The skippers
Yves Le Blévec has been passionate about sailing since he was a child, and it is to satisfy his passion that he moved to La Rochelle. He looks at the sea from afar, since he is originally from Palaiseau, in the Paris region. But it was during family vacations that he discovered sailing and sailed whenever he could, either on a sailboat or a windsurf.
As a teenager, he discovered ocean racing by following the first Route du Rhum and offshore transatlantic races. He continued his education in a high school in La Rochelle while studying to become a sailing instructor. During the vacations, he works in a shipyard and it is while going to La Trinité-sur-Mer that he meets Charlie Capelle. The latter taught him his job and the two men became friends.
Yves le Blévec continues to sail, but works on the construction or preparation of boats. He built up an experience and a reputation before racing at a high level. In 2001, he started racing in the Mini 6.50 class and finished 1st in the world er of the Transgascogne 6.50 and 5th of the Transat 6.50 between La Rochelle and Salvador de Bahia. In 2002, he won the Jules Verne Trophy on the Maxi-catamaran Orange, in 64 days 8 hours 37 minutes and 24 seconds. In 2004, he achieved several records on Orange II: distance record in 24 hours with 705 miles, Marseille-Carthage record in 17 hours 56 minutes and 33 seconds. In 2005, he sails in Mini and Maxi and wins again the Jules Verne Trophy in 50 days, 16 hours, 20 minutes and 4 seconds.
Yves Le Blévec - credit : Th. Martinez/ Sea&Co
In 7 years, Yves Le Blévec has raced one season in the Figaro Bénéteau, 3 seasons in the Mini 6.50 and became a double Jules Verne Trophy holder. In 2007, he won again the Transat 6.50 between La Rochelle and Salvador de Bahia, but also the Transgascogne.
In 2009, he started sailing Multi50s and won the Prince de Bretagne Trophy. He participated in the Transat Jacques Vabre with Jean Le Cam, but only after a few hours of racing, the boat capsized. In 2010, he still won many races, but on the Route du Rhum, a collision with a UFO forced him to abandon with 3 days to go. He nevertheless managed to bring his boat back home. In 2011, he won the Transat Jacques Vabre in Multi50, alongside Sam Manuard. He continues to participate in many races in Multi50, and finishes notably 4 e of the Route du Rhum in 2014.
Today, he is tackling a new challenge, the Ultimate circuit.
Jean-Baptiste Le Vaillant is a recognized master sailor, but also an experienced competitor. He has sailed for a long time with Loïck Peyron and was present next to the sailor from La Baule as soon as he was on board. He won the La Baule Dakar in 1983 and the China Sea Raid aboard a Formula 18 in 1989. He is also the one who holds the most titles on the Québec Saint-Malo, with three victories to his credit. Creator of the sailmaker "Système" in La Rochelle, with his accomplice Frédéric Charpail, in the 80s (which will become Incidence ten years later), he designs and tests the sails of many great skippers: Loïck Peyron, Bruno Peyron, Franck Cammas, Pascal Bidegorry, Florence Arthaud, Philippe Poupon, Karine Fauconnier, Jean Maurel, Marc Guillemot, Francis Joyon, Yann Guichard, Yves Le Blévec, Lionel Lemonchois, Frédéric Le Peutrecâeuros¦
Jean-Baptiste Le Vaillant - credit : Th. Martinez/ Sea&Co
But he is also a great sailor, with a track record that has nothing to envy the great skippers. He is also one of the sailors who have sailed the most in multihull races. Today, the sailmaker is finished but he continues to race offshore. Since 2015, he has already sailed 12,000 to 14,000 miles and will accompany Yves Le Blévec on the Ultime Actual.
The boat
Technical specifications
| Class | Ultimate |
| Sail number | FRA 53 |
| Length | 31 m |
| Width | 16,55 m |
| Home port | La Trinité-sur-Mer |
| Architect | Nigel Irens |
| Job site (manufacturer) | Boat Speed |
| Year of launch | 2007 |
| Upwind sail area | 395 m2 |
| Sail area downwind | 500 m2 |
