, shrinking a 40 mile gap into just a few miles between head and tail and levelling the playing field.

“All the boats are together, so it’s another new start for everybody,” said skipper Alan Roura of Team Amaala, which has so far held 7th place.

A gamble from Yoann Richomme’s Paprec Arkéa dropped the team from the front to the end of the group. , Paprec attempted a shortcut, intending to slip inside Ushant through the narrow tidal channel and jump 15-20 miles.

Instead, they missed their window by less than an hour and were forced to turn back and reroute.

“We struggled all night trying to get past it. Instead of the current helping us down to the south, it was pushing us back north. In the end we had to do the same as the others and go around. Now we’re about five miles behind the leader,” says Richomme.

The northern route favoured by Biotherm, Team Malizia, and Canada Ocean Racing proved a safer call.

Speed games at Cap Finisterre

Photo: Pierre Bouras / The Ocean Race.

The fleet spread out again around Cap Finisterre, though still remaining in sight of each other. The pace picked up into a speed test, requiring constant trimming, tweaking, and hand steering from every crew.

“Every minute counts here – there’s no room for mistakes,” said Holcim PRB skipper Rosalin Kuiper.

“It’s pretty much a straight line, so it’s really working more on the setup of the boat, on the speed more than anything else,” said Team Malizia co-skipper Francesca Clapcich.

Amélie Grassi (Biotherm) enjoyed a friendly head-to-head with her husband Alan Roberts (Holcim-PRB).

“I slept half the time and I worked the other half. At the start of the day, I was overtaken by my husband and at the end, I overtook him again. So overall it’s been a great day!”

The Ocean Race Europe fleet pauses at Porto-Matosinhos

Photo: Jean – Louis Carli / The Ocean Race.

The fleet paused for a three hour fly-by in Porto-Matosinhos before continuing on for Cartagena.

Paprec Arkéa pulled back into second place after falling to the back of the pack in the tidal gate off Brittany. A newly-recovered team Holcim-PRB came third.

Skipper Rosalin Kuiper comments, “We’re very happy to be back in the race and especially after what happened in the first leg. We actually finished, and we finished third. Of course there’s room for improvement, but we’re happy so far.”

“It was an intense leg. Especially last night it was hard downwind, driving and changing sails,” adds crew member Franck Cammas.

Jostling for the lead off the Portuguese coast

Across the fleet, crews opted for hand-steering over autopilot systems to maintain maximum precision as the wind picked up.

Photo: Anne Beaugé / The Ocean Race.

Yoann Richomme’s Paprec Arkéa, tipped as the fastest in heavy downwind conditions, finally had a chance to play to its strengths. The team broke Biotherm’s lead as they flew past the Portuguese coast under the cover of night, in some stretches even hitting 30 knots.

A missed sail-change left Biotherm in the lurch, newly grappling with Holcim-PRB. Close behind were Team Malizia, Allagrande Mapei Racing, and Canada Ocean Water.

At the back of the fleet, Team Amaala had fallen a full 400 miles behind the race leaders.

Skipper Alan Roura remained as cheerful as ever, joking, “We love to be in light winds because this way we spend more time together!”

Biotherm expects to climb back up as they make their way into the Mediterranean, where lighter winds will play to Biotherm’s strengths again.

Ocean Race Europe Leg 2 Finishes in the Mediterranean

Photo: Richard Marsden / The Ocean Race.

“We made a great move in the night from Wednesday to Thursday with a good sail configuration, hitting around 30 knots,” Paprec Arkéa’s Yoann Richomme said. But by dawn, “The fan just completely turned off! We went from 25 knots to 4 knots in 10 seconds.”

Lighter-than-forecast conditions gave the rest of the fleet a chance to catch up.

Paprec’s choice to stay further offshore lost them their hard-earned advantage. Biotherm slipped by on a thermal, sliding back into first place.

Like the fleet leaders, Team Malizia and Allagrande Mapei Racing hit over 30 knots in the night, then crashed into the same calm patch that had trapped Paprec.

Cammas commented, “That’s the joy of the Mediterranean… At least the game is wide open, and it’s never over!”

When is The Ocean Race Europe Leg 3?

The Ocean Race Europe Leg 3 will kick off on Tuesday 26 August, with the fleet heading out of Cartagena (Scoring gate: Cabo de Palos) for a 650 nautical mile cruise to Nice, France.

If you enjoyed this recap of the Ocean Race Europe Leg 2….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

The post Holcim-PRB awarded redress after dramatic collision in Kiel, another perfect finish for Biotherm in Ocean Race Europe Leg 2 appeared first on Yachting World.

Paul Meilhat‘s Biotherm was the first IMOCA 60 into Portsmouth on 14 August, closing out The Ocean Race Europe Leg 1 with maximum points. They had confidently maintained the lead since race start in Kiel.

A last minute-switch gamble in Dover helped Team Malizia snatch second place from Paprec Arkéa, with Canada Ocean Race – Be Water Positive coming home fourth, and Team Amaala fifth.

Two boats were involved in a collision at the start of The Ocean Race, suffering significant damage and returning to dock to effect repairs. Of those two, Allagrande MAPEI is now en-route to Portsmouth to join the rest of the fleet. Holcim PRB – who suffered the worst of the damage – are still working towards a fix, but hope to rejoin the race soon.

Ocean Race Europe Leg 1 at a glance:

• Holcim PRB and Allagrande MAPEI Racing collide just after starting, sending both teams back to Kiel for repairs
• Biotherm takes the lead with nimble coastal racing before heading into the North Sea
• Narrow lanes through the English channel demand close, careful manoeuvres
• Malizia overtakes Paprec Arkéa in Dover with a risky tactical choice
• Race management extends the course by 60 nautical miles ahead of arrival in Portsmouth

 Two collide in The Ocean Race Europe Leg 1

A shocking collision at the start of Leg 1 left team Allagrande MAPEI. with a torn J0 headsail and extensive other damage. Photo: Vincent Curutchet / the Ocean Race Europe 2025.

Within moments of the starting gun, less than one mile into the race, a shocking collision between Holcim PRB and Allagrande MAPEI Racing forced both teams back to Kiel. The reduced fleet kept on for Portsmouth, two boats lighter.

Both crews involved in the collision were unharmed, though their vessels sustained significant damage with Allagrande MAPEI having to replace the J0 headsail, the mainsail; starboard rigging (outrigger, D0 stay, shrouds), as well as repairing the chainplate, which required them to dismantle the ballast.

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“We went through an emotional rollercoaster, moving from uncertainty to the possibility of getting back into the race,” says Allagrande MAPEI’s skipper Ambrogio Beccaria.

Both teams have filed official protests against the other. The hearing is scheduled to take place during the Cartagena stopover following Leg 2.

Repairs are underway on Alaagrande MAPEI to allow the vessel to rejoin the race in Portsmouth. Photo: Pierre Bouras / Allagrande MAPEI.

Straight through the scoring gate

Crash aside, the first 24 hours of the Ocean Race Europe Leg 1 were clean and controlled, with Paul Meilhat‘s Team Biotherm in the lead from the outset.

Paprec Arkéa (2nd) was close behind through the Kiel Lighthouse Scoring Gate, followed by Canada Ocean Racing – Be Water Positive (3rd), Malizia (4th), who had a problem with their furling drum just after the start, and Team Amaala (5th).

This first stretch made for a tight, physically demanding coastal racing course and constant manoeuvres.

“With the coastline so close, heavy traffic, small buoys and the wind being pretty unstable, we got very little rest,” says Biotherm trimmer Amélie Grassi.

Photo: Gauthier Lebec / Team Biotherm / The Ocean Race Europe 2025.

Into the North Sea

As the fleet spilled into the North sea, the predicted light air dropped into the single digits. Crews were able to catch up on much needed rest until the wind rose again in the morning, with 20 knots blowing in from the South East.

Biotherm quickly seized control of the fast lane towards the British coast. Together with Holcim PRB, and Allagrande MAPEI, Biotherm was one of the three boats predicted to perform the strongest in light airs. With the other two out of commission, the team easily maintained its initial lead.

Photo: Gauthier Lebec / Team Biotherm / The Ocean Race Europe 2025.

A high pressure ridge confirmed the fleet’s positions, offering those ahead of it, (Biotherm, Paprec Arkéa) smooth sailing.

“We enjoyed dream conditions right after [the last ridge], with an east-southeast wind that allowed us to make rapid progress,” said Biotherm’s Paul Meilhat.

Those lagging behind the ridge paid the price.

“We lost much more time there than we thought we would. It felt like we were stuck, it was frustrating,” says Team Malizia’s Will Harris.

Skipper Alan Roura of Team Amaala. Photo: Coline Beal / Team Amaala / The Ocean Race 2025.

Team Amaala laboured at the back, fighting the current and averaging just 3 knots of speed. Despite the increasing gap between Amaala and the rest of the fleet, Skipper Alan Roura stayed positive.

“If you want the truth, we’re going to do like 20,000 tacks, in current with no wind,” he said. “At least now we know how to tack in all conditions!”

Final stretch in the English Channel

As the Ocean Race Europe fleet headed into the English Channel, the routed squeezed between the coast and the exclusion zones, narrowing into just 3.3 miles at its tightest.

With a less-than ideal southwest wind, crews had to tack repeatedly to advance, as well as working around shipping traffic near Dover.

“We won’t have more than half an hour without a manoeuvre until the end of the race,” said Meilhat.

Each manoeuvre involves moving hundreds of kilos of equipment across the boat, in this case under the cover of darkness, testing not only the crews skill but their patience.

A sudden, rogue squall in the night forced Biotherm to drop and rehoist their sails.

“We went from five knots suddenly to 25 knots, then it spun around in circles,” Meilhat explained. “We had to keep up with it to not damage the boat or any sails, but we managed it.”

Ocean Race Europe Leg 1 Finish

On Wednesday night, race management elected to extend the course by 60 nautical miles with a two-lap loop just off Bembridge Ledge.

Biotherm was undeterred and easily kept its lead until the last minute, finishing with maximum points, while Team Malizia and Paprec Akréa ran a match race for second place.Paprec Arkéa had comfortably defended its position until a bold move from Malizia gave them a run for their money.

Photo: Lloyd Images / the Ocean Race Europe 2025.

Approaching Dover, Malizia made the tactical choice to leave the mid-channel route behind and hug the coastline, risking losing the breeze to escape the full force of the adverse current.

The gamble paid off. Within the next hour, Malizia clawed its way back to just half a mile behind Paprec.

“They’re only doing 1.9 knots and we are doing 8.2,” said Malizia’s co-skipper Cole Brauer. “This is when we become the hunters.”

Paprec Arkéa tried to fight them off with defensive tack-for-tack tactis throughout the night, until a gybe from Malizia allowed the chasing German team to definitively gain the lead.

“It was an amazing morning for us,” said Malizia’s skipper Boris Hermann. “We hoisted the kite and saw that we could sail deeper with the spinnaker than they could with their sail, and that’s how we ultimately overtook them.”

So far, Malizia has been the only boat to overtake another. The move allowed them to close an impressive 15-20 mile gap to gain second place.

Photo: Georgia Schofield / Team Be – Water – Positive / The Ocean Race 2025.

Meanwhile, at the back of the fleet, Canada’s Be Water Positive team approached Dover in thick fog with less than 30 metres visibility.

“We can see up to the bow and maybe half a boat length beyond, and then the sea just disappears into a grey shroud,” said Pip Hare.

The team relied on AIS, radar and the OSCAR infrared system to avoid collisions with other vessels.

When is The Ocean Race Europe Leg 2?

Photo: Lloyd Images / The Ocean Race Europe 2025.

The Ocean Race Europe Leg 2 will kick off on Sunday 17 August, with the fleet heading out of Portsmouth to face the longest stretch in the race, a 1,400 NM track to Cartagena, Spain.

After four days of intensive repairs, Allagrande MAPEI is ready to reach the rest of the fleet in Portsmouth. Holcim PRB also hopes to complete repairs in time to rejoin the race.

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When it was announced that three-times Kiwi America’s Cup helmsman Peter Burling had not re-signed with Emirates Team New Zealand, a lot of people wondered what he was going to do instead.

News last month that he was joining Italian Challengers Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli certainly made sense. Between that and his Black Foils New Zealand SailGP team – and a young family – he seemed to have enough on his plate.

But Burling is evidently enjoying the freedom that not being locked into an ETNZ contract or Olympic cycle brings, with the news that he is going to join the Ultim SVR-Lazartigue for this month’s Rolex Fastnet Race.

The Ultim SVR-Lazartigue being relaunched for its 2025 programme

SVR-Lazartigue will race with skipper Tom Laperche (who took over from Francois Gabart last year – Gabart is taking some time out for a cruising circumnavigation with his family) and a crew of six, including new co-skipper Frank Cammas. Cammas has moved from the Gitana stable, where he was long-time skipper and co-skipper of the Ultim Maxi Edmond de Rothschild with Charles Caudrelier.

Recruiting Burling

Tom Laperche explains: “François (Gabart) encouraged me to reach out to the Anglo-Saxon sailing scene, where some of the best in the business are pushing the limits of these flying boats.

“We had a shortlist of sailors we were keen to sail with. The New Zealanders have long been leaders in this area. Peter is an exceptional sailor — Olympic medals, America’s Cups… and from our first conversations, he was totally on board. His flight expertise is top-level, he’s an outstanding inshore racer, and I know he’ll bring a lot to the team.”

SVR-Lazartigue skipper Tom Laperche

“When they contacted me, it was an easy decision to say yes to the Rolex Fastnet Race,” adds Burling.

“I’ve always loved offshore racing — that’s what led me to The Ocean Race. The Ultim class is the pinnacle of high-performance offshore sailing. These boats are incredibly innovative and versatile. I’m really excited to get back offshore and to learn more about how this class is evolving.

“Joining a team with such deep experience on these boats is a fantastic opportunity. I’ve followed François Gabart’s journey and everything the team has achieved, and seeing Tom take over the project is great. He’s an exceptional sailor. For me, this is a chance to push myself, learn, and work with an outstanding crew. I can’t wait to get started.”

Leg 9 of the 2018 Volvo Ocean Race from Newport, US to Cardiff, UK – on board Brunel. Peter Burling thinks Vestas 11th Hour has tacked and fever sets in

Burling is no stranger to offshore racing: he raced with Brunel in the 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race. He was helmsman and watch leader on the Dutch boat, and widely rumoured to be something of a secret weapon when it came to Brunel’s impressive boat speed improvements over the race.

Bouwe Bekking’s Team Brunel finished third overall, in the closest finish in the race’s history. Burling sandwiched the ocean marathon in between winning Gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio and Silver at the 2020/21 Games in Tokyo, and winning back the America’s Cup for New Zealand in Bermuda in 2017 and defending it in Auckland in 2021.

Cammas switches teams

For Laperche and the SVR-Lazartigue team, having Franck Cammas join after six years with Gitana is a significant appointment. The Gitana stable is currently building a top-secret – and rumoured to be radical – new Ultim, designed by Guillaume Verdier and due to be launched this autumn.

Cammas will be Laperche’s co-skipper for this autumn’s Transat Cafe L’or (formerly the Transat Jacques Vabre), but also performance director.

“When I called Franck, I wasn’t just looking for a co-skipper,” explains Laperche. “I wanted someone who could also contribute to the sporting and technical vision — someone to challenge and build on the work from our design team.”

“My goal is to bring a fresh perspective to a team that already knows the boat inside out,” says Cammas. “We’ll need to keep the dialogue open, challenge ourselves, and remain receptive to new ideas.

“It’s all about working the details, staying rigorous, curious and open-minded. That mindset is something Tom and I share. We’re always looking for new ways to push technology further — but we know that innovation comes with risk.

Franck Cammas has joined the SVR-Lazartigue team for 2025 as co-skipper and performance director

“Humility is essential because the competition is fierce. Everyone is stepping up. Each time we go to sea, we aim to perform better than the time before. With this team — both on land and at sea — and one of the most advanced boats in the fleet, we have everything in place. Now we just need to deliver. Sometimes you have to be patient for results, but that’s the nature of the game.”

The Rolex Fastnet Race starts from Cowes on Saturday, 26 July. The Transat Café L’Or from Le Havre on 26 October.

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Pip Hare, the only British based skipper in the Vendée Globe, has dismasted on Medallia while racing in the South Indian Ocean.

On Sunday, December 15 at 21:45 UTC, approximately 800 nautical miles south of Australia, her IMOCA Medallia dismasted while racing in 15th position in the Vendee Globe race.

The aftermath of the dismasting on Pip Hare’s Medallia in the Vendée Globe

Hare has managed to set a jury rig and is heading for land, the nearest point is Tasmania, around 700 miles east.

As Vendée Globe skippers must complete the course unassisted, this is now the end of Pip’s 2024 Vendée Globe.

Hare, who is uninjured, said from Medallia: “I’m roughly halfway along the longitude of Australia on day 35 of the race and this morning my boat Medallia took off on a wave and when it landed the mast broke into two pieces and fell down and it’s put an end to my second solo round the world race.

