Challenge of the Ultim. The Banque Populaire XI of Armel Le Cléac'h wins in Lorient ahead of Sodebo Ultim
Armel Le Cléac'h and Kevin Escoffier won the Défi Azimut Ultim on Sunday in Lorient on their maxi foiler Banque Populaire XI. After 22 hours of racing on a large 490-mile Atlantic loop, they beat the Sodebo Ultim 3 of Thomas Coville and Thomas Rouxel. Actual Ultim 3, by Yves Le Blevec and Anthony Marchand finished third. François Gabart's new SVR-Lazartigue had abandoned due to damage.


Banque Populaire XI skippered by Armel Le Cléac'h and Kevin Escoffier won the Défi Azimut Ultim on Sunday morning ahead of Lorient by crossing the finish line of this race of 490 theoretical miles at 11:15 am. The maxi took 22 hours 7 minutes and 6 seconds to complete the theoretical 490 miles of the course which had led the foilers past Les Sables-d'Olonne then off the tip of Brittany.

Sodebo Utim 3 of Thomas Coville and Thomas Rouxel crossed that line a few minutes later, having managed to narrow his gap to 3.8 miles from the first on the line after counting Saturday night up to 18 miles behind.

The Actual Ultim 3 Yves Le Blevec and Anthony Marchand took the third place of this first live confrontation between the Atlantic Ultims who take the 7 November at Le Havre the start of the Transat Jacques Vabre.









Abandonment due to damage to the starboard foil cylinder

François Gabart associated with Tom Laperche on SVR - Lazartigue , the last born of the Ultims of the French fleet of maxi foilers, also took the start of this race on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Coureaux de Groix but had to turn back less than three hours later and then declare their abandonment following damage to the cylinder of their starboard foil.

DETAILS

The fifth of the XXL trimarans registered on the Jacques Vabre, the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild skippered by Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier, declined the invitation to participate in this first confrontation of the giant foilers.

Barring unforeseen events or unrepairable damage, these maxi trimarans should meet from next Wednesday off Port-la-Forêt for a series of joint training sessions within 6 weeks of the start of the Transat Jacques Vabre 202 in which they should participate 80 sailboats. A record of registrations for this race .


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