This is the premier class, the one that makes ocean racing fans dream. For this 2026 edition of the Route du Rhum, the Ultim category brings together eight giants of the seas, these flying boats breaking speed records. A figure which equals that of the 2022 edition. Often perceived as elitist, this class, which participated in its first Route du Rhum in 2018, is gradually opening up.
“All the Ultims that exist and could sail are present, it’s great,” enthuses Armel Le Cleac’h, who will take the start aboard his Ultim Maxi Banque Populaire class."
After establishing the first reference time for a 100% female crew in the Jules Vernes Trophy this winter, Alexia Barrier (Idec sport), launched a new challenge by joining the Ultim class, with the aim of "composing herself against the other skippers in this premier category, and continuing to learn throughout the races". “It’s a chance and a source of pride to be able to be aboard an Ultim on this Route du Rhum,” she confides. “There is also the symbol of being the first woman in this class. I’m always a little disappointed that there hasn’t been one before me, but it’s great if I can open the way and make all those who have the impression of not being cut out for the sport want to take the plunge.”
Several reasons explain this expansion of the Ultim class. “The boats are more reliable today, which makes skippers and partners want to enter this class, which offers a lot of possibilities, in terms of races or records for example,” analyzes Armel Le Cleac'h, who will try to win the Route du Rhum, the only race still missing from his major list of achievements.
Boats that are certainly more reliable, but also more numerous, which make it possible to create a second-hand market. "There is a dynamic around these boats, with the construction of new projects to remain competitive, which makes it possible to give much cheaper opportunities to sailors who want to get into the class, who have less money or less experience", confirms Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild), title holder on "le Rhum" in Ultim.
Over the years, the Ultim circuit has also been organized. From now on, they have a sporting calendar structured around two major events like the Imoca, the Route du Rhum and the Arkea Ultimate Challenge. “The first is the biggest ocean race in the world with the Vendée Globe, very exposed in the media, and in which they are the queen class since it is these boats which win by scratch, explains Joseph Bizard, general director of the OC Sport group, organizer of the Route du Rhum.
“The second, the newborn, the Arkea Ultimate Challenge, is a solo round-the-world trip which takes place every four years, which brings together between six and eight skippers. They thus have an extremely high media pie, which allows them to have sufficient impact to justify the investment.
The first edition, won by Charles Caudrelier, "did not have the success of the Vendée Globe, but still made an impression, believes the winner of the last two big Ultim races. Solo world tours are always a dream, and this therefore allows us to sell projects." Beyond the races, these giants of the seas can also set out to conquer records, such as the Jules-Verne trophy, which again gives great media exposure. "It's an exciting circuit which can make skippers who have done five or ten years in Imoca want to change their boat", estimates Armel Tripon (Les Petits Doudous), who sees in this densification, a increased sporting interest in this class.
“Room to accommodate more Ultim”
What could we dream of even bigger for this class? "We have announced the construction of a new boat with Banque Populaire. There is also an American project which is underway. If we start to dream, in the near future, other boats could join us and create great emulation", projects Armel Le Cleac'h. “There is plenty of room to accommodate more Ultims,” says Joseph Bizard of the OC Sport group. “We can completely balance things, so that classes that have a strong dynamic find their place.”
However, the trajectory is not exponential, according to skipper Alexia Barrier. "We shouldn't expect to have 20 Ultims in the next ten years," she says. Budgetarily and with the current economic context, it's not possible. We're talking about budgets of tens of millions of euros per year, which remains quite exclusive. I don't see them following a growth like that experienced by the Imoca class in recent years."
High budgets, even for second-hand items. “If we want to claim to be ahead, we still need a substantial team of more than 15 people,” says Armel Tripon, skipper of the Imoca, Les Petits Doudous. The Ultims are big machines, with investments and operating budgets a notch above the Imoca, and consequently, we are not addressing quite the same type of company.”
For the skipper of the Ultim Idec sport, there is also the question of the skills to master to maneuver these giants of the seas. Because taking the helm of an Ultim is "a fairly high step to take. It's a big challenge, which must be approached with a lot of humility. And I don't think it's accessible to every sailor, because the multihull is really a particular medium, very fast but also dangerous." The idea of a closed circle surrounding the Ultims is well over, it now remains to be seen how far this class will extend.
