After almost a month at sea, Charles Cauldlier and Franck Cammas sailed across the finish line to become the winners of the renowned 2019 Brest Atlantique.
On the morning of November 5th, the four trimarans set sail from Brest to compete for first place in the 14000 miles non-stop, figure-of-eight, double-handed race. The route takes competitors past Rio and Cape Town, and touches the waters of Antarctica in a test of skill, navigation, and endurance before returning to the historic harbor of Brest.
Ultim 32/23 Trimaran
The boats used to compete in the race are the gigantic and highly advanced Ultim 32/23 Trimaran. One of the fastest racing boats in the world, capable of reaching impressive top speeds. Measuring 32m by 23m, these state of the art multi-hulled sailing craft are fitted with expertly designed foils allowing the vessel to reach an awe-inspiring rate of knots and sail faster and higher over the ocean’s surface.
The four teams and boats competing in this years Brest Atlantique Race were:
- Charles Cauldier and Franck Cammas - Maxi Edmond de Rothschild
- Francois Gabart and Gwenole Gahinet - MACIF Trimaran
- Yves Le Blevec and Alex Pella - Actual Leader
- Thomas Coville and Jean-Luc Nelias - Sodebo Ultim 3
An Early Lead
Making the grand departure from Brest under 40 miles an hour wind gusts, heavy seas, and a previous day weather warning, the trimarans set off under rolled headsails and a reduced mainsail. Once crossing the 2.5-mile line, the fleet demonstrated their power and ramped up to speeds reaching 30 knots.
Trimaran MACIF was the first to make it over the line, but after 5 hours of racing, the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild took an early lead on the almost 5000 miles run down to the equator and Rio de Janeiro. Two days after managing the challenging start, the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild had gained a 25 mile lead over MACIF. Sodebo Ultima 3 and Actual Leader were 132 miles and 248 miles behind, respectively.
Damage in the Doldrums
In the early hours of the morning Trimaran MACIF reported impact with a UFO (Unidentified Floating Object) and damage to the central rudder. The event caused no impediment to MACIF, which continued to maintain speeds of over 35 knots, still chasing Maxi de Rothschild. Both boats would cross the Doldrums around the same time, and Maxi had experienced its own technical issue with a gennaker swivel affecting the sail furling system. Plans for the MACIF to stop in Rio to repair possible rudder damage were discussed by the shore team.
Concerns heightened for Sodebo Ultim 3 and Actual Leader who were at risk of encountering a storm zone crossing the area. Both boats needed to stay ahead of the bad weather, but race officials feared it would impact Actual Leader the most causing it to slow down substantially.
Maxi Edmond de Rothschild sailed out of the Doldrums with a 163 mile lead on MACIF in second place.