The broken rig of Pip Hare’s Medallia

Pip Hare ‘so devastated’

“It all feels pretty raw right now. I am so devastated.

“This is four years of preparation and planning and four years of development, the boat and I were in really great shape, having a really good race and we were about halfway round the world. So, to dismast now is really brutal.”

Her team confirmed that Hare has patched together a jury rig to begin sailing towards safety.

Pip Hare has constructed a jury rig on her dismasted Medallia, and is around 700 miles from Tasmania

Hare continues: “I’m about 700 miles from the closest piece of land and I’ve already managed to do a jury rig with one of the bits that I salvaged. I’ve got some sail up and I’m making way slowly towards the land. Security wise I’m absolutely fine, the boat’s fine and we are making our way to the shore.

“I’m just really devastated, it was the greatest edition of the Vendée Globe yet. It was a highlight of my career and for it to end in this way is really punishing.

“But a race of this nature that’s three months long, taking you to some of the world’s most extreme environments, these things happen and unfortunately, it’s happened to me this time.

“I just want to say a massive thank you to all my sponsors and supporters and my team for the hard work that they’ve put in over the last four years to get us to the start line of this race.”

Loving the race: an image Pip Hare sent from the Vendée Globe before Medallia dismasted. Photo: VG2024

Hare is bitterly disappointed in the ending of her second Vendée Globe. After fighting her way around the course in an older boat in 2020, for this race she had a newer design, which her team upgraded with larger foils and a refined bow section, and had set herself performance goals.

She had recently overtaken Romain Attanasio (Fortinet Best Western) around the longitude of Cape Leeuwin, moving up to 15th place. She had also overcome some minor structural damage, making repairs to a bulkhead.

Hare looks forward to 2025

In an emotional video from the disabled boat, Pip explained further:

“I’m absolutely fine, physically fine. And the boat’s pretty unscathed as well.

“I worked for about three hours to clear all the mess up, and managed to get a jury rig up, and we’re now sailing along – doing about 4 knots. I’ve got about 700 miles to the nearest point of land so I’ve got plenty of time to think about where I’m going!

“I don’t think right now I can unpack how I feel, it’s just a case of doing the practical things to look after me and the boat and making some progress towards the shore so we can sort this out.

“But I do just want to thank a massive thank you to everybody who has worked so hard over the last four years to make this happen.

“To our incredible sponsors, Medallia and Aspen. To all of our partners, our technical partners, our personal partners.

“Everyone’s who’s got a name inside the boat, everyone who’s help out, volunteered, came to fundraising events. Because we’ve all put so much in to making this race happen. And I’m so sorry that it’s ended this way.

“It’s not the end. It never is the end. And I hope that by the time I get to the shore we’ll have a really good plan about how to get Medallia sailing again and get back to Europe and then get back on the race track in 2025.

“But I want to thank you all for your incredible support and encouragement and for following the race this far.

“And to all the other competitors out there, stay safe, finish the race, and I’m really going to miss the other half of the race with you guys.”

Hare making structural repairs to a bulkhead easier in the Vendée Globe.

Rigging damage

This is the first dismasting to occur during the 2024 Vendée Globe, which had been remarkable for its low rate of attrition during the first half of the solo non-stop around the world race. IMOCA rigs are one-design, as prescribed by the class rules.

Just two skippers have retired so far: Maxime Sorel on V&B Monbana – Mayenne, who retired after suffering problems to his main headboard car as well as an ankle injury. Second was Louis Burton on Bureau Vallée 2, who – having made structural repairs when he discovered cracking on his IMOCA – then suffered rigging damage which was irreparable, and put into Cape Town.

However, as the fleet contends with stronger conditions in southerly latitudes there has been an increased number of rigging problems accumulating.

Antoine Cornic (Human Immobilier, 32nd) has suffered damage to his mainsail track that required him to climb the rig. While sailing in 60 knots of wind and 8-9m seas, a gust caused his boat to broach, tearing off nearly 1m of mainsail track. He diverted towards the uninhabited Saint-Paul and Amsterdam Islands, north-northeast of the Kerguelen Islands, in order to make repairs.

Guirec Soudée (Freelance.com, 30th) also headed to the lee of the Kerguelen Islands to make rigging repairs after a broach.

Last placed skipper Szabolcs Weöres last night (Sunday 16 December) reported his port D2 diagonal shroud has broken on New Europe while sailing in winds gusting to over 40 knots.

‘Szabi’ is uninjured and the boat itself has no damage. He took a third reef in the mainsail and gybed, which has allowed him to keep his mast and rigging safe. When the damage was reported was 450 miles west of Cape Town and he is currently heading for South Africa.

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The two crews are both attempting to break the non-stop, around the world record – the ‘no limits’ Jules Verne Trophy – which currently stands at 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds.

Thomas Coville’s Sodebo Ultim 3 was first to start, crossing the virtual start line off Brest in western France, at 2103 last night, Friday 29 November. The ‘line’ is between Ouessant and the Lizard, UK.

The crew set off at nearly 30 knots, though this morning were some 100 miles behind the equivalent pace set by current record holder IDEC Sport.

Sodebo’s tracker shows the bid’s progress against current Jules Verne Trophy record holder IDEC Sport

In order to break the record, Sodebo will need to return to cross the line by January 9, 2025 at 2034hrs.

Francois Gabart’s SVR-Lazartigue then set off this morning, Saturday 30 November, at 08.51 (local time). They will need to return by the morning of January 10 in order to break the record.

Record-breaking routing

Both teams set off independently, but their weather routing teams have identified the same weather window which is currently forecasting the boats to reach the Equator in around five days.

In order to be in with a shout of beating the record, they will then need to be at the Cape of Good Hope within a dozen days of starting. Both teams progressively went from ‘Code Orange’ standby mode, to ‘Code Green’ before starting just 12 hours apart.

Sodebo Ultim 3 Skipper Thomas Coville sets off on a Jules Verne Trophy bid from Lorient on 29 November, 2024. Photo: Vincent Curutchet / Team Sodebo

Thomas Coville, skipper of Sodebo, explained: “The transition from orange to green is often quite brutal, you have to change mode and mentality.

“Personally, what helps me to switch is when I get dressed in my sea gear, when I put on my boots, it allows me to enter another world, that of a sailor.”

Thomas Coville (far left), Benjamin Schwartz (centre) and the Sodebo Ultim 3 crew. Photo: Vincent Curutchet / Team Sodebo

Crew member and navigator Benjamin Schwartz explained the team’s start strategy: “We will set off close-hauled/reaching to look for a first front in the south of a depression, with a tack planned for Saturday afternoon, then dive south in a wind that will pick up, so downwind.

“The objective is to go around the Azores high from the east and slip under it for a final gybe, probably Monday morning, which will take us straight towards the equator in about five days, so a little ahead of the record time.”

But he cautions: “The window is quite short, insofar as the Azores High tends to emit a ridge  (an extension)  which closes the route to Portugal, so we will have to manage to slip into a fairly narrow corridor in time.”

Jules Verne Trophy crews

Sodebo is sailing with a crew of seven: Thomas Coville, Frédéric Denis, Pierre Leboucher, Léonard Legrand, Guillaume Pirouelle, Benjamin Schwartz and Nicolas Troussel.

Skipper Francois Gabart, third from left, and the SVR-Lazartigue crew setting off on their way to the Jules Verne Trophy start line in Brest on Saturday, 30 November 2024. Photo: Clement Gerbaud/SVR-Lazartigue

SVR-Lazartigue is sailing with six: Francois Gabart, Tom Laperche, Pascal Bidégorry, Amélie Grassi, Antoine Gautier, and Émilien Lavigne.

For the Jules Verne Trophy the teams may use on shore routers, and each will have a team monitoring the weather, position of ice, and potential routing strategies. Sodebo’s is headed up by Philippe Legros and Simon Fisher, while SVR-Lazartigue’s router is Jean-Yves Bernot.

Record holders rematch

The current time was set by Francis Joyon on IDEC Sport in 2017, when his six-man crew completed a non-stop circumnavigation – in the non-foiling trimaran – at a blistering average speed of 26.8 knots.

Both skippers have claimed the solo non-stop around the world record, Coville setting a record time in December 2016 of 49d 3h 7m 38s.

Gabart set the current benchmark of 42d 16h 40m 35s the following year – remarkably just two days slower than the crewed record they are both attempting to beat, including an astonishing 24hr record of 851 miles solo.

The newest of the Ultims, SVR-Lazartigue is perhaps the most advanced design. Photo: Guillaume Gatefait

Going head to head

In 2016, IDEC Sport and Spindrift 2 set off within hours of each other, in the first ‘head-to-head’ Jules Verne attempt. Both teams made it round, but neither broke the record.

The last time two boats set off together was in 2020, when Gitana 17 and Sodebo started within hours of each other in late November.

Both retired from their attempt early: Gitana turning back after three days after colliding with a ‘UFO’ (unidentified floating object), while Sodebo had a great start to their bid – extending to over 200 miles ahead of IDEC Sport’s position, and regularly posting days with 30-35-knot averages.

But by mid-December they too had to retire, after colliding with an underwater object and damaging the starboard rudder.

The foiling Ultims are notoriously vulnerable to collisions, but in February 2024 Charles Caudrelier won the first ever single-handed around the world race in the giant trimarans, after his Gitana 17 made the circumnavigation without stopping for a technical repair (he did stop in the Azores to avoid ‘impassable’ conditions in the Bay of Biscay, with a forecast of 7-10m waves and 50 knot winds). That passage proved it can be done.

Support crew bid farewell to the Sodebo Ultim 3 crew. Photo: Vincent Curutchet / Team Sodebo

How to follow the Jules Verne Trophy

You can follow the Sodebo attempt at their own tracker dashboard, which besides boat speed, wind data etc also includes the option to message the crew and even see who is on watch.

SVR-Lazartigue also has it’s own tracker – which also shows relative position to IDEC Sport (100 miles ahead after two hours of racing), wind data etc.

If they make it that far, the two crews are also likely to overtake the Vendée Globe fleet in the southern oceans.

The post Head-to-head Jules Verne attempts: two Ultim trimarans set off to try and break 40 days around the world appeared first on Yachting World.

Day 3 of the Vendée Globe dawned this morning, Tuesday 12 November, with much of the fleet having gone through their first bout of testing conditions around Cap Finistere.

Though the margins are still small, it’s British ‘rookie’ sailor Sam Goodchild, competing in his first Vendée Globe on Vulnerable that is currently leading the pack according to the race tracker.

After Sunday’s light winds start, the 40-boat fleet remained closely packed for a gentle Biscay crossing – with just 50 miles separating first and last IMOCAs after the first 24 hours of racing.

Charlie Dalin and Macif, tipped by many to be one of the race favourites, took the early lead. Macif was first to Finistere, passing inside the TSS (traffic separation zone) along the Galician coast yesterday evening.

High boat speeds and stronger breezes for the fleet around Cap Finstere. Photo: Benjamin Dutreux/Guyot Environment/VG2024

He was followed through by Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil), Sam Goodchild, Jérémie Beyou (Charal) and Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa), with Goodchild’s team mate Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable) leading another group on this inshore course some 20 miles back.

Meanwhile the last race winner, Yannick Bestaven (Maitre Coq V) and Justine Mettreaux (Teamwork Team SNEF) were the first boats to break west. By opting to sail outside of the TSS they were clearly hoping to reduce the number of manoeuvres needed and seek stronger winds.

Even those boats that went ‘inside’ however reported over 30 knots in the acceleration zone off the headland, with a messy sea state of 2m-plus.

“There was the TSS – and I passed it on the wrong side. A dumb move! I tried to play it safe, and calm things down with two reefs in the mainsail – I did dismast two months ago. But that choice did not help me. I thought that passing on the outside of the TSS at Cap Finisterre there would be fewer gybes, but in the end the wind was very strong- it is still 38 knots,” reported Roman Attanasio from Fortinet this morning

“The seas are acting crazy, it’s still bombing along – I’m making 18-20 knots.”

Goodchild in the lead

Once south of the TSS in the early hours of this morning, Goodchild and his team mate Ruyant both opted to hug the Portuguese coast to great effect, Goodchild taking the lead – though just some 7 miles ahead of Dalin according to the race tracker. Meanwhile Ruyant pulled up to 3rd overall.

Sam Goodchild has had a fantastic start to his first Vendée Globe, taking the lead on Day 2. Photo: Sam Goodchild/Vulnerable/VG2024

Yoann Richomme has headed the most west of the leading group, and has one of the fastest boat speeds with at least 10 knots more pressure than those inshore.

Meanwhile Nico Lunven (Holcim-PRB) has taken one of the most radical routings – heading some 180 miles west of the TSS before gybing south. At the moment the tracker has him in 28th place, but Lunven is a highly experienced and well rated navigator and router, so his move is definitely one to keep an eye on.

In the bigger breezes, Boris Herrmann’s Malizia-SeaExplorer is also coming into its own. Sailing outside the TSS, the German skipper moved up into the top 10 this morning after a tricky start dealing with some problems with his steering system in the very early stages, ranking 40th at one stage.

A big shift

For all the skippers, after the emotional rollercoaster of the start, followed by a tense first night of close quarters manoeuvres – many of the skippers in constant contact on VHF to avoid collisions – the stronger breezes around Finisterre required a big shift – not only in mindset, but in physical set up of the boat.

View inside Yoann Richomme’s Paprec Arkéa as the fleet picks up speeds around the Cap Finistere TSS. Photo: Yoann Richomme/VG2024

With many of the IMOCAs carrying from 800kgs up to 1 tonne of additional weight in food, gear and spares, shifting the carefully stowed stack of bags from their light wind start position to the back of the boat for bigger breeze trim is a major job. For the boats opting to sail inside the TSS, with repeated gybes, there’s then the additional physical challenge of shifting that gear across the boat.

“Approaching Cape Finistere, the wind’s starting to pick up and the sea state is starting to get a bit gnarly. So the ride becomes rougher and I’ve got a bit of work to do,” explained Pip Hare from onboard Medallia, surveying the stack of bags she had to move. “The trick is not to do it all at once.”

Not coming back

For the first time in the Vendée Globe’s history, not one single boat has yet returned to the start port of Les Sables d’Olonne. Under race rules, skippers may return and restart within the first 10 days, but once they have left Les Sables, must complete the rest of the course unassisted.

Avoiding collisions was key in the early stages when light winds saw the fleet stay tighly compressed. Photo: Benjamin Dutreux/Guyot Environment/VG2024

Often strong conditions in the Bay of Biscay sees some skippers return to effect repairs (Michel Desjoyeaux most famously returned in 2008, restarting some 40 hours later, but went on to win), but this year’s light conditions have not – so far – seen any report major damage.

However, Thomas Ruyant’s team has disclosed that he has discovered some water ingress in the forward area of his IMOCA Vulnerable. In the strong conditions he is currently sailing in Ruyant is pumping out the water and monitoring the situation.

The post Brit Sam Goodchild takes Vendée Globe lead after fleet’s first testing night appeared first on Yachting World.

Past Vendée Globe races have seen the fleet get an absolute pasting in the early days, thanks to the first hurdle of crossing the Bay of Biscay in November.

But this year looks set to be a gentler introduction for the 40 solo skippers, with likely just  5-10 knots at the start, though there will still be some tough strategic decisions early on. IMOCA co-skipper Will Harris shares his expert analysis of the forecast.

Harris is a key part of Boris Herrmann’s Malizia-Explorer team, and has been co-skipper for the IMOCA crewed and double-handed races. For the Vendée Globe he is ‘reserve’ skipper (all the solo skippers have nominated an emergency stand-in), and part of the meteorology team working with Herrmann ahead of this year’s round the world race.

While he says he’s been looking at general trends – such as where different systems are and how they’ve tracking – all week, it’s only in the final few days that he began running routings in detail with any degree of confidence.

Weather updates at the final skippers’ briefing ahead of the 2024 Vendée Globe

High pressure Vendée Globe start

Currently the forecast is for light winds on start day, Harris explains. “It’s a high pressure situation. We’ve had this massive high pressure over Western Europe the last two or three weeks – bringing nice sun some days, very foggy, but basically not much wind or an offshore wind a lot of the time.

“And we’re going to have that all the way to the start and going into the middle of next week. So basically, for the start day, we’re going to be right in the centre of the high pressure.

“There are a few little occluded fronts and things, which is going to make it very variable. We’re not really sure what direction the wind is going to come from, but we’re basically looking to pick up a north-easterly flow going into Monday. That’s going to take the boats around Finistère, where it will have nicely accelerated around that corner.

“So the first 18 hours is where we’ll see the first differences between the boats, as there’s some strategy calls to make about how to get through the light winds. But the differences won’t be too huge in the fleet. I think it’s going to be later on, Thursday or Friday, where they’re going to have to start choosing how to deal with the low pressures that are disturbing the tradewinds.”

