Armen Race Uship

The Ar-Men Loop: 310 Miles of Truth off the Brittany Coast

Every year at Ascension, La Trinité-sur-Mer transforms into the offshore racing capital. The Armen Race Uship brings together on the same start line 32-meter Ultimes and production boats, professional skippers and accomplished amateurs. The 2026 edition, scheduled for May 14th, promises to confirm its status as an unmissable classic earned over fifteen years of existence.

A Race Born to Mix Things Up

Launched in 2011 by the Société Nautique de la Trinité-sur-Mer (SNT), the Armen Race made an immediate impact. From the very first edition, Sébastien Josse on Gitana 11 and Marc Guillemot on Safran were on the trophy list. The message was clear: this non-stop loop in the Bay of Biscay — starting and finishing at the same port — was not just another regatta.

Its open format, from giant Ultimes to IRC monohulls via IMOCAs and Class40s, remains its DNA. The public enjoys a rare privilege: experiencing the start and finish from the same docks.

Fifteen Years of Growth and Extremes

The Fleet Has Never Stopped Growing

Editions with Two Faces

The race's history swings between fury and patience. In 2022, the Ultimes flirted with 43 knots in muscular conditions. Three years later, the 2025 edition imposed the opposite exercise: stubborn light airs, a very slow race, nerves tested to breaking point. Two sides of the same course, two radically different truths.

2026 Edition: The Course, Format, and Rules

310 Miles Between Lighthouses and Currents

The starting gun will sound on Thursday, May 14th, 2026. The theoretical course — approximately 300 to 310 nautical miles (555 km) — traces a demanding loop: La Trinité-sur-Mer, the Ar-Men lighthouse off the Chaussée de Sein, Belle-Île, Île d'Yeu, then back to the start.

Coastal navigation and offshore racing collide constantly. Managing currents around the islands, night passages, rounding the marks: every mile demands total attention.

Weather Flexibility

Race management reserves the right to modify the course based on conditions. The lesson from 2025 is fresh: faced with absent wind, shortening the course can become essential to ensure the fleet crosses the line within the time limits. The IRC 2026 Championship regulations also impose new constraints on crew compliance for races over 100 miles, a factor that will weigh on the tactical preparation of many teams.

Class40: The Beating Heart of the Race

The Most Competitive Division

While the Ultimes capture attention through sheer scale, the Class40 offers the tightest battles. These 12.19-meter monohulls attract a unique mix of professionals and top-level amateurs, drawn by the performance-budget compromise. The class officially lists the Armen Race Uship as a key fixture on its 2026 calendar.

Recent Results and Reference Times

The gap is striking: more than 12 hours separate the fastest and slowest times over three editions. On this course, weather dictates everything. The reference time to beat remains Amarris' 2023 run — 1 day and 5 hours, a time requiring sustained wind throughout the loop.

Find the complete Class40 race calendar on spencer.club.

What to Expect in 2026

Entry confirmations will come in spring, but the regular presence of skippers like Stéphane Le Diraison or teams like Amarris suggests a strong field. For contenders, the goal will be twofold: aim for the Class40 podium and, if conditions allow, approach the 2023 benchmark.

Giants Lying in Wait

The Ultimes and Ocean Fifties bring the spectacular dimension. In 2025, Armel Le Cléac'h on Banque Populaire XI won the Ultime category despite a shortened course — 29 hours for 200 miles, proof that even the world's fastest machines are helpless against absent wind. If these giants show up in 2026, they'll provide a formidable technological showcase.

For professional teams, the stakes extend beyond the trophy. The Armen Race serves as a full-scale validation of early-season setups, before the major autumn transatlantics.

A Weekend That Brings La Trinité to Life

More than 150 boats, crews sailing doublehanded or fully crewed: the Ascension weekend transforms the La Trinité docks into a floating village. The economic impact is tangible — restaurants, shops, accommodations run at full capacity. The partnership with Uship firmly anchors the race in Brittany's sailing landscape.

Rendezvous May 14th

The Armen Race Uship draws its strength from a paradox: bringing together on the same water those aiming for absolute records and those who simply want to complete the loop. 310 miles between lighthouses, islands and currents, by day and night, with only one certainty: the weather will have the final word. On May 14th, 2026, La Trinité-sur-Mer will host this unique confrontation.

Compare the entered boats and follow race updates on spencer.club.