Ultim : les dernières infos Tip & Shaft

Second last weekend in the 24h Ultim finishing just 3 minutes behind Banque Populaire, Charles Caudrelier now heads to the Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie-Le Havre, with his co skipper Erwan Israel, then to the Arkea Ultim Challenge-Brest, a unique new solo Ultim race around the world which will start on January 7. He spoke to Tip & Shaft.

Last Wednesday the SVR-Lazartigue team held a press briefing at the Maison de la Bretagne in Paris to announce that, in early 2024, it will be the young Tom Laperche who will compete in the Arkea Ultim Challenge-Brest as François Gabart chooses to focus on double handed and crewed sailing with the boat. And at the same time they talked of integration back into the Ultim 32/23 class, as we announced two weeks ago.

The General Assembly (AGM) of the Ultim 32/23 class took place on Friday in Paris. There the class announced the inclusion now of the SVR Lazartigue team which has finally agreed to modify François Gabart’s trimaran to comply with the rule. A four-year calendar has also been unveiled which includes the return of the Transat Jacques Vabre this year, upsetting the Imoca class. Tip & Shaft tells you more.

At one year before the start of the Arkea Ultim Challenge-Brest which will start on January 7, 2024, the Ultim class has appointed a new general secretary, Stéphane Guilbaud. It is a good chance for Tip & Shaft to take stock of the priority issues awaiting the latter. 

After the 2022 season which ended with third place in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe in the Ultim class, Thomas Coville has been back on the water during this first week of the year. The crew of Sodebo Ultim 3 is now ready to take on the Route of Discovery record between Cadiz and San Salvador (Bahamas). The record of 6 days 14 hours and 29 minutes has been held since 2013 by Spindrift 2. Tip & Shaft spoke with Coville.

After an impressive 2022 season on the Figaro Beneteau circuit which was marked by four victories from four solo races, including winning the pinnacle Solitaire du Figaro and the title of French Elite offshore racing champion, Tom Laperche is preparing to compete on The Ocean Race with the crew of Holcim PRB before he then continues the 2023 season on François Gabart’s Ultim SVR Lazartigue. That is quite the programme for a 25-year-old sailor who talks to Tip & Shaft.