The first night is expected to see light conditions. Photo: Antoine Auriol/Malizia/VG2024

These low pressure systems are further south than usual. “There are two or three [lows] sitting right over the Azores, which is normally where the high pressure is,” explains Harris. “And that’s basically disturbing the trade winds.

“So you’ve got to choose: do I try and stick to the African Coast and use what’s left to the tradewinds? Or do I punch straight through this light wind and see if I can get a better VMG to end up with a nice reaching angle towards the Equator?

“And so that’s the two main points that are there from this [early forecast]. The first 18 hours being very difficult and uncertain, and then later on this much bigger strategy call and the bigger split. But we’re going to just have to see how the forecast develops with that – it’ll probably be a call that [the skippers] have to make later on in the race.”

Will Harris co-skippering with Boris Herrmann on Malizia-SeaExplorer during the double-handed IMOCA Le Défi Azimut race.

Finistère acceleration zone

Although light winds and flat seas dominate, the fleet could see some stronger conditions around Finistère. “Finistère is a big acceleration, a big bit of breeze. There’s definitely some miles to be made there, and choosing whether you gybe inside or outside the TSS, because it’s basically a big curve.

“If you come to the inside of the curve, you get a better shift. But equally, it’s more manoeuvres, more risk as well. Especially around that corner, they could see 30 knots going into Tuesday and Wednesday.

“So you want to keep it simple on that first night and not do 10 manoeuvres and totally exhaust yourself.”

After Finistère, Harris thinks the fleet could compress back up again. “The bit that’s interesting [in these early forecasts] is that around Finistère, you’ve got a big acceleration, and then they’ll get spat out into not much wind. So everyone will come flying around that corner and then slow down a bit.

“Especially if it’s still light in the Bay of Biscay, they’ll suddenly go from 10 knots to foiling at 25, and they can jump ahead. But then later on, that could not work out like that.”

Sea state around Finistère is also forecast to change, which Harris says could benefit Herrmann on Malizia. “There’s a bit of a west swell coming in, which is going against the downwind conditions. It could make it a bit choppy and messy – but that favours us, really. We love that stuff. The messier the sea state, the better for us.

Boris Herrmann’s Malizia-SeaExplorer is known to favour strong winds and larger sea states. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot/Malizia/VG2024

“Then once they’ve got to that point, I think they’ll start really looking, okay, how am I going to get south? Am I going to try and stick a bit to the west, go close to the Azores and pass through the low pressures? Or am I going to sneak down the African Coast and go through the Canary Islands and push along the coast there?”

Potential splits in the Vendée fleet

Light downwind conditions could see the fleet making some big splits and different tactical choices.

“With VMG angles, you can really split up the fleet quickly. It only takes one boat to decide to gybe 10 miles later, which is very typical in these boats. You’re solo – trying to cover each and every gybe is a lot of work. So they’re going to have to stick to their own guns a bit, but maybe one boat gybes 10 miles later and suddenly gains 100 miles,” Harris explains.

“The top guys – Charlie [Dalin, Macif], Thomas [Ruyant, Vulnerable], Nico [Lunven, Holcim-PRB], and Yoann [Richomme, Paprec Arkéa] – they’re all going to be really on top of their gybes and making those calls. And Biotherm as well. I think Paul [Meilhat]’s boat is very good for this flat water VMG downwind stuff.

“But they still might have slightly different ideas of how they’re going to do it, and it could open things up.”

Light winds in the early stages could be demanding with manoeuvres and sail changes – Paul Meihat’s Biotherm is among the boats the may revel in the lighter airs forecast at the start.

The light winds could also play into the hands of some of the older designs. “The conditions in the first hours and days could allow boats with straight daggerboards to be in the match,” Louis Burton, skipper of Bureau Vallée pointed out.

Skippers’ relief

Though there is a general feeling of relief among the teams that this edition looks unlikely to see boat-breaking conditions in Biscay, light winds – and particularly poor visibility with fog – will bring its own challenge.

“I would have preferred to have a bit more wind and I think everyone is a bit nervous about the fog,” Medallia skipper Pip Hare said after the final skippers’ briefing. “To be honest all anyone cares about is getting away safely.”

There will be some key decisions for the skippers to make as the IMOCAs approach the tradewinds, with low pressure currently forecast around the Azores. Photo: Antoine Auriol/Malizia/VG2024

“Everyone’s always going to be happy that we’re not starting in 35 knots in the middle of a front,” says Harris. “But I think everyone’s keeping their fingers crossed there’s going to be at least 10 knots or so – it’s looking very light on some of the forecasts.

“What’s really hard is that first night. In lots of transitions, you can really psych yourself out and think: ‘Oh, I’m losing miles. This boat’s doing 10 knots, I’m only doing 2’.

“You’ve just got to remember, it’s a round the world race. It’s not going to come down to that. Keep the boat in one piece and don’t try and gain all your miles back at Finistère and push the boat too hard.

“Your biggest danger is yourself, really, on the first week.”

For more coverage of the Vendée Globe check out the Yachting World YouTube channel which has exclusive interviews with the skippers and IMOCA boat tours.

The post Vendée Globe forecast: an ‘easy’ start, then tough decisions appeared first on Yachting World.

The final preparations are all nearly made: it’s time for the 40 solo skippers in this year’s Vendée Globe to ready themselves for one of the most emotional moments in sport: start day.

The Vendée Globe start, which this year is on Sunday 10 November at 1300 (local time), is a French institution.

The host port of Les Sables d’Olonne on the Atlantic coast has been full to the gunwales with sailing fans – and France has a LOT of sailing fans – for the past three weeks.

The race village saw around 360,000 people through its gates in the first week alone, and is expecting well over a million by the time the skippers cast off.

Over 1m visitors are expected in Les Sables d’Olonne ahead of the 2024 Vendée Globe

I’ve been in Les Sables for the past few days and I can vouch that these numbers are not one of those ‘uplifted’ sports event statistics prone to exaggeration.

The pontoons are rammed 20-deep with crowds from dawn to dusk, and visiting an IMOCA or meeting a skipper involves military logistical planning, and extremely sharp elbows to simply move through the mass of people trying to get a glimpse of their sailing heroes.

But come Sunday, things will move up a gear yet again.

Start day is unadulterated bedlam. If you’re not on the port walls well before the sun comes up to secure your spot, you can give up any hope of being in the front few rows. Thousands upon thousands of people will be descending on Les Sables to give the skippers the most rousing and spectacular send off in sport.

Emotional start

The passion this event engenders is almost unrivalled.

Emotions are further heightened by the undeniable risk the skippers are about to take. It is an inescapable, but unsaid truth, that there have been sailors who motored down Les Sables’ famous canal to sea, but did not return.

For the 40 solo skippers, it is a lot to handle. Not only do they have their private emotional rollercoaster of saying goodbye to their partners, parents and children, their friends, team mates and sponsors, all while managing their own fears, doubts and adrenaline.

But they also have to somehow absorb the power of the moment that is a Vendée Globe start, without letting the emotional tidal wave overwhelm them.

Yoann Richomme will be starting his first Vendée Globe on the latest generation Paprec Arkéa

“I’ve worked on it a lot, on mental preparation for the start,” says Yoann Richomme, skipper of Paprec Arkéa, who’ll be starting his first Vendée Globe this Sunday as one of the favourites.

“I know that start and the emotion it carries could be a weak point for me, but i’ve worked on it, I feel like I’m ready, and I hope I’ll manage it really well – but I’m going to be very emotional for sure.

“I’ve lived it, in the last race with Damien Seguin, but it was Covid times so almost no one came to see us.

“We know how many people we can fit on those two jetties out there and it’s quite mad. It’s part of the fun of it. It’s a race where we get like a million people over three weeks coming to watch us, and it’s cool to see that we can attract so much attention around one simple race.”

Letting go of land

Pip Hare is taking part in her second Vendée Globe with Medallia. “I’ve been here over three weeks.

“Around the middle of week one I separated myself from the team a bit. Because the intensity of the build up is stressful and I needed a bit of decompression. For about a week or nine days, I just had a nice time, went running and swimming and cycling – just breathing. Eating, sleeping, relaxing.

“Then in the last week it ramps back up again.

“I’m taking control of the boat a bit more. For the last couple of days the team won’t be on the boat any more, it’ll just be me and Joff [Brown, Technical Director], I’m kind of nesting!

“In the last few days striking the balance between preparing me, and giving back to our sponsors, that’s quite hard to find.

Pip Hare signing autographs for a fan ahead of the 2024 Vendée Globe

“Preparing me is the thing that I have to admit I find hardest. When I’m out on the water I am instantly able to let go of all the land based stresses, but I find it very hard to let go of them now.

“I’m looking at the weather, visualising the sail changes, but the biggest challenge for me is trying to let go of the land before the start, not after the start.

“However, I’m actually really, really looking forward to sharing it with people on Sunday. So many people have come out – it’s actually a bit difficult for me because I can’t physically say hello to all of them.

“Having my friends and family going down the canal, I just want them to celebrate that moment – because we don’t know what happens after that!”

The incredible 40-boat IMOCA fleet will each parade down the canal of Les Sables d’Olonne before the 2024 Vendée Globe start

‘In my mind, I’m already at sea’

“The good thing is we had three weeks of being in the race village which helped me to kind of realise I was about to take the start of the Vendée Globe,” Clarisse Cremer explains, shortly before the start of her second Vendée Globe on L’Occitane en Provence.

“The first week was quite busy. The second week was more of a break for me – almost a small holiday with my family, which was super important to feel like I was saying goodbye to everyone, and have a little bit of time with my daughter and my husband.”

For Clarisse, that time has extra importance as her husband Tanguy Le Turquais, is also taking part in the race.

Clarisse Crémer, skipper of L’Occitane en Provence. Credit: Georgia Schofield/Alex Thomson Racing

“But this week is crazy. The race is closer and the stress level is going higher.”

“It’s true that it’s not very natural to go from being surrounded by so many people to being alone at sea.

“You need a few days to really feel like you are doing the Vendée Globe. I think that is what is happening right now – and the reason I feel in a bit of a parallel world right now is because my mind is already at sea.”

The post Vendée Globe skippers prepare for the most emotional send off in sport appeared first on Yachting World.

When Don McIntyre devised the Ocean Globe Race, he imagined a revival of sailing’s greatest era of adventure. The early Whitbread Round the World Races made headlines beyond the sport of offshore racing: they created legends. Half a century on, this new race could never fully recapture the same race fever and romance, but it did write some fabulous new endings.

In April, after 145 days of racing, the 73ft ketch Pen Duick VI crossed the finish line at Cowes to win line honours. Marie Tabarly was skippering the boat her father, Éric, built to win the Whitbread. The greatest race eluded him twice, and in 1998, when Marie was 13, he was lost overboard in the Irish Sea. With this win, Marie, now 39, has completed the Pen Duick story in her own name.

Mid-ocean drone view of the 1970 S&S Swan 55 Galiana WithSecure – skipper Tapio Lehtinen also completed the 1981/82 Whitbread. Photo: TeamGaliana WithSecure/OGR2023

Eight days later, Maiden took the overall race win on handicap. In the 1989/90 Whitbread, Maiden skipper Tracy Edwards demonstrated that women could race on equal terms (not a given at the time – a rival horridly dismissed her all-female crew as ‘performing seals’). Now in the hands of skipper Heather Thomas and a crew of 12 young women, the Maiden team claimed the title of the first all-female crew to win a round the world race.

A more relaxed time on Translated 9. Photo: Team Translated 9/OGR2023

With its throwback rules shunning modern electronics and technology, the Ocean Globe Race has curiously ended up reflecting back deep social changes. Yet the challenge itself is much as it was back then: the feat of pushing big, labour-intensive yachts and large crews for up to 40 days at a stretch. Marie Tabarly called Pen Duick “a colossus to manoeuvre, a beast”, which sums up the lion-taming required of these old ocean racers.

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Physical racing in the Ocean Globe Race

Pen Duick was the fleet’s heavy weather specialist. “In that kind of weather, we can maintain our speed when the others are decelerating. We were sometimes surfing at 22-23 knots under spinnaker and we can average 12-13 knots without too many problems and cover 260 to 280 miles a day, or more. For an aluminium boat weighing 34 tonnes, she is fast,” says Tabarly.

Hard winch work aboard South African entry Sterna. Photo: Team Sterna/OGR2023

To skipper or run a watch on these boats you need eyes everywhere; things can happen fast. “A gybe on this boat is a hard manoeuvre. At the bow, it is rock ’n’ roll with the two spinnaker poles, each weighing 70kg,” she says.

Maiden, too, is a very physical boat to race, requiring a lot of crew and teamwork for sail changes. The Dacron sails and inventory are “very similar to how it was in the Whitbread”, says Heather Thomas. There are no furling headsails, they are hoisted on a Tuff Luff headstay and have to be dragged up on deck to be hoisted.

“You have to be quite smart in the way you approach changing sails. If you’re overpowered, you can’t steer the boat properly, and it’s not going to be very efficient. It’s also where mistakes are made. I think that a lot of boats spent too much time with way too much sail up and it led to more gear damage in the fleet,” she says.

Marie Tabarly at the helm of Pen Duick VI. The boat was originally designed for the 1973 Whitbread and sailed by Marie’s father, Éric Tabarly. Photo: Martin Keruzoré/Team Pen Duick VI/OGR2023

Ian Herbert-Jones was first mate on Spirit of Helsinki, a Swan 651 that raced in the 1986/87 Whitbread as Fazer Finland and took 2nd place in the Ocean Globe Race. The inventory consisted of three genoas, a jib top, a staysail on an inner forestay staysail – all hanked on – a slab reefed main and four symmetric spinnakers. The interior was a normal Swan cruising layout with varnished teak joinery, so the sails were kept stacked on deck.

“It’s a nightmare!” says Herbert-Jones. “Moving the No 1 genoa from the side deck to bow is a multi-person job.”

“Spinnaker peels were not too bad; we were quite well organised and they can be done by a single shift quite easily,” says Simon Curwen, navigator and later co-skipper on Translated 9. “But the big headsail changes or yankees in heavy weather on deck were different. You know you’ll be getting wet hoisting big sails, dropping and getting them tamed, bagged up, tied down, and shifted to windward every tack. These were a minimum three-person job.”

Cape Horn celebrations for the crew of Translated 9. Photo: Team Translated 9/OGR2023

More than half the fleet had headsail furlers, but they come with their own problems and performance penalties. “As long as furling systems don’t break they can reduce sail wardrobe and save people getting hurt,” says Curwen. Ian Herbert-Jones agrees: “In hindsight, with mixed physical abilities, our boat would have been better with headsail furling as we would have made headsail changes more readily.”

Southern Ocean highs

Southern Ocean legs are traditionally thought of as sleigh rides; you picture boats hammering downwind and helmsmen wrestling with the wheel as foam-crested seas rear up astern. In the Ocean Globe Race there were fast speeds in big breezes, particularly in the Roaring Forties on the first leg to Cape Town – Maiden, for example, reported a new top speed of over 20.6 knots. But in the Southern Ocean itself, the fleet saw frequent large areas of light winds.

All smiles for Pia Grönblom on the helm and Mauri De Meulder aboard Tapio Lehtinen’s Swan 55 Galiana WithSecure. Photo: Team Galiana WithSecure/OGR2023

In the first Whitbread race 50 years ago, there were no ice limits and boats were free to follow a Great Circle route from New Zealand to Cape Horn. One entry, CS e RB, a 50ft Robert Clark design, dipped down below 62°S, where they sighted icebergs looming sinisterly out of fog.

Crews in the following editions also ran these risks until a more cautious attitude and more precise satellite imagery of where larger icebergs were drifting led organisers to hitch the route north. For Southern Ocean-bound races today, the most southerly point is usually Cape Horn itself at 56°S.

One of the unintended consequences of shouldering the route away from ice limits is that a fleet can be forced towards and entrapped in high pressure. “We kept getting high pressures that were in the way of the ice limits, the waypoints that you had to go around. So you could dive quite deep, but you had to come back up and it was kind of a race around high pressures all round the world,” Heather Thomas says. “It was very slow going at times.”

Busy down below in Translated 9 with traditional-style navigation at the chart table and sail repairs being made in the saloon. Photo: Team Translated 9/OGR2023

Weather information was restricted to what could be obtained by HF radio, but whereas there were many stations globally able to provide weather information back in the Whitbread days, today there are very few. “There are literally only three stations emitting useful info. Two, Northwood in the UK and Hamburg, are in Europe and overlapping down to the Canaries and then it stops.

“Then Australia does good transmissions from Cape Leeuwin through to New Zealand and that’s the extent of it,” says Herbert-Jones. And some yachts’ radio reception was poor. Spirit of Helsinki’s was one of them. “We were getting some weather over HF radio and weatherfaxes which were unreliable and so blurred you couldn’t read them, so we were staring at these old, fuzzy images trying to work them out. I’d be happy never to see another weatherfax again,” he says.

