Retour à La Base

3,500 miles into the teeth of low-pressure systems: Retour à La Base shapes up as the 2027 season's defining showdown

December, Martinique, a skipper alone aboard an IMOCA 60 heading northeast, straight into the winter storms of the North Atlantic. Retour à La Base is no delivery trip. It's the last major solo test before Vendée Globe year—and for many, the most decisive.

From logistical necessity to benchmark race

Initially, it was simply about getting boats back to Europe after the Transat Jacques Vabre. The concept became an official race in 2007 under the name Transat B to B (Back to Brittany). Since then, the roll of honour speaks for itself: Loïck Peyron (2007), François Gabart (2011), Sébastien Josse (2015)—nothing but names that have defined offshore racing.

After going dormant in 2019 and running as a rally format in 2021, the race was reborn in 2023 under its current identity, backed by Lorient Grand Large. Result: 32 skippers at the start, a record for this return format, and a consolidated place within the IMOCA Globe Series championship.

For 2027, the race builds on that momentum. Its December slot, immediately following the double-handed Jacques Vabre, creates a radical mental shift: sailors must "re-switch" to solo mode in just a few days.

The course: Fort-de-France to Lorient, the Atlantic against the grain

3,500 theoretical miles separate Martinique from Lorient. On paper, it's a passage north. In reality, it's a chain of traps.

Three critical zones

• Exiting the Caribbean arc — Unstable winds, wind shadows cast by island topography. Gaps open from the very first hours.
• The winter North Atlantic — The fleet charges toward depressions rolling in from North America. Headwinds, built seas, structures tested after an already demanding outbound transatlantic.
• The Bay of Biscay — The final approach to Lorient in December remains historically treacherous. Violent storms can strike within hours of the finish, allowing zero let-up.

In 2023, the weather proved relatively merciful, allowing the winner to complete the course in just over nine days. But the winter North Atlantic never offers the same gift twice.

The time to beat: 9 days, 0 hours, 3 minutes

Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) set the benchmark in 2023: 9d 00h 03m 48s. A performance that illustrates the dizzying progress of foiling IMOCAs.

To measure how far we've come:

From fourteen days to nine: five days gained in sixteen years. The arrival of foils changed everything.

The contenders

The 2027 entry list isn't yet finalized, but the 2023 edition sets the tone. The podium was decided by a whisker: less than 8 hours between first and third after 3,500 miles.

Podium candidates

• Yoann Richomme, defending champion, will be the target if his participation is confirmed.
• Jérémie Beyou (Charal), 2nd in 2023, has proven his consistency at the highest level.
• Sam Goodchild (For the Planet), 3rd, confirms the rise of Anglo-Saxon talent on the IMOCA circuit.

A cosmopolitan fleet

Retour à La Base draws entries well beyond French borders. Boris Herrmann (Germany, 4th in 2023) and Sam Davies (Great Britain, 6th) embody the race's international dimension. At the other end of the spectrum, young Violette Dorange (Devenir) completed her first solo transatlantic on an IMOCA in 2023—proof that this race also serves as a springboard for the next generation.

Find the entered boats and compare their specifications on spencer.club.

The real stakes: much more than a trophy

The miles race for the Vendée Globe

For much of the fleet, finishing this race is imperative. Retour à La Base serves as a qualifier for the next Vendée Globe: it allows sailors to accumulate miles and points in the IMOCA Globe Series championship. A DNF here can compromise months of preparation. The pressure is maximum, even for those not racing for the win.

The final stress test of equipment

Boats arrive in Martinique after an intense season and a double-handed transatlantic. Technical teams often have less than ten days to get the machines race-ready before the solo start. In 2023, Charlie Dalin and Yannick Bestaven had to withdraw before even crossing the start line—medical or technical problems arising from the Jacques Vabre. The ability to "patch up" an IMOCA under tropical pressure is a challenge in its own right.

Lorient, winter sailing stadium

The finish in the "Sailing Valley" is no accident. Lorient's submarine base transforms into a nautical amphitheatre. The event reinforces Lorient Agglomération's status as Europe's offshore racing capital and generates significant economic benefits for the region.

What you need to know

• Start: December 2027, Fort-de-France (Martinique)
• Finish: Lorient (Morbihan)
• Distance: 3,500 miles
• Format: solo, IMOCA 60 monohulls
• Record: 9d 00h 03m 48s (Yoann Richomme, 2023)
• Major stake: Vendée Globe 2028 qualification

Retour à La Base 2027 will close out the sailing year as a final exam—one where fatigue, weather, and equipment reliability will separate the true contenders for the round-the-world race. Just making it to Lorient will be a victory. Doing it ahead of the others will be a statement of intent.

Follow the latest on this race and the full season calendar on spencer.club.