Odyssée ULTIM®

Giant Trimarans in the Mediterranean: The Bold Gamble of Odyssée ULTIM®

Five 32-meter trimarans, over 2,000 nautical miles between Antibes and the Greek islands, and a lineup of skippers that would make any transatlantic race jealous. Odyssée ULTIM® arrives in May 2026 with a crystal-clear ambition: to write a new chapter in offshore racing, where nobody expected these flying machines — in the Mediterranean.

A Historic First for the Ultim Class

Until now, the Ultim 32/23s have ruled the Atlantic. Transat, Route du Rhum, round-the-world races — their playground has been limited to the big ocean swells and well-charted weather systems. Odyssée ULTIM® changes the game.

Announced in June 2025 from Antibes, this race is organized by Cap Med (already running the Finistère Atlantique) in partnership with Ultim Sailing. It's part of the new four-year cycle unveiled by the class in April 2025.

The choice of Antibes as home port is no accident. The ancient Antipolis, founded by the Greeks, provides a powerful narrative starting point. The race's entire identity rests on the myth of Ulysses: leave from Antibes, sail to Ithaca, and return.

The Course: 2,000 Miles in Ulysses' Wake

The route is a demanding sprint of approximately 3,700 kilometers, designed to test nerves as much as machines.

• Start: Antibes (Port Vauban), May 3, 2026
• Corsica-Sardinia Passage: Strait of Bonifacio or rounding — first acceleration zone
• Malta: rounding the island, strategic southern point
• Peloponnese and Olympia: technical coastal navigation along the peninsula
• Ithaca: symbolic turning point at mid-course, Ulysses' island of return
• Finish: back to Antibes, estimated around May 7-8

The Mediterranean, a Tactical Trap Under Open Skies

Forget the tidy Atlantic depressions on weather models. Here, the winds are unpredictable, areas of calm can stop a 32-meter trimaran dead, and coastal effects near the Greek islands turn every passage into a lottery.

Transitions are brutal: total calm, then violent gusts off a headland. This configuration rewards boats capable of accelerating quickly in light air and crews able to maintain constant tactical vigilance. Weather routing will be a nightmare — and that's precisely what makes this race fascinating for strategists.

Crewed Format to Exploit Full Potential

Odyssée ULTIM® is exclusively crewed. No solo sailing here. The format was chosen for a simple reason: the changing Mediterranean conditions demand frequent maneuvers, constant trim adjustments, 24 hours a day.

Where a solo sailor would sometimes have to accept performance loss to sleep, a full crew maintains maximum intensity constantly. The spectacle will differ from a Route du Rhum: less solo endurance, more coordination, collective reactivity and raw power.

Five Giants, Five Exceptional Crews

The fleet brings together the absolute elite of the Ultim class:

• Armel Le Cléac'h (Banque Populaire XI) — "A major first… many compulsory waypoints and traps to negotiate."
• Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3) — "This voyage made me dream and I hope we'll make you dream too."
• Tom Laperche (SVR Lazartigue) — "We really want to create new memories in the Mediterranean."
• Anthony Marchand (Actual Ultim 4)
• Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild)

The generational duel promises to be fascinating. On one side, Coville and Le Cléac'h, veterans with multiple circumnavigations, blessed with extraordinary strategic science. On the other, Tom Laperche, rising star, eager to prove his trimaran's pure speed on this new terrain. The participation of the future Maxi Edmond de Rothschild from Gitana will be closely watched — Caudrelier's team often dominates the class's technological debates.

Find the complete list of entered boats and their specifications on spencer.club.

The Antibes Village: 12 Days of Celebration at Port Vauban

Odyssée ULTIM® isn't just about the race. Port Vauban transforms into an immersive village, open free to the public from April 29 to May 10, 8am to 7pm.

Day-by-Day Program

• April 29: village opening, first activities
• April 30: official crew presentations
• May 1: RUNs — speed races at the foot of Antibes' ramparts
• May 2: RUNs and long-distance race
• May 3: Odyssée ULTIM® start
• May 4-6: live race tracking, village activities
• May 7: first finishes estimated
• May 10: prize giving and closing

Beyond Sport

The village revolves around three themes: technological innovation, Mediterranean biodiversity protection, and cultural heritage. Exhibitions and conferences are planned, with an educational component — Antibes schoolchildren have been involved since the launch press conference.

The Symbolism: Arrows, Bow and Lyre

Every detail of the race is conceived as a narrative. Before the start, each sailor will receive an arrow engraved with their name. This arrow must travel to Ithaca and back to Antibes, to be placed in a foil-shaped structure evoking Ulysses' bow. The trophy awarded to the winners will take the form of a lyre — a nod to the Greek cultural heritage that runs through the event's entire identity.

The Challenges of a First Edition

The main risk remains weather uncertainty. While the Mediterranean can offer dream conditions for images — flying trimarans against the Greek coast or Antibes' ramparts — it can also impose flat calms capable of significantly delaying the fleet. Organizers will need to juggle between the village schedule and on-water reality.

For the Ultim class, what's at stake goes beyond sport. It's about expanding the audience beyond the traditional Atlantic crowd, conquering a new basin of fans and sponsors, and proving these spectacular machines belong anywhere there's wind — and even where there isn't always.

Follow this race's updates and check the complete sailing race calendar on spencer.club.