Competitors were not allowed to contact ham radio stations but inevitably there were ‘discrepancies’. One boat was known to be in daily contact with a ham operator, and in receipt of everything from rugby scores to weather and positions of all the boats, which they blatantly relayed to the fleet.

“But,” adds Simon Curwen, “a huge element of co-operation and tone was set by one or two boats. Maiden especially set the standard of information and removed the majority of non-sharing.”

If bad weather over a sustained 35 knots or winds Force 8-9 or more were forecast, the fleet was alerted by the race office by sat phone SMS or Yellowbrick texting service. Much of the time it was back to absolute basics: recording barometer readings and making observations of the changing sky – “looking out of the window, seeing what you are seeing and building a picture. People got much better at it as it went on,” Simon Curwen adds.

The crew of Maiden wrote themselves into the history books, becoming the first all-women team ever to win a crewed around the world race. Photo: Team Maiden/OGR2023

“Everybody will say the lack of weather makes it super tough and very frustrating at times, for example the lack of GRIB files and software such as Explorer that helps you take tactical and strategic decisions. Suddenly in this race I am literally going up and down the companionway and looking at the clouds. People joked: ‘Here comes Ian staring at the sky’,” says Herbert-Jones.

Celestial navigation was enjoyed by some; hated by others. Boats had to have GPS plotters and AIS MOB locators under a sealed screen, to be used only for emergencies. But it needed to be checked every day and it was an open secret that some were using this for primary positioning information.

“If you’re out in the middle of the ocean, you don’t particularly need to know where you are with a massive amount of accuracy, just when you get a bit closer to land,” says Maiden’s Heather Thomas. “If there was sun, we were taking maybe four or five sights a day and doing DR at least once every three hours to keep an eye on our course and distance. It becomes kind of second nature to you and the calculations become quicker and quicker as time goes on because there are only small differences between each day of similarly timed sights.

“I was a fan before and now I love celestial nav. We shouldn’t let it die out. It gives you a very in-depth understanding of where you are and what the sun, moon, and planets are doing just as doing weather observations gives a very keen understanding of what’s going on.”

Maiden arrives in Cowes, winning the Ocean Globe Race 2023-24 on corrected time. Photo: The Maiden Factor

Yachts were not given daily fleet position reports by the organisers, but began to share them with each other over SSB radio as well as weather forecasts received. “Comms became very important,” says Herbert-Jones.

“We were committed to a fleet call once a week but we had a good radio and could communicate with all the fleet so we set up these sheds [schedules], a buddy call twice a day at 0700 and 1900. We would freely share and relay weather information with boats that had poor reception and help with repair solutions. There were one or two boats who didn’t play as nicely for various reasons at different times or would go radio silent. But most played – a massive contrast with a modern race where you wouldn’t do that.”

Modern races seldom have stages as long as 40 days any more. Sponsorship opportunities have added more stopovers to the classic route, and boats have become faster. Even the longest transocean cruising passage of a circumnavigation is rarely more than 30 days. The Ocean Globe Race and Clipper Race are now unusual as a series of ultra marathons with four stages of 6,500-8,000 miles.

Life on board

The concoction of sleep deprivation, cramped quarters and the shock of going totally off grid for so long were a potent recipe for team bonding and discord. Different boats had varying levels of living standards. Spirit of Helsinki’s crew, a group of shareholders in the project, were widely considered to be living in comfort. “We were an absolute luxury cruise liner compared to others,” agrees Herbert-Jones. “We had twin diesel heaters, we had no issues making water and were having hot showers. One owner really liked his spa sessions.”

Old school charts aboard Translated 9. Photo: Team Translated 9/OGR2023

Translated 9, a Swan 65 (formerly Clare Francis’s ADC Accutrac from the 1977/78 Whitbread) had a fully fitted out interior that looked misleadingly snug and homely.

“You think it is going to be a very comfortable trip compared to a modern ocean racer but it’s not actually,” Simon Curwen says. “You roll around the double berth in the master cabin and if you take the cupboard doors off in the saloon you are sleeping up against the structure. It would be much more comfortable in a bunk with a canvas base that you can rack yourself in and change the angle.

“There was no space below for anyone not required on deck. We didn’t have a table as it would have been in the way of dropping sails and there was hot bunking for five people only. The cuddy did provide a bit of comfort but it was often occupied by people being seasick and lying out.”

There were very different approaches to food on board, just as there was in the pioneering first Whitbread Race. Back then, Chay Blyth’s men had a stiff military regime of freeze-dried food, favouring curry, and were allowed only one spoon each to eat with. By contrast, Ramon Carlin on Sayula II insisted that the ‘inner man’ was important. He ran a cocktail hour as crew came off watch and when Sayula arrived in Cape Town reported that they’d run out of wine and beer and had ‘only 24 jars of caviar left’.

This time around on Maiden there was nowhere below for crew to eat communally and the diet was 100% freeze-dried. Skipper Heather Thomas explains: “Crew prepared their own meals and ate whenever and whatever they wanted, within the realms of what we had on board.”

Pen Duick VI’s first mate Tom Napper keeps busy trimming sails. Photo: Team Pen Duick VI/OGR2023

Others had fridges and freezers, and made good use of them with pre-prepared meals. On Translated 9, with an Italian owner and majority Italian crew, there was plenty of pasta and polenta. People took it in turns to cook and they ate together.

On Spirit of Helsinki, food was paramount. “We’d cook lunch and dinner and get together to eat. We’d have roast beef and three veg pre-prepared, and on one leg we ordered meals prepared by a local restaurant. We liked to wind people up about it on the radio calls. That’s where humour comes in,” says Ian Herbert-Jones.

Friends and foes

The long legs of the Ocean Globe Race produced some of the same human conflicts as the Whitbread Races of old, just possibly with less machismo. The first Whitbread Race was rife with tales of fights and mutinies, particularly after the Southern Ocean legs. It was said that one skipper in the 1974/75 race ran amok with a gun and had to be tied up for a day. Life at sea was cold and monotonous, an animalistic existence for those early pioneers, and if the race was going badly people became restive.

On the modern day Ocean Globe Race things didn’t go that far, but there were still tensions. “Some boats lost crew and they transferred to other boats; there was a fair amount of that going on. On Spirit of Helsinki, everyone managed to find their way through those difficulties but that is not completely true of every boat,” observes Ian Herbert-Jones.

“There were conflicts on Translated, as on every boat in the fleet, but there was also great teamwork, particularly with the youngsters on board having the adventure of their life,” says Curwen.

Pen Duick VI’s crew celebrate line honours. Photo: Tim Bishop/PPL/OGR2023

But some boats experienced defining moments when disappointments and disharmony had to be contained. On the homeward stretch, a heavy broach in 50-knot gusts reopened previously repaired cracks in the hull of Translated 9 and the yacht began to take on water. Co-skipper Nico Malingri reported obvious signs of delamination and the crew prepared to abandon. After some debate, they diverted to Portugal, where they retired from the race.

“There were two people in particular who were very competitive who would have rather carried on and risked sinking the boat than retire,” recalls Curwen. “We were taking on water and it was difficult to be sure about the structural issues. It was a very emotional conversation. There was sorrow and disappointment. Tears all round.”

Around again?

For Simon Curwen, who completed the solo Golden Globe Race in 2022 but was also forced to retire after diverting for repairs, this is the end of the adventure. “I’ve got to a certain stage I don’t think I’d put myself through that again,” he says. “But a number are already thinking of doing it again. And I will say that it has enhanced my love of the sea and sailing.”

Don McIntyre has published his rules for the Ocean Globe Race in 2027. Some of the same yachts will certainly be back with different crews. More yachts may also be considered eligible, so the fleet may be larger.

Although she’s moving back to racing in IMOCA 60 and Ultime classes, Marie Tabarly is a believer in this kind of race. “It’s exciting to see machines that, technologically, are pushing innovation to the top. But this creates huge carbon footprints and the world is no longer heading in that direction. Ocean racing like we do now is a form of excess. We need to start with making boats sustainable and creating new circuits.”

With its opportunities for older and less exorbitant yachts, the OGR is a concept of that type, and is also rich with human stories that the professionalism of elite events have tended to blot out. You don’t need to understand sailing at all to be interested in the experiences of the people taking part, which is precisely why those early Whitbread Races made sporting history.

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The post Tales from the Southern Ocean: Ocean Globe Race crews on the nostalgia of round the world racing appeared first on Yachting World.

Organisers would like to hear from any women sailors who are still considering applying for the new offshore training scheme, UpWind by MerConcept, which is being supported by 11th Hour Racing with Francois Gabart’s MerConcept stable, and skippered by Francesca Clapcich.

The scheme is particularly keen to attract women sailors from a diverse range of nationalities and skillsets, so international applications are strongly encouraged.

The scheme has received over 30 submissions from female sailors based in 13 different countries. With experience from the offshore, inshore, and Olympic worlds, the sailors have applied from countries as far afield as New Zealand, Mexico, India, and Lithuania.

“This is exactly what we hoped for when we launched UpWind,” said Team Manager Louis Giard. “Not only do we have 30 strong applications so far, we have also had calls and messages from some very talented sailors indicating their intention to apply, so we anticipate this number will increase significantly over the final week.”

UpWind by MerConcept is developed to create a pool of female sailing talent based for the next two years around the Ocean Fifty tour, the international multihull racing circuit. The ambition is to see a female Ocean Fifty skipper on the startline of the 2026 solo Route du Rhum race from St Malo, France to Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe. 

The program will provide a training platform to upskill female offshore sailors in multihull racing, with the aim of creating opportunities to join mixed-gender crews for high-profile teams such as Jules Verne Trophy attempts.

Applications for UpWind by MerConcept close on March 24, 2024 and the application form for UpWind by MerConcept can be found here.

After a first round of video interviews, a shortlist of 12 candidates will be invited to MerConcept’s Concarneau base in the home of offshore sailing, in Brittany, France. The 12 candidates will be put through their paces over five days of assessments from April 15-19, from technical and physical, performance and teamwork. The successful sailors will then be assigned to either the racing or the training and development squads.

UpWind by MerConcept will enter a team for the 2024 and 2025 Ocean Fifty tour, which this year includes four European Acts (events) and a west-to-east transatlantic race from St Pierre and Miquelon, the French archipelago south of Newfoundland,  to Saint-Brieuc, France. 

Francesca Clapcich, the appointed skipper for UpWind by MerConcept, said, “We have put a lot of effort and thought into creating an accessible, fair, and just application system.

“I’ve had a number of calls with athletes who are lacking confidence, or feel they don’t have enough experience, or believe they know of someone better than them, who deservers it more.

“I’ve said to each and every one of them Apply! Don’t get discouraged if you think “Ohh I might not be good enough,” or “I’m not sure if I can commit enough time,” or the tons of other questions that inevitably come up in our minds when we want to apply for something. The process is part of the journey.

“At the end, only a small pool will be selected but the process of going through the application will make all of us grow and learn. I can promise you that we will do our best homework, with a diverse board of selectors, with a lot of input, to make it fair for all.”

The post Final week for applications for women’s Ocean 50 trimaran programme appeared first on Yachting World.

Clarisse Crémer has been cleared of any misconduct following anonymous accusations that she cheated during the 2020/21 Vendée Globe by discussing routing options with her husband, Tanguy Le Turquais.

The accusations were made via leaked photos of Whatsapp messages exchanged between Crémer and Le Turquais during the race, which were anonymously sent to some French media outlets, IMOCA skippers, and the FFVoile (the French sailing federation) on Sunday February 11.

Crémer, who finished 12th in the solo unassisted round the world race, had posted a vociferous denial of the accusations four days later, in which she insisted that: “I never cheated, I never had any desire to break a rule during this 87-day world tour.

“No conversation I had with him contributed to me changing course or making a strategic choice that would have had an impact on my race. I have always made all my performance choices alone and unassisted according to the rules.”

The conversations were held on a phone owned by her former sponsors, Banque Populaire, which Crémer says she also left accessible after arriving back in Les Sables, in accordance with the race rules.

Cremer finished the last Vendee Globe in 12th position and Photo: julia.huve / imoca.org

Today the Vendée Globe organisers released a statement confirming that the allegations of misconduct against both Crémer and Le Turquais had been dismissed.

In the statement Alain Leboeuf, President of the Vendée Globe, said: “On 12th February this year, the President of the French Sailing Federation informed me of the anonymous e-mail he had just received implicating Clarisse Crémer, who had allegedly benefited from routing information from her husband Tanguy Le Turquais during the 2020-2021 Vendée Globe.

“Since then, the French Sailing Federation has asked me and the Race Committee to appoint a Jury to analyse the veracity of the information and its content.

“The International Jury is entirely convinced that there was no misconduct on the part of either Clarisse Crémer or Tanguy Le Turquais and you will understand that it is not for me to make any comment whatsoever on a decision taken by the federal sporting authority.

“I therefore take note of these conclusions, which were reached in complete independence.”

Cremer Jury findings

The jury’s findings (translated by Tom Grainger) were reported. 

They included the fundamental principles that there is no time limit on calling a hearing under Rule 69, so “the evidence of pictures of WhatsApp messages is just as valid today as it would have been during the 2020-2021 race if it had emerged then. The passage of time has not diminished its significance.”

The report continued: “The main evidence examined, discussed, and questioned were 14 screenshots of WhatsApp messages between Clarisse and Tanguy, from an unknown source, presumably some of many such messages as part of the permitted communication between Clarisse and Tanguy during the race, using the boat’s phone and Tanguy’s own phone.

“Five pictures included examples of route images generated by Tanguy. This concerned very different parts of the race (passage of the Theta low pressure, approach to Cape Horn, return passage of the equator and finish). The International Jury accepts that Tanguy was trying to understand Clarisse’s intentions, for his own reassurance for her safety (as husband) and in order to answer media and family questions. The routes did not include any detailed information about wind, wave states, time and course options that Clarisse could adapt for her own use for routing.

Cremer reunites with husband Tanguy Le Turquais after finishing the 2000 Vendee Globe. Photo: Olivier Blanchet/Alea

“Two pictures related to Clarisse having a problem with her AIS, and wishing to check whether she was visible on the MarineTraffic website.

“The final pictures relate to Clarisse’s projected finish, in relation to severe weather conditions. This was an issue raised by Race Management, which was providing competitors with advice and weather information and encouraging them to coordinate their plans with their teams.

“For this reason, a WhatsApp group was created with the race management, the boat, the shore team and the weather consultant. The timing of her finish was also a relevant issue for the media and for personal arrangements. Her boat was several hours behind the previous finisher and several hours in front of the next boat.

“Clarisse’s weather models used with the routing program was more sophisticated than Tanguy’s, and she was using it for many hours every day.”

Cleared of misconduct

The jury reached the conclusion that: “The screenshots do not demonstrate that “routing” took place as defined in the article.

“Clarisse did not ask for routing advice from Tanguy. She never followed any of the screenshots from Tanguy. They were not useful information for her. She was always in possession of better information and had the time to work on her plans. 

“The screenshots do not demonstrate that Clarisse received performance support as described in the article.

“The Race Management team applied the NoR article Exceptional Circumstances at the end of the race for Banque Populaire, due to safety concerns due to high winds and exceptional weather, to ensure safety of the competitor and her boat. This included permitting conversations and options for Banque Populaire’s finish.

Clarisse did ask Tanguy’s opinion about her finishing route intentions, but that was for safety, and included the possibility of deliberately slowing, to avoid low tides or a night-time arrival given the bad weather. These were issues to which Race Management had alerted all competitors and shore teams of boats likely to be affected. She therefore did not receive outside help.

The jury’s conclusions also noted: “Tanguy had sent several course options to Clarisse, on his own initiative. The International Jury feels that this was not a wise or necessary thing to do, but accepts that his intention was to get clarification of Clarisse’s plans rather than to advise her what to do.”

This will likely become an ever-increasingly careful line that skippers and teams must tread as mid-ocean communications on the IMOCA 60s become not only sophisticated, but as simple to use as sending a message at home. Last race the skippers were already using WhatsApp chat groups and Kevin Escoffier’s rescue was in part co-ordinated on Skype.

The jury’s verdict is that: “Rule 69, Misconduct – The International Jury is completely satisfied that there [sic] was no misconduct by either Clarisse Crémer or Tanguy Le Turquais.”

Crémer is currently campaigning for the 2024 Vendee Globe selection with her new L’Occitane en Provence campaign, managed by Alex Thomson’s team.

In a statement on her new team website, Crémer said: “Of course, I am relieved by this decision, and I thank the jury for examining our case with impartiality and professionalism. Now that these challenging moments are behind us, the team and I can get back to work to prepare for the Vendée Globe 2024.”

Team mentor, Alex Thomson added: “We have weathered this storm together as a team. We have always supported Clarisse, standing by her every day. Clarisse is a person of great integrity, and we were all convinced of that, with the jury’s decision serving as proof.”

The post Clarisse Crémer cleared following Vendée cheating accusations appeared first on Yachting World.

