Ocean Fifty Series — Act 2

Back to the Atlantic: Concarneau as the Moment of Truth

No more Mediterranean, no more gentle waters of Sainte-Maxime. From June 25 to 29, 2026, the Ocean Fifty fleet lands in Concarneau for Act 2 of the season. The "Ville Close" as stage, the bay of La Forêt as playground—and one question haunting every pontoon: will the trimarans stay upright?

Because what's at stake goes far beyond the rankings. After a traumatic 2025 season—three capsizes (Lazare, Koesio, Inter Invest) during the Transat Café L'Or—this Breton stopover serves as a full-scale crash test. The structural modifications carried out over winter must face the test of reality. And the often muscular conditions of southern Finistère won't be forgiving.

A Format Built for Intensity

The Ocean Fifty Series aren't your typical offshore races. The hybrid format devised for these stages pushes both machines and crews to their limits.

In Concarneau, two types of racing take turns:

• Constructed courses (inshore)—short, close-contact races where maneuvers chain together at a frantic pace. The cohesion of the five crew members makes all the difference.
• Coastal courses (short offshore)—day-long raids exploiting the complex geography of the bay and the Glénan archipelago.

This imposed versatility makes the exercise formidable. All the more so because Concarneau represents the season's last collective dance. Come July, for the Drheam Cup, then in November for the Route du Rhum, the skippers will be alone at the helm. So this is the final opportunity to nail down the crew work, test new sails under full load, validate settings in real conditions—as a team of five—before the big solo leap.

Eleven Trimarans on the Start Line: The Densest Fleet in History

The class confirms its momentum with 11 trimarans expected on the line, up from 9 the previous season. The field is rich, diverse, and loaded with stories.

The Favorites

Baptiste Hulin (Viabilis Océans), reigning 2025 champion, arrives with a well-drilled team and the confidence of a leader. Alongside him, Thibaut Vauchel-Camus (Solidaires En Peloton) banks on the consistency that's been his trademark for several seasons.

The Comeback Kids

They emerge from a winter in the shipyard. Erwan Le Roux (Koesio), Matthieu Perraut (Inter Invest), and Erwan Le Draoulec (Lazare)—the three capsized boats of 2025—must prove their rebuilt boats can handle the pace without sacrificing performance. For them, Concarneau isn't just a race: it's a seaworthiness certificate.

The New Faces

The UpWind by MerConcept project, led by Anne-Claire Le Berre, draws all eyes. An all-female crew on an Ocean Fifty: the class is opening up, and that's a powerful signal. Meanwhile, Basile Bourgnon (Edenred) embodies the new generation, surname included, with all the pressure and hunger that come with it.

Safety: The Season's Common Thread

The shadow of the 2025 capsizes hasn't disappeared. Winter was devoted to data analysis, platform reinforcement, understanding what failed and why.

In Concarneau, every weather forecast will be dissected. If the wind picks up, risk management will become the key factor. The teams can't afford to break anything a few months before the Route du Rhum. The equation is brutal: they need to attack to rack up championship points—the RORC's "High Points" system rewards large fleets—but they must finish the races. Coming back to port with an intact boat is worth as much as a victory in this context.

Why This Act 2 Could Change Everything

Roughly 18% of the season's points are at play in this single stopover. A retirement here, a breakdown, and the championship becomes a near-impossible chase.

The stakes are psychological too. Dominating the fleet with a full crew in Atlantic conditions provides considerable mental advantage before the solo events. Certainties are built—or shattered—in stages like this.

For the Concarneau public, the docks and race village will offer rare proximity to these 15.24-meter trimarans capable of exceeding 30 knots. Find the complete Ocean Fifty Series calendar on spencer.club.

But behind the maritime festival, make no mistake: for the sailors, Concarneau is an exam. And the examiner is the ocean.