A great celebration
On Sunday 19 May 2019, the pontoons of Port Olona in Les Sables-d'Olonne - which host the Vendée Globe every four years - had been reserved for the baptism of Sodebo Ultim' 3. This giant of the Ultim 32/23 class, launched on March 18, is the latest of the giant trimarans and will be skippered by Thomas Coville to break records around the world. Sodebo Ultim' 3 features a design with radical biases. Starting with the size of his foils, designed to allow him to fly. During its delivery from Trinidad, the trimaran will have flown with peaks at 40 knots. Its transverse arms have a straight design - and no longer in an X-shape - but what is most striking is the location of the cockpit and the life cell. These are integrated into the front cross beam in front of the mast. An architecture never seen before in the world of ocean racing. . This giant of the Ultim 32/23 class, launched on March 18, is the latest of the giant trimarans and will be skippered by Thomas Coville to break records around the world.
For the occasion, the Vendée company invited its 2?200 employees to share this great moment. A village had been set up on the esplanade to broadcast the baptism live on huge screens. Franky Zapata, a professional jet-ski pilot, also came to do the show on his flyboard, a machine that allows him to fly in the air.
It was under a bright sun that the trimaran was christened by its sponsor, adventurer Mike Horn. "In sports personalities, in global personalities, all over the world, Mike Horn is the one who inspired me the most." says Thomas Coville. Before adding "Mike Horn and I met in the 1990s around Laurent Bourgnon and our friendship has never wavered. At each meeting, he gives himself up with simplicity. With him, the emotion is extreme. He is an extremely generous being."
"It is an honor to be the sponsor of SODEBO ULTIM 3. Thomas wants to go around the world in less than 40 days. If I can support his dreams and bring a little something. I too need examples and inspiration from others" explains the 53-year-old adventurer.
A radical design
Sodebo Ultim' 3 features a design with radical biases. Starting with the size of his foils, designed to allow him to fly. During its delivery from Trinidad, the trimaran will have flown with peaks at 40 knots. Its transverse arms have a straight design - and no longer in an X-shape - but what is most striking is the location of the cockpit and the life cell. These are integrated into the front cross beam in front of the mast. An architecture never seen before in the world of ocean racing. Read the presentation of Sodebo Ultim'3 . The last competitor of this solo round the world race without assistance or electronic means will have completed his circumnavigation in 322 days, 8 hours and 21 minutes, or 10 months at sea.