Solo skipper Charles Caudrelier has won the Arkea Ultim Challenge Brest, the first ever solo around the world race in multihulls, on the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild giant foiling trimaran.

Caudrelier crossed the finish line off Brest, northern France this morning, Tuesday 27 February, at 0837 after 50 days and 19 hours of racing.

The Arkea Ultim Challenge Brest is the first time giant multihulls have ever been raced solo around the world head-to-head. Caudrelier is the first person ever to sail a foiling Ultim around the world solo, and in fact only the eighth ever to complete a solo circumnavigation on a multihull.

Charles Cauderlier and the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild win the Arkea Ultim Challenge Brest solo round the world race. Photo: Vincent Olivaud/Arkea Ultim Challenge

Though the race is ‘non-stop’, in the sense it has no scheduled stopovers, by the North Atlantic Caudrelier was the only skipper not to have made a technical stop for repairs. But with potentially ‘impassable’ conditions in the Bay of Biscay forecast of 7-10m waves and 50 knot winds due to Storm Louis, Caudrelier took a four-day pause in the Azores before cautiously sailing the remaining 1,200 miles to Brest to take the race win.

Caudrelier was able to stop in the Azores having built up an unassailable lead since his nearest rival Tom Laperche on SVR Lazartigue had to retire into Cape Town after a collision with an underwater object. Caudrelier and his Gitana-backed Ultim consolidated their position as front runners since January 17, at one point extending his lead to over 2,500 miles from second placed Thomas Coville on Sodebo.

The Maxi Edmond de Rothschild in Faial, Horta -t he damaged front starboard beam is visible. Photo: M. Le Roux/Polaryse/Gitana SA

Throughout the race Caudrelier revealed little about any technical problems he had experienced on the ground-breaking, and highly complex 100ft foiling trimaran. However, when he put into Faial in the Azores it became obvious that his boat had incurred damage early on, after a front section of one crossbeam had been ripped off by a wave. The solo skipper had cut a spare mainsail batten in order to rig a repair, tying it together with straps.

Cauderlier’s first round the world

Remarkably, this is Caudrelier’s first ever solo around the world race. Though Caudrelier – who turned 50 yesterday – had early ambitions to compete in a Vendée Globe, he instead began working with many top offshore teams, including joining Franck Cammas’s winning Volvo Ocean Race entry Groupama 4 as a navigator and helmsman. He then stepped up to skipper his own entry in back to back races for the Chinese Dongfeng team, winning – by the race’s closest ever margin – in 2018.

Photo: Vincent Olivaud/Arkea Ultim Challenge

In 2019 he joined the Gitana stable as co-skipper of the Maxi Edmond de Rothchild trimaran with Franck Cammas, with a long-term plan that he would skipper the enormous machine solo for each single-handed event.

With one of the longest running Ultim campaigns, a well-resourced team encompassing some of the best in the business, and a focus on banking as much sailing time as possible, the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild has long been the boat to beat. Cauderlier skippered or co-skippered the Ultim to major wins in the Brest Atlantiques, back to back Rolex Fastnet Races, Transat Jacques Vabre, and an emotional 2022 win in the Route du Rhum. 

Though he did not set a solo round the world record on this race, he did set a new benchmark for a solo Indian Ocean crossing, covering the 6,113 miles between Cape Agulhas (South Africa) and the Cape Leeuwin (Australia) in 8 days 8 hours 20 minutes and 36 seconds, at an incredible average speed of 30.7 knots.

We’ll have a full report, with the skippers’ first-hand tales from this incredible race, in the May issue of Yachting World.

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Charles Caudrelier, skipper of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild trimaran and Arkea Ultim Challenge leader has paused his race in the Azores after a severe weather forecast for “impassable” conditions in Biscay on his return to Brest, north-west France.

Caudrelier, who has led the fleet since the South Atlantic, having also been in front or vying for the lead since the race began on January 7, is the only one of the six solo skippers not to have made a technical stop for repairs so far on the ground-breaking around the world race for 100ft foiling Ultims.

However, his team confirmed this morning that they are making a stopover, which race rules specify must be for a minimum of 24 hours, off Horta, in the Azores.

Initially it seemed as if Caudrelier could arrive into Brest as victor tomorrow, Thursday 22 February. However, a severe low pressure system in the North Atlantic have made conditions for the final 1,200-mile passage to Brest untenable for the giant multihull.

Charles Caudrelier, skipper of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild in the solo Arkea Ultim Challenge Brest. Photo: Yann Riou/Polaryse/Gitana

“Unfortunately, a big depression is blocking the way to Brest. 40 knots of established wind, gusting to over 50, and 8 to 9-metre seas… We’ve been patiently waiting and hoping conditions would improve but that is not the case,” explains Benjamin Shwartz, one of the weather routers from the Gitana team.

“It is out of the question to take the slightest risk, all the more so considering the lead we have over our rivals.”

Solo record out of reach

Caudrelier, who holds a 2000-mile advantage over second placed Thomas Coville on Sodebo, has been clear that he does not want to jeopardise a potential race win for the sake of a few hours or days.

“I’m not going to sacrifice the team’s work out of impatience,” Caudrelier told race organisers on Monday, 19 February.

“There are races which have ended badly in the Bay of Biscay which is one of the most difficult sailing waters.”

Despite a fast start for the Arkea Ultim Challenge Brest, the solo around the world record has been out of reach for some time, meaning Caudrelier is racing only the fleet, not the clock.

Initially the record looked within grasp – in spite of the fact the fleet set off on a fixed start day, rather than following an optimum forecast. The leaders crossed the Equator on their southbound stage after around six and a half days of racing, while the fastest solo time down the North Atlantic had previously been 5d 17h 11m.

Caudrelier then crossed the Cape of Good Hope after 12 days 1 hour 2 minutes and 22 seconds, which equates to an average speed of 28.85 knots. The current solo round the world record holder, Francois Gabart, passed the Cape of Good Hope after 11d 20h. 

He then enjoyed a rocket-fast South Indian Ocean stage, passing Cape Leeuwin after 18d 5h, compared to Gabart’s 19d 14h at the same point. This set a new Indian Ocean record, with Maxi Edmond de Rothschild maintaining an incredible average speed of 30.7kts from South Africa to Australia.

However, approaching Cape Horn in early February, Caudrelier intentionally slowed his giant trimaran dramatically for 48 hours to allow a violent low pressure system to roll to the south of him past Cape Horn. After rounding the iconic headland on February 7, he then faced tricky headwinds which saw the giant multihull making just over 400 miles in 24-hours, compared to the 800-plus mile days it is easily capable of.

Maxi Edmond de Rothschild passing Cape Horn in the Arkea Ultim Challenge Brest. Photo: Yann Riou/Polaryse/Gitana

Shelter in the Azores

The Maxi Edmond de Rothschild trimaran is currently seeking shelter in the lee of Faial, Horta. 

The Gitana team had initially considered waiting offshore from the French coast before making the final approach to Brest, but rejected the idea due to the heavy shipping and sea states expected which would make handling the 100ft foiling trimaran extremely difficult.

“It’s a safety choice to take shelter,” explains Guillaume Evrard of the race organisation. “Their intention is to stay outside the marina, in a small channel between two islands.”

Caudrelier will be met by a technical team from Gitana who can assist him in making any repairs to the boat – he has not disclosed many problems with the boat, but hinted that he has had some breakages.

The team will also be restocking Gitana with some very welcome food for the final few days of sailing – the skippers initially provisioned for 40-41 days at sea, and have already been sailing for 45.

Gobal Solo Challenge leader faces 9m waves 

Caudrelier is not the only race leader to be hampered on his final approach to the finish.

Philippe Delamare, the long-time leader of the Global Solo Challenge, was also due to arrive in A Coruna, north-western Spain, on Friday 23 February. 

Although Delamare does not need to cross Biscay, race organisers report that the same system is likely to produce a very severe north-westerly wind and 9m waves just offshore of A Coruna, with a sea state in excess of 10m further north. 

Delamare, who is already well north of the Azores and around 500 miles west of A Coruna, is currently continuing racing though Global Solo Challenge organisers report that he is closely monitoring the situation.

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Clarisse Cremer, who finished 12th in the 2020/21 Vendée Globe, has posted a firm rebuttal of anonymous accusations that she cheated during the solo around the world race by discussing routing with her husband ashore.

The accusations were lodged anonymously and did not initially name Cremer, but allegedly included photographs or screenshots of WhatsApp messages sent from a Vendée Globe skipper to their shore team.

While communication systems onboard the IMOCAs competing in the Vendée Globe have become increasingly sophisticated, the fundamental rule remains that no skipper can receive weather routing or navigation assistance from their shore teams.

Clarisse Cremer on Banque Populaire X finishes the 2020 Vendee Globe race, on February 2, 2021. Photo: Olivier Blanchet/Alea/IMOCA

French sailing website Voiles et Voiliers reported that the photographs were sent via an anonymous email to some media outlets, some other Vendée Globe skippers, and Jean-Luc Denéchau, president of the FFVoile (the French sailing federation) on Sunday February 11.

Although they have not been made public, Voiles et Voiliers reported that the pictures of the WhatsApp messages were visibly taken onboard the Banque Populaire-sponsored Ultim (which is currently competing in the round the world Arkea Ultim Challenge Brest). Banque Populaire was Cremer’s sponsor during the 2020/01 Vendée Globe, before they controversially dropped her as a skipper last year.

Cremer today ended speculation as to the identity of the accused skipper by posting on her social media pages. Her husband, Tanguy Le Turquais – also an IMOCA skipper – echoed her post.

Article continues below…

The ‘motherhood penalty’? Controversy as Vendée Globe skipper Clarisse Cremer loses sponsor

IMOCA skipper Clarisse Cremer, who has recently given birth to her first child, has been controversially dropped by her sponsor…

Clarisse responds to allegations

“I want to respond to the recent accusations that have been brought against me in the last few days,” Cremer wrote.

“I learned about the opening of an investigation by the Federation Française de Voile about the WhatsApp exchanges I had with my husband during the Vendée Globe 2020.

“These exchanges took place on my board phone, owned by my former team, which I left accessible to all as soon as I landed in accordance with the rules.

“I never cheated, I never had any desire to break a rule during this 87-day world tour.

Cremer reunites with husband Tanguy Le Turquais after finishing the 2020 Vendee Globe. Photo: Olivier Blanchet/Alea/IMOCA

“During our exchanges, which are mainly related to the intimacy of a couple, Tanguy never gives me any information that I did not already have.

“No conversation I had with him contributed to me changing course or making a strategic choice that would have had an impact on my race. I have always made all my performance choices alone and unassisted according to the rules.

She went on to say that she was “outraged by the response that anonymous denunciations can have without even questioning their regulatory basis, nor the context of those posts. I am scandalised at how these screenshots are exaggerated to draw hasty and false conclusions, which completely bypass official investigations, and are already hurting us.

“Three years after the end of Vendée Globe, we can only wonder about the motives and timing of this anonymous disclosure and we reserve the right to make a complaint if necessary.

“For my part, I am of course at the disposal of the FFV and Vendée Globe to analyse our exchanges in full transparency.”

Cremer and her husband both put out statements firmly denying the rumours of routing during the 2020 Vendée Globe. Photo: Bernard Le Bars/Alea/VG2020

IMOCA class responds

The IMOCA class also issued a statement yesterday. “We are aware of the publication of an article reporting suspicions of routing in the Vendée Globe 2020-2021.

“This situation is currently in the hands of the competent institutions responsible for regulating and monitoring competitions within the Fédération Française de Voile. We express our full confidence in their ability to carry out impartial and thorough investigations.

“The use of personalised weather assistance and routing from sources external to the boat is prohibited in the context of IMOCA racing. This rule is a fundamental pillar of our commitment to fairness and sporting integrity.

“With this in mind, we stress the importance of a procedure that is carried out with a good knowledge of our races and their rules, in a calm and exhaustive manner.”

This is the third major controversy to break in the IMOCA class in the past year, following Cremer’s very public falling out with her previous sponsors last year, and Kevin Escoffier being suspended by the FFV for 18-months following accusations of sexual assault by a member of his Holcim-PRB team during The Ocean Race in May last year.

The FFV also disqualified the final stage winner of the 2023 La Solitaire du Figaro, Benoit Tuduri, for breaking class rules after he was found to be carrying a second mobile phone and downloading additional weather data.

Cremer’s Vendée campaign

Cremer currently holds the record for being the fastest woman to sail solo around the world thanks to her race with Banque Populaire in the last Vendée Globe.

She was initially named as the skipper who would take over Charlie Dalin’s former Apivia for Banque Populaire in the 2024 race, until they controversially ended their sponsorship deal in February 2023, apparently due to the fact that her qualification for the race would be in doubt after she took time out to have her first child.

Banque Populaire later withdrew entirely from the race, and British former Vendée Globe skipper Alex Thomson’s team swiftly bought the former Apivia FRA 79 – widely considered the fastest IMOCA 60 in the previous generation fleet.

Cremer currently skippers L’Occitane en Provence, the former Apivia. Photo: ATR Racing

In March 2023 it was announced that Cremer would skipper the yacht, with Thomson as Team Principal, under new sponsorship by French skincare company L’Occitane en Provence.

Whilst this reignited Cremer’s campaign, qualification for the 2024 Vendée Globe is still not assured – according to the published selection table which lists entered skippers and their qualification miles, she is currently ranked 41st. The top 39 skippers will secure their place in the race, with a 40th ‘wild card’ entry invited by race organisers.

There are, however, still several major races in which IMOCA skippers can earn additional qualifying miles this ear, including the CIC Transat, which starts in April, and the return New York to Les Sables D’Olonne transatlantic in May.

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Armel Le Cléac’h’s 100ft foiling trimaran Maxi Banque Populaire XI became the 15th boat to pass Cape Horn in a week, when he rounded at 05:01:50hrs UTC this morning, Sunday 11 February.

Le Cléac’h is currently 2nd in the solo around the world Arkea Brest Ultim Challenge race, and today’s rounding is his personal fourth passage of the Horn.

The Ultim fleet is just one of three around the world races currently exiting the Pacific and beginning the Atlantic return, in an extraordinarily busy period at the Horn.

First of the Ultims was fleet leader Charles Caudrelier on the Gitana Maxi Edmond de Rothschild who flew around the last of the great capes on his circumnavigation on Tuesday, 6 February at 1708.

Maxi Edmond de Rothschild leads the Arkea Brest Ultim Challenge fleet around Cape Horn. Photo Yann Riou/Polaryse/Gitana

HIs rounding had been delayed by severe weather forecasts, which predicted two major Southern Ocean lows colliding to produce potential winds of 50-70 knots and extreme sea states. Caudrelier sailed conservatively for around 48 hours, but retained a lead of more than four days over Le Cléac’h and 3rd placed Thomas Coville on Sodebo (who is expected to round later today).

Caudrelier’s Cape Horn rounding – his first solo – was dramatically captured by Gitana team photographer Yann Riou, who flew overhead.

However, Riou was also flying over the area to check for potential ice risk. Prior to Caudrelier’s rounding the CLS service (Collecte Localisation Satellites), which monitors iceberg movements and determines likely risk areas, spotted icebergs north of the previous exclusion zone in the Cape region. 

Since Gitana sailed out of the area, race management team members have made further surveillance flights over the area to check the movements of the ice, but the waters so far appear clear.

Ocean Globe Race rounds Cape Horn

Riou also captured Marie Taberly and crew on Pen Duick VI, Leg 3 leaders in the Ocean Globe Race, as they rounded the Horn early on Tuesday 6 February. in a 25-knot north-westerly, gusting 45, and 2-3.5m seas.

Skipper Taberly reported that their approach to the Horn had been challenging, on a video sent from the yacht after their rounding. “At some point, the wind stabilised between 40 knots, 45 knots, to 50 knots, then from 50 to 60 knots before dropping back to 50. It kept rising and falling, and the waves, well, there were waves and swells, some breaking waves, and the boat started to surf.

“We averaged about 12 knots throughout this low pressure area, which amounts to approximately 270 nautical miles per day. We had beautiful days of consistent surfing between 20 and 23 knots. There was even a surf at 28.3 knots, which I think scared us all. We were all very frightened, but the boat was on fire completely.

“Indeed, the sea was very rough, so the challenge was to keep the boat aligned and manage the waves coming from port or starboard, which could easily catch the stern of the boat and make us broach. In such conditions, it’s crucial to keep the sail up; speed is safe, so you must keep the sail up and move the boat as fast as possible to control and not be overwhelmed by the swell. Instead, know where to position yourself, maintain speed in the trough of a wave, and be ready to tackle the next wave with good speed.

Marie Tabarly at the helm of Pen Duick VI in the Ocean Globe Race, Flyer Class Photo: Martin Keruzoré

“Steering was very challenging; those who are cold once they’re at the helm usually warm up in a few seconds because of this, plus the stress of being at the helm. And yeah, there are moments when you feel quite small, especially at the top of a wave, 7 to 10 metres high, looking at the vast ocean. It’s really when you’re at the top of the wave that you realise the immensity of the sea. And then, we’re at the Horn, not just anywhere in the world.

