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A return to the sea on an iconic trimaran
Éric Loizeau will take part in the Route du Rhum 2026 aboard the trimaran Flo, known for having been helmed by Florence Arthaud when she won in 1990. The former Pierre 1er, designed by VPLP, will compete in the Rhum-Multi category.
At over 70 years of age, the Breton sailor doesn't see this return as revenge or a personal performance challenge. The project includes reducing the mast and fitting a new mainsail, in order to adapt the sails to today's conditions and to the goal of increasing reliability.
Navigation in the form of a tribute and manifesto
This return to racing is also a tribute to Florence Arthaud, whose sporting and symbolic imprint the boat retains. Eric Loizeau's project is in keeping with a logic of sobriety and sustainability:
"Reinventing ourselves, doing better with less, while remaining true to the spirit of the sea."
Participation is part of a specific physical conditioning process, with training focused on the upper body, which is put under greater strain aboard a multihull than in the mountains. The choice of an old, converted boat illustrates a deliberate positioning against the tide of today's ultra-technological machines.
A project structured in two phases up to 2026
The boat is currently leased to Emmanuel Le Roch (Nautic Sport). From June 2026, she will be based in Brest for five months of technical preparation and sailing. The provisional budget, estimated at between 500,000 and 600,000 euros, includes a complete overhaul of the multihull, the purchase of racing equipment and safety upgrades.
Eric is calling for partnerships from public and private players, foundations and sponsors who share his commitment to the environment, active longevity and maritime transmission. He intends to involve partners in a project where the human dimension takes precedence over the podium objective.
A track record steeped in ocean racing history
With three transatlantic race wins, a solo Atlantic record (1982), victory in the 1982 Route du Rhum and a life divided between the seas and the summits, Éric Loizeau remains a singular figure in the nautical world, having introduced a link between sporting performance and a commitment to nature as early as the 1980s. His journey between ocean and mountain, illustrated by his ascent of Mount Everest in 2003, inspired the creation of the Trophée Mer Montagne.
