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In 2025, Anthony Marchand took the helm of Actual Ultim 4, the former Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, winner of the Route du Rhum 2022. Between adapting to an already highly accomplished machine, discreet technical developments and preparations for the Route du Rhum 2026, the skipper from Saint Brieuc details his method for taming this flying trimaran, which has won every event raced in the Ultim class. We went to meet him during his stopover in Marseilles.
You've just come back from winter work. What did you work on?
The yard was mainly devoted to a major general overhaul. On these Ultims, dismantling the jacks, checking the hydraulic and electronic systems, all this takes a lot of time. We also worked on onboard ergonomics and made a number of small improvements to certain systems.
And then there's all the adaptation work. This boat already has a history and a strong technical philosophy. It's now up to us to understand why certain solutions were chosen, and how best to exploit them with our team.
So you're still developing Actual Ultim 4?
Yes, we're continuing to develop the boat. In particular, new elements are due to arrive before the summer. For the moment, we're keeping this confidential. The idea will be to install them, test them and continue to improve the machine.
On these boats, development never stops. We sail a lot to gather data and understand how the trimaran behaves in different configurations.
Precisely how long does it take to really get to grips with an Ultim already developed by another team?
It's an ongoing process. What's interesting is that we're still learning from the boat. Since she was relaunched, we've done a lot of sailing to gather data and try out different options. The Gitana team has given us a lot of technical information. The transfer went very smoothly. But they obviously didn't give us all the boat's limits. It's now up to us to discover certain things by sailing.
We have to build our own performance logic, our own way of operating the boat. Certain things have to be adapted to our own taste.
Did your first confrontation with the other Ultims in the Transat Café l'Or reassure you?
Yes, definitely. We were pretty happy with third place. We hadn't sailed much with this boat before taking the start. For a first race with this boat, it was encouraging.
These machines are still very complex. An Ultim is not just a skipper, it's a complete team, a way of thinking about the boat and moving it forward together.
Actual Ultim 4 is reputed to be very physical to sail. Can you confirm this?
Yes, it's a more powerful boat, wider and faster too. But this power comes at a physical price. It demands a lot of commitment and attention. On the other hand, the sensations are quite incredible. And above all, it's a platform capable of meeting the ambitions we have for the Route du Rhum.
Has the Route du Rhum 2026 become your main goal?
Yes, definitely. It's the major objective of the season. Firstly, because it's a legendary race in the French nautical landscape. And it'll be my first participation in an Ultim in this transatlantic race. For me, it's a dream. I want to live up to the trust that Team Actual has placed in me. The aim is to arrive at this Route du Rhum with as few uncertainties as possible about the boat and how it works.
Do you have a clear goal of victory?
Yes, because we have a boat capable of winning. After that, it's still an ocean race with a lot of uncertainties.
But a large part of the result is prepared well before the start. Performance is built throughout the season, through technical work, the evolution of the boat, the quality of preparation and the trust between skipper, team and machine.
I sincerely believe that 90% of the race is played out before you even cast off.
Single-handed on an Ultim, weather routing is still allowed. How does this change the way you race?
In Ultim, yes, routing is allowed on solo races. This creates a very different way of working. We're in constant contact with the weather team and the routers.
But even with this help, it's still extremely challenging. On these boats, the speeds are such that you have to stay focused almost all the time. Rest phases are short, because the Rhum is a week-long sprint.
And after the Route du Rhum, are you already looking ahead to a round-the-world trip?
We're obviously thinking about what's next. The Jules Verne Trophy is one of the possible options. The calendar could fit.
But for the moment, all attention is focused on the Route du Rhum 2026. First things first.
