Four years of technological developments for flying boats
Ultims are the most powerful boats in ocean racing. With a length of 32 meters and a width of 23 meters, they sail on three hulls, but above all, they fly, for longer periods, with amazing average speeds!
The 2018 Route du Rhum saw the birth of the first truly flying Ultims this was the case for the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild and Banque Populaire IX. Of course, the result was not convincing, as the first boat had to give up after tearing its float and the second boat had capsized. Today, three new flying boats have been added to the class. In four years, technology has allowed us to work on the load-bearing planes, but also on the aerodynamics to reduce the drag in the air, like SVR-Lazartigue, François Gabart's trimaran, which created controversy within the class for the choice of its cockpit position.
On this 2022 edition, they will be eight sailors trying to win, and why not break the current race record set by Francis Joyon in 2018: 7 days, 14 hours, 21 minutes. As Francis Le Goff, the race director, said, if conditions allow it, then the race time could fall below 7 days.
Who can win the Route du Rhum 2022?
Charles Caudrelier is the great favorite of this 12th edition of the race. Although he is taking part in his first Route du Rhum, he knows the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild inside out . With Franck Cammas, co-skipper of the boat, he has won numerous races: double-handed in the Transat Jacques Vabre in 2021, crewed races in the pre-season races and single-handed in 2022. Although she was born in 2017, the boat is ultra-reliable and optimized and continues to win podiums.
On the Finistère Atlantic , Armel le Cléac'h led the battle with Charles Caudrelier on his Maxi Banque Populaire XI. After more than 3,100 miles, he came in second with a 26-minute gap to the first. Launched in April 2021, it is the second most recent boat in the fleet and its skipper has already sailed the equivalent of a round-the-world race on board and achieved a third place in the 2021 Transat Jacques Vabre. After his capsize in 2018, Armel Le Cléac'h will be thirsty to take his revenge.
SVR-Lazartigue is the most recent Ultim in the fleet. With a design that does not create unanimity in the class this boat, launched in July 2021 and second in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2021, has obtained an exemption to participate in the Route du Rhum 2022 . Thus, François Gabart was not able to compete in the races, as he was not allowed to do so. Nevertheless, he has sailed a lot on board and notably set the record for the Mediterranean crossing this summer. Winner of the 2014 Route du Rhum in IMOCA, he will make his return to single-handed racing in the Ultim Class, in the famous transatlantic race.
Ãeuros 66 years, Francis Joyon will come to challenge for his title on Idec Sport, launched in 2006. Although older than the others, it is still the winner of the last three editions of the Route du Rhum in 2018, he already sailed under the name of Idec Sport, in 2014 under the colors of Banque Populaire, in 2010 under the colors of Groupama. Aware of the high level of the class and the potential of the new Ultims, the skipper who is returning for his 8th participation counts on favorable conditions to have a small chance of success . If he succeeds, he will join Laurent Bourgnon, the only person to have won the race twice in a multihull.
Thomas Coville on Sodebo Ultim 3, launched in 2019, will compete in the race for the 7th time. During the 24h Ultim, he won the speed runs and finished in 3rd place, 1h and 38 minutes after Charles Caudrelier. Yves le Blévec on Actual Ultim 3 will start the race on the former Macif, which he took over in 2020. The yacht had finished second in the 2018 Route du Rhum, with François Gabart having a long battle with Francis Joyon, leaving the victory for 7 minutes.
Finally, Arthur Le Vaillant has joined the Ultim circuit after a stint in Class40 and Ocean Fifty and sails on Mieux, the former Actual. He will participate in his first Route du Rhum aboard the oldest boat in the class, 20 years old, not "flying" and not equipped with the technologies of his competitors. Ãeuros on his side, Romain Pilliard will be aboard his trimaran Use It Again! a former legendary trimaran owned by Ellen MacArthur, which he spent six years refitting, for his second Route du Rhum.
