Single handed foiling Tris in a close around the world race-Arkea Ultimate Challenge.
arkeaultimchallengebrest.com/en
Why isn't this being discussed? It seems to me to be one of the most interesting top end race formats around. While watching Comanche up close a few years ago was awe inspiring, seeing the MOD70s and now these Ultimate tris on the water is the next level.
The French are ballistic with their appetite for fast multi racing.
Back in the early 2000s I was hanging around Newcastle and saw a 105ft Sodebo getting put together by its shore crew. It had been built by Boatspeed down in Somersby but I was blown away by the shore team getting the boat from bare shell to sailing machine in about two weeks or so, like ants swarming all over it. I got to interview Tomas Coville for an Australian multi mag and have a look around.
Interestingly, I also talked to Nigel Irens about it. He said that the rig was not too much bigger than the rigs on the ORMA 60s or MOD 70s. They were at about the ultimate size one person could handle, but they used the extra length to make the boat much safer. However that was an earlier iteration on the ULTIME class. Now if you look at them they are getting wider, with more power and probably higher loads.
So because he is the only guy I have ever met, I always hope Tomas will go well, but he has hasn't won for a while now.
cheers
Phil
Phil,
That would have been a great experience especially talking with Nigel Irens.
