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Arkéa, a leading player in sports sponsorship already present in ocean regattas for several years, becomes, on behalf of all the subsidiaries of the Crédit Mutuel Arkéa group, the main sponsor of the next two editions of the first solo Ultim round-the-world race organized by the OC Sport Pen Duick. It will bring together the skippers of the Ultim 32/23 class, which brings together the best sailors in the world and the most innovative and demanding ocean-going multihulls. An extraordinary human and technological challenge that will undoubtedly make the regatta and its sailors enter the pantheon of sailing.
Five boats have already signed up for this exceptional regatta and it could be seven “giants of the seas” that set off from Brest, with a solo skipper on board, who will try to complete a round the world tour from West to East, passing through the three capes (Good Hope, Leewin and Horn).
A human and technological challenge carried out by the navigators of the Ultim 32/23 Class.
Some sailors have already completed the multihull and solo course: Francis Joyon, Dame Ellen MacArthur, Thomas Coville, François Gabart; especially in the framework of solo round-the-world records, but none of them have ever done it in a regatta.
Alone, in their giant multihulls, for 40 to 50 days, the skippers will be subjected to extreme variations in weather conditions and will have to contend with wind, waves, swells and ice. High pressures, low wind systems and lows, which are often the source of strong winds, will mark the lives of sailors on board and will influence the trajectory strategies adopted.
Sailing around the world is above all a climatic voyage: the descent of the Atlantic, the crossing of the Indian Ocean and then the Pacific Ocean until heading north again over the Atlantic…
Initially between Brest and the Cape of Good Hope, the route is marked by the passage from one hemisphere to another through the “Doldrums”, also known as the “Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)”. The atmosphere of this area is a mixture of warm and humid air masses transported by trade winds from the Alto de las Azores, in the North Atlantic, and the Alto de Santa Elena, in its southern equivalent. They generate an unstable wind in which eternal calms and stormy showers alternate without any real logic, which requires even greater vigilance in this first part of the regatta to get out of this trap as soon as possible.
Then comes the longest and most difficult part, which is taking advantage of the weather coming from the west to glide between Good Hope and Cape Horn via Cape Leeuwin. This crossing of the two oceans of the southern hemisphere, the Indian and the Pacific, constitutes three-fifths of the solo circumnavigation of the world. It requires mariners to maintain their course on a downwind train while dealing with a series of disturbances driven by powerful northwesterly winds, passing squall fronts and wind chill shifts, without being absorbed by anticyclonic conditions. A heterogeneous situation that places great demands on both sailors and flying multihulls.
Finally, the passage of the legendary Cape Horn marks the return to Brest, with some 8,000 miles to travel to reach the port of arrival. Before that, the sailors will have to face the height of Saint Helena, the stormy lows of Brazil, the Doldrums, the trade winds of the northern hemisphere and the possible lows of the Atlantic, which will require an extreme concentration of the sailors until cross the long-awaited finish line at the port of Brest.
Five Ultim 32/23 are registered so far: “Actual” (patron Yves Le Blevec), “Banque Populaire XI” (patron Armel Le Cléac’h), “Maxi Edmond de Rothschild” (patron Charles Caudrelier), “Sodebo Ultim 3 » (skipper Thomas Coville) and «SVR-Lazartigue» (skipper François Gabart, holds a solo round-the-world record in 42 days 16h 40m 35s); and there is a possible sixth participant «Brest Ultim Sailing» (skipper?) but little else is known.
This solo round-the-world race called “ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE – Brest” will undoubtedly be a major regatta, unique in its kind and that will highlight the values shared by the sailors, the organizer and the sponsors: emotion, determination and humility. .
Arkéa engages with local promoters and the real economy to support events in the heart of their territories. Therefore, it was important to support the launch of a new major sporting event through this partnership, which promises to put Brest and the entire region in the spotlight. Arkéa wants to be a builder of links and it was obvious that the Group, with strong regional roots, would be at the side of the city of Brest, the Brittany Region and the Department of Finistère, which are important partners and support the Group.
Julien Carmona, President of Crédit Mutuel Arkéa: “Arkéa supports sporting events that fit its human and cooperative values and its taste for innovation. The group’s past and future are closely linked to Brest and its city. It was therefore natural for Arkéa to join forces with the local players to support the launch of a new Ultim class regatta in Brest We also intend to increase our support for the maritime economy as it transitions to the challenges of today and tomorrow Arkéa’s new partnership with OC Sport Pen Duick is , therefore, an integral part of this commitment”.
Loïg Chesnais-Girard, President of the Brittany Region: “Once again, Brittany will take part in creating a new page in the history of nautical racing by inaugurating the first round the world race in the Ultim class. It is always a pride to launch these new challenges and a privilege to witness them from the front row. The rivalry between these ultra-fast giants of the seas promises to be an exceptional spectacle and unprecedented competition, which will also highlight the technical feats made possible by this cutting-edge sector, which combines technological development and high-level sport.”
Patricia Brochard, Class President Ultim 32/23: “The Ultim 32/23 Class has been fueling this ambition for years to see its fantastic machines go around the planet, alone. This extraordinary project is now a reality. We are delighted because it has been a long road to get here. Territoires du Grand Ouest, titular partner from now on, and each one of us, together with the organizer OC Sport Pen Duick, can now only focus on one goal: your success. Everything is ready to achieve it.”
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