“Passing Cape Horn isn’t that difficult because when you arrive, the sea is calm, and there’s no wind. The challenge is before reaching Cape Horn; passing it is the reward,” Taberly added. “We passed Cape Horn under excellent conditions with an incredible sunrise. It was the first sunrise in Patagonia, just sublime. And well, the Translated team was still there, passing Cape Horn a few hours after us.

“From Cape Horn, we started our ascent of the Atlantic towards Punta del Este, passing a place called the Strait of the Sea, west of the Falkland Islands, also known as the Malvinas. Our friends from Translated 9 also followed us closely in the Strait of the Sea, overtaken by Charles Caurdrelier and Gitana. So, we won our bet, arriving before the Ultimes.“

Storm conditions at the Horn

Second-placed Swan 65 Translated 9, co-skippered by Golden Globe Race finisher Simon Curwen and Marco Trombetti rounded five hours later in more moderate conditions of 15-20 knot winds as they sailed just half a mile from the coast of Cape Horn.

“We’ve had three days of fire; we sailed through the storm with winds at 55 knots, gusts, and formed waves. Only as we approached Cape Horn, about 60 miles away, did the weather situation improve, and we had a great rounding of the Cape,” the team reported.

However, Translated 9, which has held the overall race lead in IRC since the race’s outset, was forced to divert to the Falklands Islands swiftly after, having reported hull damage. The crew discovered two cracks in the stern section – one potentially significant – causing water ingress. The team safely made port in the Falklands, where they confirmed that the yacht cannot be repaired without assistance, forcing their retirement from Leg 3.

Thursday 8 February saw three more Ocean Globe Race crews make the rounding, with Maiden, the Swan 651 Spirit of Helsinki and the French former Whitbread 60 Neptune passing the iconic Cape, followed closely by the Swan 53 Triana. 

In doing so, three of the crew on Maiden – Vuyisile Jaca, Junella King and Maryama Seck – made history as the first black female crew to become ‘Cape Horners’.

Maiden rounds Cape Horn in the Ocean Globe Race. Photo courtesy of OGR

The brief messages sent from the teams in the ‘retro’ round the world race captured the moment. “CAPE HORN! Laughing, crying, hugging on the deck. LEGENDARY moment. Masa shouted land ahoy and Jouko drove us through the longitude,” reported Spirit of Helsinki. 

“Bye Southern Ocean, thanks for being so good to us. A life-changing experience.”

Over the past two days, the former Whitbread yacht L’Esprit d’Equipe, Tapio Lehtinen’s Galiana with Secure, the Swan 57 White Shadow, Outlaw and Evrika, with just two teams still to round on their way to the race’s final stopover in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

“The wind was gusting up to 50 knots as we were approaching, and the waves were steep, breaking waves, so it was proper Cape Horn weather! So I feel lucky that for me it was my fourth time sailing Cape Horn, and I felt lucky to do it in a proper gale and also during daylight,” said Lehtinen.

Tough conditions for Galiana WithSecure on the race towards Cape Horn. Credit: Galiana WithSecure Ville Norra / OGR2023

Global Solo Challenge

Meanwhile entrants in the single-handed Global Solo Challenge have also been streaming around Cape Horn. 

While the leader Philippe Delamare on the 46-footer Mowgli rounded on 9 January, the past couple of weeks have seen second-placed Cole Brauer on the Class 40 First Light round on January 26, then Ronnie Simpson on the Open 50 Shipyard Brewing on 1 February.

Italian skipper Andrea Mura, also on an Open 50 passed the Cape on 7 February, closely followed the same day by Francois Gouin on Class 40 Kawan 3, and Italian Class 40 skipper Riccardo Tosetto the next day. American David Linger is likely to pass the landmark before the close of this weekend.

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Finnish solo sailor Ari Känsäkoski has safely reached Durban, South Africa, 25 days after dismasting in the remote Indian Ocean and sailing 1,200 miles under jury rig.

Känsäkoski, who is competing in the Global Solo Challenge – a single-handed ‘pursuit’ style non-stop around the world race – was dismasted on his Class 40 Fuji on the night of 21 December in the Roaring Forties.

The aftermath of Fuji’s dismasting in the Indian Ocean, December 2023

He was sailing in a remote area of the Indian Ocean at a latitude of over 41 degrees south, when the D1 lower diagonal shroud failed after shearing off at the tip-cup.

Känsäkoski took down all sails, hoping to secure the mast at first light by rigging a Dyneema replacement D1 or similar, but in 20 knot winds the boat’s violent rolling of under bare poles caused the deck-stepped mast to buckle in half, breaking just above the first set of spreaders, and collapsing partially on deck and overboard in the middle of the night.

Fortunately Ari was not injured and there was no damage to Fuji’s hull. He was able to secure the mast against the boat during the night to ensure it could not damage the hull in the rolling waves.

Building a jury rig

Känsäkoski was approximately 1000 nautical miles south of Madagascar, 1,200 miles from continental Africa and 1400 miles from Cape Town at the time. The nearest land was Iles Crozet, some 300 miles away, but these remote Islands had no facilities that could have assisted a repair.

Känsäkoski location in the remote Indian Ocean shortly after the dismasting

At daylight the following morning Känsäkoski assessed the situation and determined that he did not require assistance. He deemed that neither he nor the boat were under immediate danger and that, thanks to having secured all the sections of the mast and the boom, he was able to build a jury rig.

MRCC Finland (the boat is Finnish flagged) and MRCC Reunion were kept informed and remained in constant contact with the skipper since.

After waiting for a suitable weather window Känsäkoski was able to retrieve the top section onto the deck, using deck winches and an outrigger to create a crane to lift the mast aboard. He then built a jury rig which allowed him to hoist his storm sails with the outrigger, while the broken mast remained lashed to the deck.

The jury rig combined storm sails and an outrigger, though was hampered by the broken rig still on deck

Fuel transfers

Due to challenging weather conditions, and being in the full flow of an easterly-flowing eddie of the Agulhas Current, the Finnish skipper charted a northerly course in consultation with his routing team to quickly get out of the Roaring Forties.

However, this rapidly depleted Känsäkoski’s already limited fuel resources, and on Christmas Day 2023 MRCC Reunion broadcast a message to any nearby vessels requesting refuelling assistance.

The following day, the Japanese fishing vessel Tomi Maru No.58, captained by Sachio Hagiya, responded. Despite challenging sea conditions, they successfully transferred 300 litres of fuel and other essential supplies.

“They had good clear floating lines and buoys even with lights when it was getting dark. We were passing canisters back and forth,” explained Känsäkoski at the time.

Challenging sea conditions for the fuel transfer from the Toni Maru No58 fishing vessel

After a first transfer the operation was suspended for the night and resumed the following morning, “Until all of mine [jerry cans] were full and they had sent all they had. Being a a fishing boat it was easy for them to fish the canisters back for a next round. And they were super friendly and helpful.”

The fishing vessel was able to transfer 300 litres of Marine Gas Oil, 10 litres of engine oil and 10 litres each of Kerosene and Light Oil, which Känsäkoski mixed to decrease the viscosity of the fuel used by high sea vessels.

However, with around 400 miles to go, Känsäkoski required a second fuel transfer and rendezvoused with a new Finnish RO-PAX vessel, the MS Finncanopus, on its maiden voyage from China to the Baltic Sea which had diverted from its initial Red Sea route due to the political situation in the area.

Welcome freshly baked treats from the crew of the Finncanopus after 800 miles alone under jury rig

Finncanopus Captain Jyrki Repo was able to position the 65,000 tonne ship to allow Känsäkoski to approach in his disabled yacht. The Finncanopus crew then transferred additional clean diesel other supplies – even including freshly baked bread and pancakes! – using a throwing line and floating cans.

Arrival in Durban

Känsäkoski was initially scheduled to arrive in Durban at first light on January 15, but the engine V-belt broke less than 10 miles from port. A local rescue boat was able assist by towing Fuji into port in Durban, South Africa.

Kansakoski photographed by the crew of the Finncanopus

The Global Solo Challenge organisers reported that they, Ari Känsäkoski and his shore team wished to “extend their deepest gratitude to MRCC Reunion, Captain Hagiya, the crew of Tomi Maru No. 58, Captain Jyrki Repo, the crew of Finncanopus, Finnlines, NSRI Durban, Durban Marina, Vince Nel – Point Yacht Club Rear-Commodore and all those who were involved in any other aspect of the operation and all those who have contributed to Ari’s fundraiser.”

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Less than a week after setting out from the start in Brest, the leading Ultim trimarans in the Arkea Ultim Challenge have crossed the Equator.

First to enter the Southern Hemisphere was Tom Laperche on SVR Lazartigue, who crossed at around 1843 (CET) this evening, with Charles Caudrelier on Maxi Edmond de Rothschild around 1.5 hours behind.

The blistering pace set by the 100ft foiling trimarans has seen the leading Ultims cover the North Atlantic, from northern France to the Equator, in six and a half days.

For context, on his 2017 record breaking solo circumnavigation Francois Gabart’s took 5d and 20h to get to the Equator, while the fastest solo time was during Thomas Coville’s previous record, in 5d 17h 11m. The fastest ever is is that of the crewed Spindrift 2 team, who sailed from Brest to Latitude 0 in just 4d 20h at the start of a Jules Verne Trophy attempt.

However, all of those record attempts were carefully timed to depart at the absolute optimum moment for a fast Atlantic passage, while the Arkea Ultim Challenge fleet set out on a predetermined race start day.

The start of the Arkea Ultim Challenge in Brest, January 2024. Photos: Alexis Courcoux

High speed solo trimarans

The Arkea Ultim Challenge, which is the first race of its kind as solo around the world non-stop in giant multihulls, set off from Brest on the West of France, on Sunday lunchtime, 7 January 2024. 

The six trimaran fleet had passed Cape Finisterre before breakfast on Monday and hurtled past the latitude of the Azores in the small hours of Tuesday. Despite being briefly slowed in the first 48 hours by a ridge of high pressure, the Race HQ frequently noted speeds of more than 45 knots at times by the fastest trio while by Wednesday, as they approached the Canary Islands, the leading boats were posting averages of 38 knots.

Vendée Globe winner Armel Le Cléac’h (Maxi Banque Populaire XI) commented after two days of racing: “At this pace we can be at the Cape of Good Hope in 12 days and at Cape Horn in 30 days. In the IMOCA it took more than double the time. It totally changes your vision of a race round the world.”

Anthony Marchand (Actual Ultim 3) agreed: “What’s crazy is this feeling of traveling very quickly, of being at the Canaries in 3 days and the Cape Verde 23 hours later.

Eric Peron on Adagio at the start of the Arkea Ultim Challenge in Brest, January 2024. Photos: Alexis Courcoux

46 knots is too fast!

The teams swiftly faced their first low pressure system, which required a mindset shift for the skippers from the first few days of closely matched sprinting.

Anthony Marchand (Actual) explained on Wednesday 10 January: “Going into 6 metre waves, after three days at sea, I feel good, I am starting to switch to ‘offshore’ mode, less in tactical regatta mode. 

“You can quickly get caught up in the game of in contact racing, which can be a bad idea.”

Charles Cauderlier on Maxi Edmond de Rothschild agreed: “For sure there is a definite, noticeable intensity between us, that’s for sure, even a little too much sometimes. 

“I calmed things down in the breeze for the boat, especially after I was hitting 45, 46 knots. That really felt a bit quick for what is, after all, the start of a round the world race!

“We started out fast but I think in time everyone will find their rhythm and it will all settle down little by little, especially as things get serious with the first depression.”

All six trimarans negotiated the first major front without incident, though experienced winds of up to 40 knots, as predicted by the shoreside routing teams each skipper works closely with 24-7.

Armel Le Cléac’h explained: “The wind strengthened from ahead as expected, pretty much as I was anticipating it to do, I had reduced sail area a lot, well in advance to tackle this slightly delicate passage. Then there was a big shift in the wind with gusts of over 50 knots. At night, in torrential rain, let’s just say it wasn’t very comfortable.”

Since flying past the depression, the Arkea Ultim Challenge fleet were in search of tradewind conditions, with the fleet splitting into pairings. At the front, SVR Lazartigue and Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, with Thomas Coville on Sodebo and Armel le Cléac’h on Maxi Banque Populaire XI closely matched around behind, then Anthony Marchand on Actual Ultim 3 in 5th and Eric Peron, a late entry on Adagio, in 6th.

Thomas Coville on Sodebo racing in the Arkea Ultim Challenge, 2024. Photos: Alexis Courcoux

Long way round

Le Cleac’h revealed that he had suffered a problem with his largest headsail, the J0, which contributed to him losing touch with the leading pair.

“Two or three days ago I was still in contact with the leaders then I had a problem with a sail and it took me quite a while. I had to fix stuff and  unfortunately that left me behind. Now, though, I have found conditions that allowed me to sail quickly.

“But this course is long, I know a lot more things will happen. We must maintain our pace, our strategy with conditions which should allow us to quickly descend into the 40s.

“The idea is to get to the gates of the Indian Ocean with a boat at 100% operational capacity and to be able to attack the big South where we will have to change down the gears.”

For the leaders it now looks like a fast passage towards the longitude of Cape Town at good speeds. The wind flow around the Saint Helena high pressure system is favourable and in flat water they should be able to sail at close to maximum speed potential.

“There is no sea, no secondary swell and a very favourable weather situation,” explains  assistant race director Fred Lepeutrec from Race HQ in Brest.

“Within 48 hours, the leading duo will begin to slowly curve towards the South East, following the great circle route, the more direct route.

“It’s different to the usual sequence. With the southwest flow of the Saint Helena anticyclone, which will strengthen, they have a slant direct towards the Indian Ocean and conditions to go at their full potential.”

Follow on the live tracker at arkeaultimchallengebrest.com

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Yesterday’s scheduled start for the Transat Jacques Vabre – the double-handed race across the Atlantic from Le Havre to Martinique – partially got away on Sunday 29 October, but the IMOCA class have been held ashore and both the Class 40 and Ocean 50 trimarans are racing only as far as Lorient before pausing to restart. The Ultimes were the sole fleet to set off on non-stop transatlantic.

The reason for the disrupted start schedule is a series of low pressure systems forming in the Atlantic. With a particularly strong depression scheduled to cross the fleet on Wednesday, the decision was made early on start day morning to send the Class 40s and Ocean 50s on a 320 mile passage to Lorient on the French Atlantic coast, where they will be able to pause racing and then restart.

However, the 40-boat IMOCA fleet – many of whom now carry large foils – are not so easily accommodated in other ports and so will be held ashore in Le Havre until conditions moderate. Results will be calculated with aggregate race time.

“We were all prepared to go, until the fleet got a message saying the start will be postponed,” explained IMOCA Medallia skipper Pip Hare yesterday. “Unlike the other fleets we’re not going to do a short leg, basically because there’s nowhere for us to go – all the ports are full. So we’re staying here.

“I think we could be here for a week because we’ve got the monster low that’s causing all the problems, and then there’s another one after that.”

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The challenge for the TJV skippers would have been to make sufficient ground to the south in order to avoid the incoming secondary low – but for almost every IMOCA skipper the Transat Jacques Vabre (and the return solo race, Retour a la Base) are key qualifiers for the 2024 Vendée Globe and so many would have been planning a conservative approach to the early stages of this transatlantic.

The giant ultim trimarans, capable of 700-plus miles per day, are capable of outrunning the approaching low pressure system and so have started their race non-stop.

Despite the IMOCAs being held ashore, the start was spectacular, with five giant Ultim, 44 Class 40s, and six Ocean 50s launching out of Le Havre in tough and gusty conditions.

LE HAVRE, FRANCE – OCTOBER 29 : Ultim boats start the Transat Jacques Vabre in Le Havre, France, on October 29, 2023. (photo by Jean-Marie Liot / Alea)

In the challenging seaway there were some early collisions and overnight the Class 40 Crédit Mutuel dismasted off the coast of Guernsey, while two other boats have paused racing, one after colliding with an underwater object.

By this morning the Ultim race leaders were already nearly 200 miles west of Ushant and setting up to cross the first front into the 15-20 knots north-westerly winds which will set them up for some fast sailing southwards.

Furthest to the north-west, Francois Gabart and Tom Laperche on SVR Lazartigue are likely to get into the new wind first, while Armel Le Cléac’h and Seb Josse on Maxi Banque Populaire lead on the tracker by 8.5 miles.

Gabart said this morning, “We wanted to keep things simple with fewer manoeuvres. It wasn’t easy to get well positioned in winds that kept changing direction. In any case, the routings to the north or south of the TSS were fairly close to each other. We now have the wind behind the front and are on a long starboard tack towards Cape Finisterre.”

Transat Jacques Vabre start delayed: The right decision

Despite the last-minute announcements – “I had my boots on!” one skipper joked – there was support among the IMOCA fleet for the race committee decision to delay the Transat Jacques Vabre start.

