French skipper Armel Le Cléac’h believes Sunday’s Route du Rhum could produce one of the fastest Atlantic crossings in the race’s history, with weather routing suggesting the Ultim multihulls may approach the record of six days, 19 hours, 47 minutes and 25 seconds, set by Charles Caudrelier in 2022.
The 2026 Route du Rhum starts from Saint-Malo on Sunday, 1 November, at 13:02 local time, with Le Cléac’h racing the giant trimaran Maxi Banque Populaire XI towards Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe.
After arriving in Saint-Malo and completing final preparations, including an extensive optimisation programme by Team Banque Populaire, the French skipper says boat and shore-team preparations are progressing as planned.
“I feel I’m exactly where I wanted to be in terms of preparation,” Le Cléac’h said, adding that staying focused and conserving energy are essential ahead of an exceptionally intense solo race.
Favourable Conditions for Sunday’s Start
The forecast points to relatively benign conditions off Saint-Malo, with north-easterly winds expected to range between 10 and 15 knots.
Although lighter winds could make sustained foiling harder, Le Cléac’h believes the upper end of that range would let Maxi Banque Populaire XI reach impressive speeds immediately after the start. “At 15 knots, we know we can be very fast,” he said.
Full Flight – Maxi Banque Populaire XI demonstrates its foiling performance at sea, with Le Cléac’h hoping favourable north-easterly winds at the Route du Rhum start will help propel the giant trimaran towards a potential record-breaking passage. Photo: Martin Keruzoré
The trimaran is scheduled to leave Saint-Malo’s docks on Friday evening, pass through the locks, and anchor off Dinard, where two members of the shore team will remain aboard.
Le Cléac’h will attend Saturday’s weather briefing and continue consultations with his routing team, comprising Marcel Van Triest, Sébastien Josse and Nicolas Lunven. He will rejoin the trimaran early on Sunday, when six people will be aboard for final sail selection and configuration before the solo start.
A More Direct Atlantic Route
The most significant development concerns the expected route across the Atlantic. Rather than following the traditional southerly course towards Portugal and the Canary Islands, Le Cléac’h expects the eight-strong Ultim fleet to take a more direct route towards Guadeloupe.
After rounding Cap Fréhel, the fleet should make rapid progress out of the English Channel, initially sailing downwind before beginning the main Atlantic crossing.
Weather Watch – Armel Le Cléac’h studies routing and navigation data aboard Maxi Banque Populaire XI, with his shore-based weather team forecasting a fast, more direct Atlantic crossing in Sunday's Route du Rhum. Photo: Robin Christol
Current routing projections favour a course closer to the shortest navigable route across the ocean.
“The first part of the course looks very fast,” Le Cléac’h explained. “After that, the trade winds are not yet properly established, so that could slow us down.”
Nevertheless, the projections suggest a potentially exceptional passage.
“The routing shows that we could get close to the crossing record of six days and 19 hours. Overall, it’s going to be a very fast race!”
For Le Cléac’h, the remaining challenge is to translate months of preparation and technical development into performance at sea, where changing conditions, sail choices and the ability to sustain high speeds will determine the outcome.
