GITANA TEAM WINS INAUGURAL ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE
FIRST TO FINISH IN FIRST-EVER NON-STOP SOLO ULTIM RACE
The Gitana Team Skipper, Charles Caudrelier, crossed the finish line off the coast of Brest, France, on February 27th, to win the ARKEA Ultim Challenge. The ARKEA Ultim Challenge is the first-ever solo multihull race around the world and was sailed in 32m Ultim Trimarans – true Giants of the Sea.
Caudrelier piloted the Gitana Team Ultim – the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild – single-handedly around the world in just 50 days, 19 hours, 07 minutes, and 42 seconds. Two-time Volvo Ocean Race winner, Caudrelier, put on a commanding performance and was unchallenged for the lead since January 17, following an engaging duel with Tom La Perche onboard SVR-Lazartigue.
During the race, Caudrelier set a new speed record while crossing the Indian Ocean before needing to rein in the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild to ensure the safe completion of the 24,260 nautical mile course. Caudrelier and the Gitana Team took an intelligent approach to the circumnavigation and held back to avoid a punishing storm at Cape Horn and then again in the Azores to avoid Storm Louis, ensuring they secured the race win. Despite holding back twice, Caudrelier still finished the race over 1000 nautical miles ahead of his nearest competitor.
The Gitana Team's dominance has been in the making for over ten years. Starting in 2011 with a MOD70 and then launching the groundbreaking Maxi Edmond de Rothschild in 2017. Since then, Caudrelier has chalked up an impressive victory list, taking line honors in Brest Atlantique (2019), Rolex Fastnet Race (2019 and 2021), Transat Jacques Vabre (2021), Finistère Atlantique (2022), and Route du Rhum (2022).
North Sails offers our congratulations to all at the Gitana Team and to Charles Caudrelier, who, with this win, cements himself as one of the all-time greats of Offshore Racing. We’re proud that you chose North Sails to power your engine above the deck and North Sails Performance Clothing to ensure your skipper stayed in peak physical condition.
