Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier, who respectively skippered yachts to victory in the 2011-12 and 2017-18 editions of Volvo Ocean Race, return once again as co-skippers of Maxi Edmond de Rothschild to defend their title. Their strength is a highly experienced team and the amount of time they have spent developing and learning the intricacies of their Ultime.
“The focus is on the foils and the rudders, but also on the windage,” says Caudrelier. “The improvements we have made in the last two years have been huge. We need big appendages in order to fly early [typically in 14 knots of wind/28 knots boat speed], but then when you fly fast at 40-45 you have problems with cavitation – it’s complicated but we have spent hours and hours working on that and I think the result will be quite good.”
In only a little more wind and Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is capable of cranking out 30-40 knot average speeds, the slower end of which would allow her to be comfortably berthed in Cherbourg within 24 hours of starting the Rolex Fastnet Race.
The biggest threat aside from Le Blevec’s Actual Leader, are the two new Ultimes launching this year. Freshly out of the shed, Armel le Cleac’h’s brand new Banque Populaire XI Ultime is currently entered in the Rolex Fastnet Race, but will only participate if it fits in their work-up schedule. Meanwhile, incredibly, considering these craft can cost upward of 10 million Euros, a second Ultime is due for launch in the next weeks for Francois Gabart. Gabart is currently looking to secure a sponsor for his new campaign but he is one of the most gifted of French sailors, already with a formidable CV for his 38 years.
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© Yann Riou / polaRYSE / Gitana SA
/ Isegoria
