The extreme sports brand
The Alpina countdown is ticking down the seconds to the start of the Arkea Ultim Challenge-Brest until kick-off on Sunday, January 7, 2024. On that day, there will be six of them: Armel Le Cleac'h, Charles Caudrelier, Thomas Coville, Tom Laperche, Anthony Marchand and Eric Péron - six sailors ready to set off on a solo round-the-world voyage on giant trimarans 32 m long and 23 m wide, the size of four tennis courts set side by side. The venerable Swiss watch manufacturer Alpina, which already sponsors ski, skateboard and surf champions such as Aelan Vaast, was eager to accompany this crazy race around the globe. Oliver Van Lanschot Hubrecht, brand director of Alpina Watches, explains: "It really is the most extreme single-handed event, and a first. It's the most impressive race in the world, and our sports watch collection is called Extreme."
The virtual race clock
We couldn't resist asking what the stopwatch would be like for such an event, how big it would be and who would operate it? The answer will be disappointing for the technical enthusiast, as the term official timekeeper today has only a commercial aspect, as Oliver Van Lanschot Hubrecht concedes with a broad smile: "Unfortunately, there isn't a giant stopwatch made by Alpina to measure the skippers' performances, it's the organization that manages the technical part. As far as we're concerned, it's simply a sponsorship, but be warned, we're making a long-term commitment to sailing, as we'll also be sponsoring the Route du Rhum 2026".
Watches for sailors and divers
In its 140-year history, the Alpina brand has always appealed to sailors, starting with the German Navy in 1913, who appreciated the precision and durability of Alpina chronometers. In 1969, with the development of recreational scuba diving, Alpina introduced the Diver 10 Seastrong, based on the four pillars that still characterize the brand today: waterproof, shockproof, non-magnetic and stainless. Following the brand's return to the forefront in the early 2000s, the very first Extreme watch was launched, capable of diving down to - 1,000 m underwater. Today, the new watches in the Extreme collection, such as the Seastrong Diver, are based on this model.
The racing watch
From 2011, Alpina's interest in top-level sailing began with the Extreme Sailing Regatta model, and its countdown timer showing the time remaining before the start of a regatta with orange and blue dots.
At the time, the watch brand had embarked on sponsorship in the Extreme Sailing Series, with the black catamaran of the Niceforyou team led by 2010 America's Cup winning skipper Alberto Barovier, before building a Swan 80 for the Giraglia in 2012 and releasing a Sailing Yacht Timer Countdown version, replacing the colored dots with flags. For all that, the brand manager points out: "We don't intend to return to such a countdown complication for the regatta, but for the Arkea Ultim Challenge we've created a limited series of our Seastrong Diver Extreme Automatic with the race course engraved on the back and a date window on the dial at 6 o'clock so competitors know what day it is. "
Alpina bets on Péron
Speaking of competitors, there's one who already has his watch, and that's Eric Péron, skipper of the Ultim Adagio trimaran. Why? Because he's directly sponsored by Alpina Watches Because he is directly sponsored by Alpina Watches. Given that Adagio is the only boat without foils and the oldest in the fleet, it's fair to wonder what might have guided this choice. But Oliver Van Lanschot Hubrecht insists: "We saw that his boat was solid and reliable like our watches, he needed one last push to be able to line up on the starting line, so we chose to support him."
Eric Péron, who in the meantime has found Adagio as his main partner, will therefore be able to line up at the start, especially as he has just validated his qualification course at the end of November by sailing 2,500 miles alone on board, with the added bonus of a top speed of 40 knots, despite the absence of a foil. " This trimaran, some parts of which, such as the link arms, date back to 2001 and Olivier de Kersauson's Geronimo has been patiently perfected by Thomas Coville, who still holds the Atlantic crossing record on board. It's ultra-resistant However, a tried and tested boat requiring slightly less attention will certainly be more relaxing on such a long round-the-world voyage, and finally, like an Alpina watch, the Ultim Adagio trimaran is reasonably priced as it is leased. We then ask Eric Péron if, like Alpina watches, it is waterproof, shockproof, non-magnetic and rustproof. "To be a good sailor, you have to be solid, so shockproof and rustproof, especially when you have to deal with breakages, sponsor bankruptcies or injuries, as I did. Psychologically, you need to be cold-blooded and impervious to emotions, so I'm watertight, or at least non-magnetic, as you might say, since I'm sailing around the South Pole, not the North Pole!
