Arkéa ULTIM Challenge Brest

Giant Trimarans Set Off to Conquer the Globe Again

On January 7, 2024, six solo sailors cast off from Brest to write the first chapter of a race that instantly became legendary. The Arkéa Ultim Challenge Brest, organized by OC Sport Pen Duick, a subsidiary of the Télégramme group, had a wild bet: send multihulls 32 meters long and 23 meters wide around the world, alone, non-stop, unassisted. Unprecedented.

Four years later, the giants are back at it. And this time, everyone knows what these machines — and their skippers — are capable of.

2024: Setting the Benchmark

Charles Caudrelier, aboard Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, laid down the first milestone in history: a round-the-world voyage completed in 50 days, 19 hours, 7 minutes and 42 seconds. To put that in perspective, the Vendée Globe monohull record is over 74 days. The raw power of the Ultims has changed everything.

Behind him, two legends of offshore racing:

• Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3) — 2nd in 53 days
• Armel Le Cléac'h (Maxi Banque Populaire XI) — 3rd in 56 days, despite two technical stopovers
• Anthony Marchand (Actual Ultim 3) and Éric Péron (Adagio) completed the picture in 4th and 5th position

Five finishers out of six starters. The only name missing from the honor roll: Tom Laperche (SVR-Lazartigue), forced to retire off the Cape after a collision with floating debris. A brutal reminder that these flying machines remain vulnerable to flotsam.

2028: The Battle Framework

Start February 1st, Return Expected End of March

The starting gun will fire on February 1, 2028 from Brest. The finish deadline is set for March 31. The course remains the same as the one inaugurated in 2024: 21,600 nautical miles (approximately 40,000 km), a Brest-to-Brest loop via the three legendary capes — Good Hope, Leeuwin, Horn.

The calendar has been slightly shifted compared to 2024. The idea: take advantage of active low-pressure systems in the North Atlantic to accelerate the descent south in February, then welcome arrivals in early spring.

An Uncompromising Format

Nothing changes in the DNA of the event: solo round-the-world race, non-stop, unassisted. Boats must comply with the strict gauge of the Ultim 32/23 Class. Technical stopovers for repairs remain authorized by the rules, but they come at a steep price in lost time — several competitors learned this the hard way in 2024.

Skippers to Watch

The Class Pillars

The final list of entries is still being finalized, but the 2024 core group forms the backbone of the fleet.

• Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild) — Defending champion. His trimaran, launched in 2017, proved rare reliability in the first edition. The target is clear: improve on his own 50 days.
• Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3) — 2019 boat, massive experience. Coville knows the price of a round-the-world voyage. He also knows he was only three days behind the winner.
• Armel Le Cléac'h (Maxi Banque Populaire XI) — Two technical stops in 2024 sank his race. The 2016-2017 Vendée Globe winner returns with a non-negotiable objective: the podium, or better.
• Anthony Marchand (Actual Ultim 3) and Éric Péron (Adagio) — Both finishers, they demonstrated the endurance necessary to complete the Ultims' ultimate event.

The Revenge Card

All eyes will turn to the SVR-Lazartigue camp. After Tom Laperche's forced retirement off the Cape in 2024, the speed potential of this VPLP design launched in 2021 remains a formidable unknown. If the boat clears the capes without incident, it could well reshuffle the deck.

Find the complete calendar and boat specs on spencer.club.

The Economics of an Extraordinary Race

Partners Backing the Event

First edition stakeholders are renewing their commitment, a sign that the return on investment delivered on its promises.

Brest in Offshore Racing Mode

The 2024 edition proved that a sailing event could energize the local economy in the depths of winter. The race village set up at Quai Malbert drew thousands of visitors, boosting Brest's hospitality and restaurant sectors. For 2028, the ambition is to extend the activation throughout the entire start-to-finish period, from February through late March.

Technical Challenges That Will Make the Race

UFOs: The Invisible Enemy

Tom Laperche's collision in 2024 put this threat back at the center of concerns. At over 40 knots, a semi-submerged container or tree trunk becomes a deadly projectile for appendages. Detection systems (OSCAR, AIS) exist, but the Ultims' speed leaves a laughable reaction time.

For 2028, technical teams are working on two fronts: reinforced appendages capable of absorbing partial impact, and more predictive detection systems integrating new data sources.

Surviving 40,000 km Without Breaking

Five boats out of six at the finish in 2024 is an honorable score. But Le Cléac'h, Marchand and Péron all had to stop en route for repairs. The challenge for this second edition is crystal clear: transform pure speed into durability over distance. Foils, hydraulic systems, onboard electronics — every component will need to handle 50 days at sea without failing.

The theoretical ideal time sits between 40 and 45 days. To achieve it will require zero technical stopovers and surgical routing. The margin between the podium and retirement may come down to a faulty sensor or a cracked rudder.

Follow this race's news on spencer.club.