Solo sailors embark on a remarkable voyage from France

Last updated on January 12th, 2024 at 03:46 pm

On Sunday, a historic ocean race commenced as six individual sailors launched from Brest, France, on a groundbreaking 40,000-kilometer solo circumnavigation. This challenging event, known as the Ultim Challenge, requires participants to navigate high-risk seas in trimarans, aiming for a completion within 50 days.

Setting sail from Brest, the fleet quickly traversed the Bay of Biscay, targeting Cape Finisterre for an early Monday arrival. These adventurers face one of sports’ most daunting tasks, sailing vessels that balance speed with vulnerability.

The participants include Charles Caudrelier on the Edmond de Rothschild, Tom Laperche on SVR Lazartigue, Thomas Coville on Sodebo, Armel Le Cleac’h on Banque Populaire, Anthony Marchand on Actual, and Eric Peron on Adagio. Each sailor commands a 32-meter trimaran, a boat with a main hull and two smaller outriggers.

The race route, reported by Agence France-Presse, spans 21,600 nautical miles, passing landmarks like the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin, and Cape Horn. The record for this solo trimaran journey is 42 days, set by Francois Gabart in 2017.

Trimarans, known for speed, also bear risks due to their fragility compared to monohulls. Only seven sailors have completed a solo trimaran circumnavigation, with just four doing it non-stop.

Before departing, the sailors expressed mixed emotions. Marchand emphasized the race’s extraordinary nature, while Le Cleac’h, embarking on his first trimaran world trip, expressed pride in his Finistere roots. Laperche, undertaking his first circumnavigation, shared feelings of impatience and excitement, and Caudrelier highlighted the importance of finishing with an intact vessel, underscoring the challenge’s magnitude.