“At this time of year a weather front coming up the western approaches and into Biscay is relatively normal, but this one that’s coming in Wednesday is particularly aggressive, it will have a big sea state behind it and as it approaches Finisterre where the continental shelf is that means huge breaking waves, damage to boats, damage to people, and its’ just not a good idea to head out into that,” explained Pip Hare.

“I think in general the response among the fleet is this is the correct decision. Those of us that were looking for bail out options realised there were very few.”

IMOCAs held ashore

Yoann Richomme, who is looking to qualify his new Paprec Arkéa for next year’s Vendée Globe, said: “Yesterday evening, I understood we would be heading out into an exceptionally deep low.

“We can cope with 40-50 knot winds, but here we are looking at 80 knots gusting to 100-115 knots with 10-12m high waves. With the danger to life, there is no good reason to be out at sea. It’s not reasonable to send the boats out in this, even cargo vessels.”

One of the early race favourites, Charlie Dalin with his new Macif, had already confirmed that he was not going to compete due to a medical issue.

Dalin planned to cross the start line and then retire due to a health issue, as there is provision within the Vendée Globe rules for a new boat to gain qualification miles even if a medical or technical issue prevents them for completing the course.

However, the majority of IMOCA skippers will be looking to complete two transatlantic in the next few weeks and will be watching the weather forecast carefully.

Regular updates are being posted on the official Transat Jacques Vabre website.

The post ‘Boat breaking’ depression disrupts Transat Jacques Vabre start appeared first on Yachting World.

Amost exactly 50 years to the day since the first Whitbread Round the World Race, the latest ‘retro’ race, the Ocean Globe Race, set off today from Cowes, UK.

Fourteen teams racing in three classes set off on a single start from the famous Royal Yacht Squadron line, with fluky conditions in the Solent granting the fleet a brief window of 10-15 knot breezes to get over the line and make for spectacular scenes, though shortly after the breeze faded to zephyrs as the fleet made their way west.

The Ocean Globe Race fleet, with Pen Duick VI nearest camera, shortly after starting from the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes

The Ocean Globe Race is the latest ‘retro’ race to pay homage to the ground-breaking ocean and offshore races of yesteryear, this one a crewed around the world with-stops, which is intended to capture the spirit of the first Whitbread Round the World Race, and is organised by Don McIntyre, who is also the man behind the Golden Globe Race modern editions.

This week marked the 50th anniversary of the Whitbread Round the World Race, which first set out from Portsmouth, UK on 8 September 1973.

Thanks to an anonymous donor, the support of MDL Marinas, and a lot of tireless work behind the scenes, the Ocean Globe Race (unlike the Golden Globe Race, which moved to France for its reincarnation) started once again from the Solent, with the race village hosted in Ocean Village, Southampton, before the fleet set off from the Royal Yacht Squadron line off Cowes today.

A busy pre-start for the Ocean Globe Race fleet leaving Cowes, UK

Despite some unforcast rain shortly before the start, an impressive and eclectic spectator flotilla gathered to see the fleet off, with a slightly authentic Whitbread-era air of chaos as the 14 race yachts milled around pre-start amongst RIBS, race yachts, classics, spectator ferries, and a vintage steam ship.

Nevertheless, all fourteen got away cleanly without incident and were swiftly demonstrating some old-school boat handling skills: Galiana WithSecure hoisting her blooper sail shortly after the downwind start, while L’Esprit d’Équipe demonstrated a twin-pole gybe.

Iconic Ocean Globe Race entries

The Ocean Globe Race has attracted some truly legendary yachts. Most famous on this side of the Channel – and certainly attracting the greatest spectator flotilla – is Tracy Edwards’ Maiden. The Bruce Farr-designed 58-footer, which twice competed in the Whitbread Round the World Race, is the only all-female team in the race, repeating the history of Tracy Edwards’ famous 1989 race, and is skippered by Heather Thomas.

After falling into near total disrepair, Maiden was rescued by Edwards and had a major refit in 2017/18 ahead of a world tour to raise funds and awareness for girls’ education. In order to bring her back into race trim additional bunks have been added, as Maiden will race with a crew of 12, a new sail wardrobe, additional heating for the Southern Ocean stages.

Thomas said: “We’ve really pitched her towards winning the race, performance wise we’ve got four different headsails, four different spinnakers, so we’re really going to be pushing her to her limit to try and beat Marie [Taberly] and Pen Duick, and Neptune and Translated and all of them! So we’re really trying to push as hard as we can.”

Whilst Maiden has broken many glass ceilings, an all-female team has never won a crewed around the world race, so that is the team’s ultimate goal.

The iconic Ocean Globe Race yacht Pen Duick VI, skippered by Marie Tabarly, is one of the hardest raced entrants in recent years, here competing in the Rolex Fastnet Race. Credit: Kurt Arrigo/Rolex

Maiden is racing in the highly competitive Flyer class, which also includes the iconic French yacht Pen Duick VI, led by Marie Taberly, daughter of French sailing legend, Éric Tabarly. Like Maiden, Pen Duick VI had been on a world tour, the Elemen’Terre project, raising awareness of environmental and social issues through activities including art and performance.

At 73ft Pen Duick VI was designed by André Mauric and built for the 1973/4 Whitbread Round the World Race and had a major refit ahead in 2011/12 as well as updates for her round the world project. It has retained many of its original features, including industrial hatches, coffee grinders, and twin cockpits.

Also in the Flyer class is another Mauric design, the 1977 Neptune, which raced in the 1977-78 Whitbread Race to 8th place. The French team includes Bertrand Delhom, who aims to become the first sailor with Parkinson’s disease to race around the world.

Translated 9, previously raced in the 1977 Whitbread Round the World Race as ADC Accutrac by British skipper, Clare Francis, training ahead of the 2023 Ocean Globe Race.

Another famous British woman skipper’s yacht is now racing as Translated 9 in the Flyer class, having originally sailed as ADC Accutrac, skippered by Clare Francis, to 5th place in the 1977/78 Whitbread Round the World Race.

Translated is a Swan 65 which has been impressively refitted with a lengthy build up campaign to the race, and is likely to be a strong contender. The crew is primarily made up of amateur sailors who applied to take part, but includes experienced Italian skipper/owner Marco Trombetti and his son Nico as First Mate. It also includes 2022 Golden Globe Race veteran, Simon Curwen, who took line honours in the race and was first in the Chichester Class.

The fifth boat to make up the Flyer class is another Whitbread class winner, the Briand-designed L’Esprit d’Équipe, which won class in the 1985/86 edition of the race. L’Esprit d’Équipe is skippered by pro racer and boat builder Lionel Regnier.

The 14 Ocean Globe Race yachts, including seven former Whitbread entrants, assembled in Ocean Village, Southampton. Credit: Aida Valceanu / OGR2023

Adventurous entrants

Nine other teams are competing in the Adventure Class (for yachts 47ft-56ft) and Sayula class (56-66ft). They include the Baltic 55, Outlaw, another Whitbread Race veteran, having raced in the 1985-86 edition as Equity and Law; the sole American entry, a Swan 51, Godspeed, which is crewed by US military veterans; the Olin Stephens designed Explorer, which is skippered by by 2018 and 2022 Golden Globe Race veteran, Australian Mark Sinclair; and Evrika, the Swan 65 formerly owned by Pink Floyd’s Rick Wright. Evrika is now skippered by French sailor and boat builder Dominique Dubois after the yacht he originally entered, a Swan 651 called Futuro, was blown from its cradle during Storm Gérard in February this year and written off.

The smallest yacht in the fleet is Galiana, the 1970 Swan 55 skippered by Golden Globe Race veteran Tapio Lehtinen. Lehtinen has a young crew that he carefully selected over several years of trials, as one of his key goals is to bring on young Finnish sailors, having himself competed in the 1981-82 Whitbread Race at the age of 23.

Lehtinen is well known as a classic yacht aficionado and Galiana has been lovingly restored, but was dismasted at the start of this year’s Rolex Fastnet Race. The team worked swiftly to preserve all the sails and hardware, and Galiana has a fully repaired – though less aesthetically pleasing – rig.

The Ocean Globe Race fleet heading west out of the Solent, Galiana (far right) flying a blooper downwind.

Down below the refit for the Ocean Globe Race took inspiration from yachts such as Kialoa 3, with classic white panelling where new bunks have been added, and practical touches including air-dryers for wet kit and boots. The aft companionway was also closed off to create a drier entranceway to the living quarters and nav station, while the main saloon now has a smaller table from Lehtinen’s previous boat, his Gaia 36 Asteria – which famously sank in the Southern Indian Ocean last November.

However, it’s Galiana’s sail plan which is most remarkable, including a traditional blooper. Lehtinen admits that while it might not help her rating, he had to choose an authentic sail wardrobe from the ‘70s “Because I’m a romantic.”

Follow the Ocean Globe Race at oceangloberace.com

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Two VO65 yachts racing in The Ocean Race have become the latest boats to face ‘attacks’ by orcas off the Iberian Peninsula.

The two VO65s, Team JAJO and Mirpuri Trifork Racing, were racing in the VO65 Sprint leg to the race finale in Genoa when they were approached by orcas yesterday afternoon between 1-5 miles off the Spanish coast on the approach to Tarifa.

Despite the orcas shoving into the boats, and nudging or biting at the rudders, both VO65s escaped unscathed, and subsequently contacted Race Control to confirm there had been no damage or injuries onboard.

“Twenty minutes ago we got hit by some orcas,” said Team JAJO skipper Jelmer van Beek shortly after the incident. 

“Three orcas came straight at us and started hitting the rudders. Impressive to see the orcas, beautiful animals, but also a dangerous moment for us as a team. We took down the sails and slowed down the boat as quickly as possible and luckily after a few attacks they went away… This was a scary moment.”

The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint Cup 2022-23 – 23 June 2023, Stage 3 onboard Team JAJO. Gibraltar Strait Orca encounter.

The attack is of little surprise to sailors who have been monitoring the spate of encounters between orcas and yachts both in the area around Gibraltar and up Portuguese and Spanish Atlantic coasts. 

Since the summer of 2020 a pod of whales has been repeatedly swimming up to sailing yachts, aggressively nudging the boats, biting and hitting the rudders and keels. Many yachts have suffered severe damage, and in some incidences – though thankfully limited to a handful cases – the damage has caused the yachts to sink. So far three yachts have sunk off the Iberian coast, fortunately with all crew safely rescued, though encounters have been reported by over 100 other yachts over the past 18 months.

Last month it was revealed that some researchers believe the same female orca, nicknamed ‘White Gladis’, began the pattern of behaviour, which has now been adopted by the local killer whale population. Mature females have the highest status and importance within the whales’ social groups.

Researchers have also identified that a group of juveniles are leading their own attacks. However, scientists studying the whales have no clear answer as to why their behaviour has changed.

In a previous incident, orcas hitting the rudders of a Lagoon 45 catamaran off the Spanish coast. Credit: Halcyon Yachts

Orca attacks spreading?

Until now the incidents have been limited to the Spanish and Portuguese coasts, but earlier this week a sailor reported that his seven-tonne steel yacht had been rammed whilst sailing off Shetland in the North Sea.

Dutch sailor Dr Wim Rutten, a 72-year-old retired physicist, was sailing solo from Lerwick to Bergen in Norway, and was trolling with a single fishing line for mackerel at the time.

He told the Guardian that an orca repeatedly hit the stern of his yacht and swam behind the vessel “looking for the keel. Then he disappeared … but came back at fast speed, twice or thrice … and circled a bit.”

This would be the first reported incident of similar behaviour spreading to other local orca populations. Dr Conor Ryan, a scientific adviser to the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, who has studied orca pods off the Scottish coast, told the Guardian: “I’d be reluctant to say it cannot be learned from [the southern population]. It’s possible that this ‘fad’ is leapfrogging through the various pods/communities.”

Orcas circle a Sun Odyssey 40 yacht. Photo: Martyn and Zoe Barlow

Pacific sinkings following whale collisions

Entirely unrelated to the spate of attacks by orca whales in the Northern Hemisphere, there have also been two reported sinkings caused by yachts colliding with whales mid-Pacific in the past couple of months.

Just yesterday, eight Danish sailors were rescued by a fishing boat mid-Pacific after their 51ft Beneteau Oceanis Lulu sank following a collision with either one or two whales, the Danish Armed Forces confirmed in a statement on Thursday 22 June.

After abandoning the yacht, the crew took refuge in their liferaft and raised the alarm via sat phone. An international search and rescue co-ordinated by the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu, Hawaii saw the crew safely rescued by a fishing vessel before being transferred to a container ship, now headed for Tahiti.

This follows the March rescue of four American sailors, who were also recovered from their liferaft after their Kelly Peterson 44 Raindancer sank rapidly following a collision with a whale 1200 miles from French Polynesia. It’s unknown whether whales intentionally collided with yachts Lulu and Raindancer, or if they are purely coincidental. 

The post WATCH: Ocean Race yachts ‘attacked’ by orcas following spate of whale collisions appeared first on Yachting World.

The overall winner of The Ocean Race is likely to be decided in the protest room after a huge collision between 11th Hour Racing and Guyot-environnement – Team Europe shortly after the final leg start on Thursday, 15 June.

The crash occurred just 17 minutes into the start of Leg 7 of The Ocean Race, from The Hague to Genoa in Italy, in a port-starboard incident between the 11th Hour and Guyot-environnement IMOCA 60s. 11th Hour Racing had tacked onto starboard to approach the fourth mark of the course, and were racing in 2nd place.

The Ocean Race 2022-23 – 16 June 2023. Screen Capture of the moment when GUYOT environnement – Team Europe crashed with 11th Hour Racing Team 15 mins after the start of Leg 7.

Guyot-environnement, on port, did not see 11th Hour Racing and did not alter course in time to avoid them. The result was a full-bore ’T-bone’, with Guyot’s bowsprit spearing into the side of 11th Hour’s cockpit, missing skipper Charlie Enright by inches, while Guyot’s bow smashed into the port aft quarter of the 11th Hour IMOCA Malama, leaving a substantial hole.

Incredibly, no crew members were hurt, though all were deeply shocked by the incident.

Guyot’s skipper Benjamin Dutreux, clearly distraught, immediately offered his apologies to Enright. “I was helming, and I just saw their boat appear suddenly, and it was too late. The contact was unavoidable [at that point]. I take full responsibility. It is our fault.”

The French team also pledged to support the Americans in any way they could to get them back on the racecourse. In a painful twist of fate, Guyot had only returned to the race in Aarhus after a mid-Atlantic dismasting thanks to 11th Hour Racing offering up their spare mast.

A distraught Benjamin Dutreux, skipper of Guyot-environnement, speaks to 11th Hour Racing team manager Mark Towill after the collision at the start of Leg 7 of The Ocean Race

Ocean Race crash

11th Hour Racing navigator Simon Fisher explained said afterwards, “I’m lost for words. We tacked on our lay line, sailing on starboard for 20 or 30 seconds. Charlie was screaming ‘starboard’ at Guyot, and they did not respond.

“The net result is that they have put their boat firmly in the side of ours. The bowsprit went right through our boat and came out on the inside. We are really lucky that no one got hurt; Charlie was sitting so close to the hatch. Thankfully everyone is ok.

“Personally, I refuse to admit this [race] is over. We would rather try to win it on the water, but we need to find out what our options are, if this can be repaired, and what our redress implications are as a team now, and hopefully move forward.

“I have seen plenty of stuff in my time over six Ocean Races, this is not one of the better ones, but we have a fantastic team, and going into today, we were in a fantastic position, and that is thanks to the team we have. If I wanted to be with any group of people in adversity, it’s them.”

Skipper Charlie Enright echoed the sentiment, saying: “This race has a way of testing people in different ways – physically and mentally, and this is a test for our team. There is no team I would rather be on, that I would rather have with me. If anyone can figure this out, it is us.”

11th Hour Racing crew member Jack Boutell breaks down after a violent collision with Guyot-environment shortly after the start of Leg 7 in The Ocean race. Photo: Sailing Energy/11th Hour Racing

11th Hour set off for Genoa

11th Hour Racing officially retired from the leg the following day, and lodged a request for redress. The request will be heard by the World Sailing International Jury, which under the Racing Rules of Sailing may compensate a boat when “a boat’s score or place in a race or series has been or may be, through no fault of her own, made significantly worse.”

Clearly 11th Hour Racing will be hoping to be awarded an average of their previous leg points in order to hold onto their lead.

The team also spent 72 hours working around the clock to effect a repair that would get the IMOCA back on the water.

This evening, Sunday 18 June, the race crew left The Hague in the hopes of delivering the boat some 2,500 miles to Genoa in time for the final in-port racing, which will take place on July 1.

Going into the start of Leg 7, 11th Hour Racing was sitting at the top of the overall leaderboard, following a hat-trick of winning three legs in a row. Enright’s team had 33 points, with Holcim-PRB in 2nd on 31 points, and Team Malizia in 3rd with 27 points.

