Ultime / Sodebo Ultim’ wins Transat Jacques Vabre in record time as Doldrums come alive

Having match raced each other down the Atlantic after leaving Le Havre last Sunday, Thomas Colville and Jean-Luc Nélias struck a blow for experience by holding off Sébastien Josse and Thomas Rouxel on their newly-launched Maxi Edmond de Rothschild to win the 13th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre.

Crédit : JM Liot (More pics, here)

Coville and Josse heading for record-breaking photo finish in Salvador de Bahia tomorrow

After 4,350 miles descending the Atlantic from Le Havre to Salvador de Bahia, the 13th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre could come down to a photo finish between the older warhorse, Sodebo Ultim’, and the young stallion, Maxi Edmond de Rothschild.

Crédit : JL Nelias

Ultim / One month until celebrations start of The Bridge

On Thursday a press conference was held in Paris to mark the launch of The Bridge, an event that commemorates the centenary of the first landing in France of American soldiers in June 1917.

crédit : Th Martinez

Jacques Vabre / François Gabart and Pascal Bidegorry, Kings in the Land of the Giants

When MACIF finished first in Match of the Giants, as the first Ultime to finish the Transat Jacques Vabre two handed Transatlantic race from Le Havre to Itajaí, Brasil, co-skipper Gabart completed ocean racing’s Triple Crown, adding the Transat Jacques Vabre title to Route du Rhum and Vendée Globe wins. He becomes only the second sailor after Michel Desjoyeaux to collect all three titles.

#RDR2014 / Loick Peyron Escapes, Thomas Coville Damaged

Damage affected three of the five classes over the first night of La Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe after strong winds struck.

Credit : A Courcoux [Pics] 

Thomas Coville (Ultime) was hit by a cargo ship, Loïc Fequet (Multi50) damaged a float and from Class40 François Angoulevant and Marc Lepesqueux both lost their keels. All the skippers are reported to be uninjured. In the strong winds and big seas Loick Peyron made good his escape on the giant Banque Populaire VII, making the break at Ushant.

#RDR2014 / March of the Giants!

In the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe the Ultimate class represents the battle of the giants, the extreme multihulls fight for supremacy. The Ultime class was created back in 2010 the giants return in 2014 for the historic tenth edition of the legendary solo Transatlantic from Saint Malo to Guadeloupe. Racing the Ultimes is one of the most pure human challenges in the race.

Credit : Th Martinez

Record / Cape of Good hope Astern

Powering through driving rain and 32 knots of SW’ly wind, Sodebo rounded the Cape of Good Hope this Tuesday at 1702 GMT after 17 days, 5 hours, 54 minutes and 32 seconds at sea. Thomas covered the 8,405 miles at an average speed of 20.31 knots and has now broken through into the Indian Ocean, a nasty, dreaded, liquid desert.

Crédit : Ch launay / Sodebo

Video / Thomas Coville presents his 105 feet Sodebo before the solo circumnavigation record attempt

Record / Off On The Grand Solo Circumnavigation (Video)

Thomas Coville, skipper of Sodebo, crossed the start line today, Saturday 29 January 2011, at 11h07’28’’ UTC. To beat Francis Joyon’s record, he will have to be back in Brest by 28 March at 0h40’34” UTC

credit : SeaCo

La Route du Rhum / First of the Ultime giant multi's due in Point-à-Pitre tomorrow (ITW)

The ultimate honours in the historic clash of the monster multis, the no-holds-barred Ultime class which has set an electric pace for this historic 2010 Route du Rhum-La Banque Postale, will go down to the final 400 miles with a subtle, tactical showdown in light breezes.

The first of the giants is expected to finish this ninth edition off Point-à-Pitre, in Guadeloupe Monday evening (French time, early afternoon local), but even with a lead of 193 miles and 475 miles to go (16hCET Sunday), Franck Cammas on Groupama 3, was seeking to bolster his defences as much as possible in the light conditions which had already seen the leader slow to 10 knots Sunday afternoon.

La Route du Rhum / Coville's on the comeback !

A long, industrious, testing 24 hours for both of the leading Ultime skippers in the 2010 Route du Rhum-La Banque Postale sees Thomas Coville start to come back at the so far completely dominant Groupama 3 of Franck Cammas. Coville has pushing as hard as he dares on the giant red tri Sodebo, reporting to today’s lunchtime radio vacation that he had been regularly making 33-34 knots, and has posted the highest 24 hours run yet of this edition of the race, making 519 miles as his northerly routing now sees him in stronger and more consistent wind than Cammas.

Credit : Ch Launay / Sodebo