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The first winners of the Cap-Martinique 2026 are now known. After 4,000 miles between La Trinité sur Mer and Fort de France, Sam Manuard and Erwann Le Mené won the double-handed category aboard their Pogo RC, while Alexandre Ozon won the single-handed category aboard the JPK 10.50 Trophée Estuaire Rose.
Beyond the rankings, these two crossings show above all the evolution of the sporting level of this amateur race run under IRC rules. For this 2026 edition has imposed a much more complex Atlantic on the sailors than expected.
Unstable weather turned trajectories upside down
Competitors were hoping for a quick return to the classic trade winds of the transatlantic race to the West Indies. But weather conditions profoundly altered the race scenario. Transition zones, irregular winds and long descents to the south forced the crews to constantly review their trajectories.
Sam Manuard and Erwann Le Mené chose a committed route between the Cape Verde islands to keep the pressure on. Alexandre Ozon also had to drop very low before climbing back up to Martinique. The solo sailor sums up this impression of permanent extension: "It was the GTA, the Grand Tour de l'Atlantique. When you see that you still have to dive, dive, dive, and when you get back up to Cape 300 to come to Martinique, you tell yourself that there's still something there."
This atypical weather greatly enhanced the boats' ability to maintain high average speeds despite changing wind angles.
Pogo RC and JPK 10.50, two technical approaches to performance
The two winners sailed boats with very different philosophies. The Pogo RC designed by Sam Manuard favors downwind power, with a wide aft hull, contained displacement and high acceleration under spinnaker. This architecture enables the boat to maintain high speeds even when the course lengthens. The duo has embraced this strategy, capitalizing on the boat's potential to compensate for the extra miles covered.
Opposite, Alexandre Ozon's JPK 10.50 confirmed its versatility in varied ocean conditions. The Breton shipyard's boat continues to perform particularly well under IRC rules, thanks to its overall balance and ability to stay fast under autopilot. Alexandre Ozon himself emphasizes this potential: "The boat doesn't stop. At a certain point, you wonder how far you can hit it." During several sequences under spinnaker, the skipper explains that he averaged over 14 knots.
IRC rules maintain a real tactical dimension
The Cap-Martinique doesn't just reward the first boat to finish. As in many IRC races, times are corrected according to the technical characteristics of the boats. Manuard and Le Mené's Pogo RC had a high rating, with a handicap of around 30 minutes per day of racing. This penalty meant that the duo had to open up significant gaps in real time. Alexandre Ozon's JPK 10.50 benefited from a more favorable coefficient, enabling him to quickly secure solo victory once across the line.
This IRC logic pushes sailors to prioritize regularity and the preservation of equipment rather than a permanent attack. And over 21 days at sea, the slightest error in trajectory or fatigue management can cost several hours.
Whether solo or double-handed, fatigue remains the main adversary
The two victories also illustrate two very different ways of managing the Atlantic. In double-handed sailing, watch-keeping enables us to keep the boat constantly trimmed, with more lucidity in weather choices. But the pace remains very steady when conditions become unstable.
When sailing solo, the physical and mental burden becomes much heavier. Alexandre Ozon had to manage maneuvers, trimming, weather and boat monitoring alone for over three weeks.
This progressive fatigue often becomes the main limiting factor on modern sailboats capable of maintaining high speeds for days on end.
An amateur race that retains its collective spirit
Despite the competition, the competitors maintained a strong spirit of mutual aid throughout the crossing. A WhatsApp group brought crews together to share technical advice and remote assistance in the face of problems encountered on board. Alexandre Ozon helped several competitors with electronic problems.
Sam Manuard also insisted on this rare solidarity in an ocean race: "The guys would talk about their problems and give each other a hand. I don't know of any other races that do that." This culture of sharing remains one of Cap-Martinique's strong points. And it's probably this blend of sporting competition and collective adventure that attracts an increasingly experienced fleet to this Atlantic crossing.