The Ocean Race 2022-23 – Leg 7, June 16, 2023. The 11th Hour Racing Team continues repairs to Malama after a collision during the start of Leg 7.

With both Guyot-environnement and 11th Hour Racing having retired from Leg 7, there are now just three IMOCAs racing to the race’s finale.

Meanwhile the current Leg 7 leader, Holcim-PRB, is sailing under a new skipper after Kevin Escoffier stood down in Aarhus following an incident at the previous stopover in Newport.

Escoffier confirmed that he would not longer be skipper for the remainder of The Ocean Race following what he described in a post as an ‘alleged incident’ (the line was later deleted). Details of the circumstances that led to Escoffier standing down have not been confirmed by either the team or The Ocean Race organisers.

It was later reported in both the German and French sailing media that allegations of harassment were made by a young woman at the US stopover. The incident is understood to be being handled by the French Sailing Federation (FFV), the French national sailing authority.

Benjamin Schwartz has been appointed Holcim-PRB skipper for the duration of the race. Schwartz was part of the technical support team for previous race winners Dongfeng, and is navigator on Spindrift/Sails for Change giant trimaran.

Millpond conditions mid-Channel for The Ocean Race fleet on Day 2 of Leg 7 with leg leaders Team Holcim – PRB trying to keep moving.

Race decided by redress?

For the race and its fans, this has been a devastating sequence of events. While Holcim-PRB was the stand-out team for the opening stages, and Malizia impressive in the gripping Southern Ocean leg, 11th Hour Racing were delivering a zero-to-hero comeback story.

Having overcome several potentially race-ending breakages on the long Southern Ocean Leg 3, to win back to back wins over Legs 4, 5 and 6 – including into their home port of Newport – was shaping up to be a fairy tale finish for the US team, And with just two points separating 11th Hour and Holcim-PRB over the unpredictable leg from northern Europe, across Biscay and deep into the Mediterranean, there was potential for a nail-biting finale.

Now the outcome of the 27,000-mile race is likely to be settled in the jury room.

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Kevin Escoffier’s IMOCA Holcim-PRB, competing in the The Ocean Race, has annihilated the 24-hour monohull sailing record by covering an incredible 640.9 miles on the fifth leg from Newport to Aarhus.

This breaks both the pre-existing race, IMOCA and outright monohull records. In March this year Holcim-PRB set a 24-hour IMOCA record by covering a breathtaking 595.26 nautical miles (1102 kms).

Over the past two days on the transatlantic stage the team repeatedly smashed that. First they broke The Ocean Race record of 602 nautical miles, set in the last race by Simeon Tienpont’s Team AkzoNobel in a VO65 five years ago. Racing in the same conditions, 11th Hour Racing also overtook that race record, clocking 611.9 nautical miles in 24 hours.

The Ocean Race 2022-23 – 25 May 2023, Leg 5 Day 4 onboard Team Holcim – PRB. Fast around the high pressure – sea finally flat, at full speed during the 24 hours record.

Then Holcim-PRB clocked up 622.58 miles in 24 hours, which overtook the monohull sailing record set by the 100ft Comanche in 2015, that had held for eight years after being set in the Transatlantic Race.

However, with exceptionally high speed conditions mid-Atlantic – downwind reaching, in 25-30 knots of wind, with a relatively flat sea state – Holcim-PRB just kept adding to their mileage total, and this morning reported they had covered an incredible 640.9 miles.

Skipper Escoffier had predicted this result earlier in the day, explaining: “Yesterday, we caught up with a weather front. We passed in front of it and now we are following it on starboard tack, which gives us high speeds… The sea is flat which is rather pleasant… If it goes on like this, we will break the 24-hour record again.”

Their consistent high speeds and control are all the more impressive given the team had only restepped the mast shortly before the Leg 5 start, and had been having issues with their masthead instruments. A replacement system was first installed at the back of the IMOCA before Sam Goodchild on Wednesday climbed the mast yesterday to fix a replacement it.

“Following the dismasting we had to redo the aerials, all the brackets etc. We only had one day to validate all this, on Saturday in Newport in good sea conditions. For the start of the race, we had a bit more wind than we expected. We had a reaching leg with about 30 knots of wind. In these conditions, one of the sensors that allows us to obtain the direction and strength of the wind broke, then the second one.

“We had neither the wind strength (which allows us to choose the optimal sail), nor the wind direction (which allows us to know where the wind is coming from when we have to gybe and adapt our weather strategy). As soon as we could, we went up to the top of the mast to install a replacement aerial.

“We managed to play it by feel but it wasn’t ideal. We were making progress in terms of speed and the feeling on the boat. It’s much less good in terms of performance. It’s a consequence of our dismasting,” explained the skipper of the Swiss monohull yesterday, Thursday 25 May.

High speed collision

Racing at full bore brings its own risks, however – yesterday 11th Hour Racing reported a high speed collision which left two crew members injured. On Thursday 25 May, 11th Hour Racing activated its Hazard Button to alert Race Control and the wider fleet they had hit something, suspected to be a marine mammal.

The Ocean Race 2022-23 – Leg 5, May 24, 2023. 11th Hour Racing sailing at high speed into the middle of a developing North Atlantic low.

Charlie Enright’s team, which is currently leading Leg 5, were mid-North Atlantic Ocean approximately 750 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, sailing at 29 knots when they suddenly collided with something.

The crew were thrown forward, with Charlie Dalin suffering a suspected mild concussion, and media crew member Amory Ross injuring his shoulder.

The two sailors were advised to take some bunk rest while the remaining crew – Enright, Justine Mettraux and navigator Simon Fisher raced on. The boat is reported to be undamaged.

High stakes leg

This fifth transatlantic leg is one of the most high stakes of The Ocean Race.

After Holcim-PRB won Legs 1 and 2, also taking points for being first past the Hobart scoring gate, Boris Herrmann’s Malizia won the Southern Ocean Leg 3, and 11th Hour Racing won Leg 4 (when Holcim-PRB dismasted), the three teams were separated by just two points going into Leg 5. Holcim-PRB sit on 19 points, with Malizia and 11th Hour Racing both on 18 points.

The transatlantic stage from Newport to Aarhus, Denmark is also scored as a double-points leg, giving it extra importance.

The Ocean Race 2022-23 Leg 5 Day 3: onboard Team Holcim – PRB, skipper Kevin Escoffier and Charles Caudrelier manage a sail change in the pit. Sam Goodchild and Abby Ehler return from the bow.

Hence many teams have bolstered their crew rosters with some impressive offshore talent: Escoffier’s team have been joined by Charles Caudrelier, the winning skipper of the last Volvo Ocean Race (on Dongfeng, which Escoffier was part of the team), and currently skipper of the multiple-record-breaking Ultime Gitana. 11th Hour Racing have also brought in Charlie Dalin, who was first home in the 2020 Vendée Globe and is a multiple IMOCA world champion having been the skipper to beat with his IMOCA Apivia.

After setting the record, Holcim-PRB had closed to within 5 miles of leg leader 11th Hour Racing, with Malizia just 60 miles behind. Biotherm are in 4th place, while Guyot environment is missing this leg after dismasting on the approach to Newport. Follow the race tracker at theoceanrace.com

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South African solo skipper Kirsten Neuschäfer has won the Golden Globe Race, crossing the finish line off Les Sables d’Olonne at around 2100hrs today after 235 days of racing.

In doing so Neuschäfer has become the first woman ever to win a solo around the world race, and she does so having successfully rescued a fellow competitor from his liferaft off South Africa.

She drifted over the line in zephyr light winds this evening in the evening light, having contended with racing through the Southern Ocean, around the three Great Capes, in her Cape George 36, Minnehaha, with huge spectator fleet welcoming her.

“This is amazing, it’s a once in a lifetime experience,” she said on the dock.

“I didn’t know if I’d win it. I was convinced I’d finish it, but after the Doldrums I thought that’s finished [the chance of winning] for me. I was quite overwhelmed [to learn I’d won] I thought I was going to come in 3rd after Simon [Curwen] and Abhilash [Tomy].”

On being the first woman ever to win a solo around the world race, she said: “I’m very happy, but I entered as a sailor and being a woman is just secondary.”

Kirsten Neuschäfer on her Cape George 36 Minnehaha”
Credit: Kirsten Neuschäfer / GGR2022

Neuschäfer went into the race as one of the hotly tipped skippers to watch, and has either held – or duelled for – the lead since Simon Curwen pulled into Chile in late January.

Her nearest competitor, Abhilash Tomy, is some 100 miles behind her, the pair having raced up the Atlantic in a remarkably close match – all the more remarkable given that neither knew each other’s position. In fact, until she saw the large spectator fleet welcoming her outside Les Sables d’Olonne, Neuschäfer did not even know she was in the lead.

Neuschäfer is one of just three skippers racing around the world solo, two more – including Simon Curwen, who crossed the line earlier today – were in ‘Chichester ‘ division (named after Sir Francis Chichester’s 1966-67 solo circumnavigation which included a stopover in Sydney).

Before entering the Golden Globe Race, Neuschäfer worked for legendary skipper Skip Novak, both crewing and skippering his expedition yachts in high latitudes. This gave her invaluable experience of sailing in the deepest Southern Oceans.

Kirsten Neuschäfer arriving in Les Sables d’Olonne as winner of the Golden Globe Race 2022/23. Photo: GGR2022

Her preparation for the race was complicated by covid lockdown, and having bought her 1988 Cape George cutter in Newfoundland she spent a winter in Prince Edward Island near Nova Scotia putting the boat through a thorough refit. 

She then delivered it solo home to Cape Town, practising her celestial navigation on the way, and then to France. Once gathered alongside the other Golden Globe Race competitors, Minnehaha quickly proved itself as one of the fastest boats in the fleet.

While Simon Curwen stole an early lead on the fleet, Neuschäfer, along with Tomy and Finnish skipper Tapio Lehtinen became a pack of three as they entered the Southern Indian Ocean. Then, on November 19, Lehtinen notified race control that his boat had suddenly sunk, and he was in a liferaft. Race organisers raised the alarm with fellow competitors and Kirsten Neuschafer, then in 3rd place, was nearest, around 105 miles south-west.

Neuschäfer made best speed to Lehtinen’s last known position, hand-steering through the night, and 24 hours after he abandoned ship Minnehaha arrived at his position. She executed a textbook solo recovery, 

Lehtinen described the manoeuvre: “She furled in the genoa, lowered the main, started the engine and approached the raft to windward of me so I could throw the throwing line to her, which she put around a winch and pulled me alongside.

“I was able to climb onboard Minnehaha with her help. It was great!”

Fellow Golden Globe Race skipper Kirsten Neuschafer was the first on the scene, rescuing Tapio Lehtinen from his liferaft before he was transferred to the Darya Gayatri. Credit: Anglo Eastern

The pair shared a hug, chocolate and a tot of rum, meanwhile a bulk carrier, the Darya Gayatri approached. Neuschäfer then manoeuvred Minnehaha into the lee of the carrier ship – an incredibly skilful piece of positioning with the ever present risk of clattering her own rig into the ship’s high sides. Once throwing lines were secured, Lehtinen got back into the liferaft and transferred to the ship. Neuschäfer continued on with her race. She was awarded 35 hours of redress for the rescue. 

The remainder of Neuschäfer’s race was not without drama – damage to her spinnaker pole meant she was limited in her headsail selection, and with very limited weather data she had a grindingly slow passage north through the Atlantic. 

However, her win today makes history as the first female skipper ever to win a solo round the world race. Women have won in crewed around the world races – in the last edition of the Volvo Ocean Race, two female crew, Caroline Brouwer and Marie Riou were part of the winning Dongfeng Race Team. In the 2017/18 Clipper Round the World Race Wendy Tuck skippered the winning boat, while Nikki Henderson skippered the boat in 2nd.

Most famously, Ellen MacArthur set a solo non-stop around the world record in 2004, having finished 2nd in 2000/01 Vendée Globe – a finish place yet to be matched by another female skipper. Clarisse Cremer currently holds the record for the fastest solo non-stop around the world time for a female sailor, completing the last Vendée Globe in 87 days, 2 hours and 24 minutes. But none have won a solo around the world race.

Neuschaffer’s time may be considerably slower, but the Golden Globe Race is inarguably one of the toughest sporting events in existence and the skill she demonstrated throughout places her name firmly alongside the greats of ocean racing.

Neuschafer was greeted by Catherine Chabaud, the first female sailor to race solo non stop around the world without assistance. Credit: GGR2022

As Samantha Davies, Vendée Globe and Ocean Race sailor posted: “This is just amazing! So happy to have followed this crazy race and see an incredibly talented female skipper come in to win overall, with a 24h time bonus for having saved a fellow competitor during the race. Just incredible seamanship! I am in awe.”

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British solo sailor Simon Curwen has crossed the finish line of the Golden Globe Race, the single-handed around the world ‘retro’ event, after 234 days and 22 hours of racing.

Curwen, who is from Emsworth in the UK but also a resident of Brittany, France, crossed the line off Les Sables d’Olonne at midday today in his 1976-built Biscay 36 Clara. Fans from the French Atlantic town turned out to welcome him home, and Curwen took time to enjoy the moment, sailing up Les Sables’ famous Channel with his spinnaker flying, flares in hand.

Curwen is the first solo skipper to complete the course, having set off on September 4, 2022. However, he is not eligible to win the event, which is a non-stop race, as he had to put into Puerto Montt in Chile to make repairs to his windvane system. This demoted him to ‘Chichester’ class, although he resumed racing after making repairs ashore.

He was unaware that he was first home until his arrival, as skippers can’t use modern communication devices such as AIS which would show his competitors’ position.

“That’s fantastic!” he said after being told. “I need to look and see how that happened because I must’ve been 10 days behind [the race leaders] at the Cape [Horn].

“I wasn’t in the race, it’s not a race, but it’s very nice to be back first!”

“It’s fantastic, getting back to civilization,” he added on arrival on the dock. “The race was fantastic. There were times when it was tough – not so much physically tough, and the weather wasn’t particularly extreme except for one wave – but just the fact of being on the boat for so long. 

“And particularly being on these boats downwind for so long because you’re just rocking and rolling, you can’t relax, you’re just being thrown about. And there was a lot of downwind on the race!”

Simon Curwen on Clara sailing before the Golden Globe Race start in Les Sables d’Olonne.

His scariest moment, he said, was not in the deep Southern Ocean, but passing Finisterre in fog. “There were dozens of ships around Finisterre, and not being able to see them on AIS

I was calling them up and saying ‘can you see little me?’. That was probably the scariest moment because some of them came really close, and some of the ones in thick fog I just couldn’t see at all.”

Today’s arrival will likely be bittersweet for Curwen, who led the fleet from the Bay of Biscay until some 1,000 miles off Cape Horn. In late January Curwen was sailing in 40 knot winds and 6-metre seas when his Biscay 36, Clara was knocked down; the boat’s dodger ripped off and the Hydrovane head sheared off. The mainsail batten cars were also pulled from the mast track.

He tweeted at the time: ‘Disaster, as concerns the race. Early today Clara was knocked down. Sailing with just tiny headsail. The windvane head sheared off. Boat and skipper fine. Working on a plan.’

The windvane part was irreparable, and Curwen was not carrying a spare windvane in order to save weight, so he had to retire from the race in order to make repairs.

Simon Curwen on the Biscay Clara, sponsored by Howdens, was 1st through Golden Globe Race’s Hobart Gate on Christmas Eve 2022.

Once Curwen set off to complete the course, he sailed an impressively fast return Atlantic leg. “I am ahead of my best expectations in terms of speed up the Atlantic,” he reported last week. “It is partly because the boat is still in very good nick. 

“The sails are pretty much as good as at the start, and the antifoul [he used Nautix A9000 SPC Self-Polishing Copolymer] is good and the boat is lighter, as I’ve eaten a lot of food, so the boat has been going well. 

“I have also been fortunate with the weather, and my routing, I think, has worked well. I have not done anything extraordinary at all, just kept to very straight lines, but I am a few days ahead of my most optimistic expectations for coming up the Atlantic.”

Curwen is an experienced racer, having competed on the RORC and JOG offshore circuits as well as a Mini Transat (he still holds the best Mini Transat result of any British singlehanded sailor, coming second in the 2000-2001 event). He prepared his boat assiduously, setting up base in Lorient ahead of the Golden Globe Race, and repeatedly demonstrated not only impressive seamanship on his first circumnavigation, but both his and Clara’s competitiveness again in the race.

Despite not being eligible for the race win, he was relaxed and jovial on arrival, bantering with the waiting journalists in French. The 2018 race winner Jean Luc van den Heede also awarded Curwen a pennant as a verified ‘Cape Horner’.

“What’s next? Well, food, and people probably will want me to have a shower given I’ve only used 250 litres of water the whole trip!” he added.

The first non-stop skipper in the race, Kirsten Neuschafer, is expected to arrive in Les Sables later tonight, with 2nd placed Abhilash Tomy predicted tomorrow morning. 

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