Alexia Barrier becomes the first sailor to complete the Route du Rhum in Ultim

A big step in the history of ocean racing. Frenchwoman Alexia Barrier (IDEC Sport - CIC) became, on Wednesday November 11, the first woman to complete the Route du Rhum at the helm of an Ultim trimaran, a giant of the seas 32 m long by 23 wide, arriving in Guadeloupe after 10 days 7 hours 40 minutes at sea. "Twenty minutes before crossing the line, I was crying. I realized what I had just accomplished: becoming the first woman in the story of participating in this race on this type of boat is just incredible,” said Barrier happily and serenely upon her arrival.

The 46-year-old sailor crossed the line in Pointe-à-Pitre at 3:42 p.m. local time, or 8:42 p.m. in Paris, in 5th and last position in the premier category of the famous solo transatlantic race. “To be honest, I was in pain, it was difficult, I notably tore my mainsail three days ago. But I held on and I savored every minute of this crossing,” she added.

Fourth woman to finish the multihull race

An experienced sailor, Barrier had already established on board this boat the reference time around the world with an all-female crew (57 days 21 hours and 20 minutes) in January. It was his first solo transatlantic crossing. She becomes the fourth woman to finish the multihull race after Florence Arthaud, overall winner in 1990, Karine Fauconnier, Servane Escoffier and Anne Caseneuve.