Gitana 18: Caudrelier "talented and humble like Michael Schumacher"

The unveiling of the new "Gitana 18" at the end of the week has generated a huge response in France and around the world. The 32-metre giant and successor to the "Gitana 17" is set to catapult sailing and record-breaking trips into a new dimension. Her designers - Guillaume Verdier and the Gitana design team - have been working on this for years. The future skipper Charles Caudrelier was also heavily involved in the 50,000 hours of research and 200,000 hours of construction.

Boat or spaceship: "Gitana 18" fascinates the sailing world

Charles Caudrelier: unstoppable to the top

Born in Paris, the 51-year-old has long been recognised as one of the greats in the sailing world, even if he is a man of quiet tones. Having started out as an officer in the merchant navy, Charles Caudrelier first attracted attention in 2004 with his victory in the Solitaire du Figaro. In 2009 and 2013, he shone with victories in the Transat Jacques Vabre. In 2011/2012, he won the Volvo Ocean Race, the most famous team race around the world, for the first time as watch leader on the French "Groupama 4".

In 2014/2015, Charles Caudrelier led his own Donfeng Race Team in the follow-up edition. They finished third, but Caudrelier did what he always does: come, learn, commit and move to the top. In 2017/2018, he skippered the Dongfeng Race Team to victory in his third Ocean Race.

In 2019, Charles Caudrelier joined the Gitana racing team as skipper and became the face of the first flying maxi-offshore trimaran "Maxi Edmond de Rothschild", also known as "Gitana 17". Born to establish and perfect long-distance foiling, Charles Caudrelier, co-skipper Franck Cammas and the Gitana racing team pushed ahead with the development of the trimaran designed by Guillaume Verdier. It was the first of its kind to fly entirely on foils. In February 2024, Charles Caudrelier won the first ultimate race around the world on "Gitanan 17". The sailing world took a bow. Plus a clip with goosebump potential.

President Emmanuel Macron proud of "Gitana 18"

Now "Gitana 17" has been given an even more potent successor in the form of "Gitana 18". The new "Maxi Edmond de Rothschild" not only fascinates the sailing world, but also inspires national and international dreams of full-time flights around the world and new records. Following its unveiling on 3 December, French President Emmanuel Macron described the "Made in France" sailing rocket as a "French achievement, carried out by exceptional engineers, sailors and craftsmen."

Emmanuel Macron noted in an Instagram message under the headline "In Lorient, France unveils the 'Gitana 18': the first fully flying maxi-trimaran" on the achievement of the Gitana racing team and all those involved: "Proud of our maritime sector. Proud of France, which innovates, creates and constantly pushes the boundaries."

This fitted in well with the pride of the Gitana team itself, which was electrifyingly evident throughout the team headquarters on Rue de Sous-Marin Venus in Lorient's offshore cradle La Base on the day of the unveiling of "Gitana 18" - the 28th boat in the French racing team's history. Ariane de Rothschild and her racing team have worked hard in the development and construction phases to present their new ambassador of French offshore sailing. Here you can see the ultimate Ultim in 3D animation.

Charles Caudrelier is an anchor, driver and thought leader

Her skipper - solo or with a team - will be Charles Caudrelier when "Gitana 18" takes to the water from January. Caudrelier was heavily involved in the evolutionary and sometimes revolutionary processes involved in the creation of the new "Maxi Edmond de Rothschild". "I love being closely involved," said Charles Caudrelier at the presentation in Lorient.

I haven't sailed for the last two years because I spent 99 per cent of my time working with the team." Charles Caudrelier

Charles Caudrelier continued: "Sometimes I just listened and observed. But the big difference between before (editor's note: this refers to the work with "Gitana 17") and now is that we now have a simulator. We have two boats and the simulator. We have spent hours and hours sailing this boat on the computer in particular. The designers have really changed a lot of the foiling design based on our feedback. It was very interesting and really changed the design."

It will be the first time I've sailed a new boat, but I've already spent endless hours on the computer." Charles Caudrelier

Caudrelier is hugely inspired by the possibility of flying across the seas. "This was unthinkable ten years ago," says the Ultim tamer. And this too: "For me, it's the perfect boat. With this boat, you can sail 30 knots upwind, even in rough seas. Most of the time it's pure pleasure." At the same time, Charles Caudrelier knows as well as his team that there is still a lot of hard work ahead of them, because such an extraordinary new build has "at least three years of further development and optimisation processes ahead of it" before a Jules Verne record attempt is possible, says Caudrelier.

Jules Verne record attempt with "Gitana 18" in sight

Caudrelier's hope: "I hope there are no unplanned surprises so that we can learn to sail the boat." Of course, the Jules Verne record is "one of the main goals for this boat", but he can hardly imagine making this attempt before 2029. In the meantime, the Jules Verne record for the fastest non-stop circumnavigation of the world by a crew under sail, set by Francis Joyon's Idec Sport in early 2017 at 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds, will soon be nine years old. It will need optimal weather conditions to beat the record.

It is possible to break the record. But that was also possible with 'Gitana 17'." Charles Caudrelier

Charles Caudrelier bows deeply to his team and says: "What we have done is truly incredible. We are only 25 people. It's not a big team compared to the America's Cup or Formula 1 when you consider the size of the boat and all the innovations. That's why I have huge respect for the team. I'm very proud of the team and what we've achieved. But at the moment, of course, we have no idea whether it will work. It's a huge challenge now for the sailors on the boat to push it to peak performance and its maximum potential."

"Gitana 18": 90 per cent of maximum potential in two years?

The team has set its sights on the Route du Rhum as its first regatta, starting on 1 November 2026. This is already "a challenge for this type of boat", Charles Caudrelier told YACHT in an in-depth interview in Lorient. In sailing, there is the America's Cup as Formula 1, but offshore there is nothing comparable to the "Gitana 18". The boat stands for "perfection" in the offshore sector. Technical Director Pierre Tissier assumes and hopes that "Gitana 18" will "perhaps reach 90 per cent of its potential in two years' time".

How does Charles Caudrelier see the relationship between himself as a solo sailor and the gigantic, 32-metre-long machine? "For me, solo sailing has always come naturally. I've never asked myself whether it's possible or not. Yes, it is possible! Sailing a boat like this is based on anticipation, on thinking about the next manoeuvre. Preparing the boat again and again and getting enough sleep. For me, it's the same as sailing a small boat."

Pierre Tissier describes Charles Caudrelier as an "old-school skipper who works like a new-generation skipper". This new generation of skippers are "really sporty types, engineers and sportsmen who like adventure". Tissier said: "Charles is old school, but he has it all in him. He's at the base every day, spending time with the design team and the technicians. He gives us everything he can. So that we understand better what it's like when he sails alone. He was involved in every design decision. He learnt with us during the studies and came to us with his ideas."

Charles Caudrlier is really part of the game." Pierre Tissier

Caudrelier himself remembers the first time he climbed onto an Ultim. Back then, the Ultim-Tri still seemed huge to him. But that changed: "You adapt to it." Charles Caudrelier's calm adaptability is one of his greatest strengths. In Lorient, racing stable owner Ariane de Rothschild bowed deeply to the abilities of the man who has dedicated himself wholeheartedly to the "Gitana 18" project. She said: "I think he is a super-talented sailor - and also a very modest person. You don't always find that quality in top athletes."

Ariane de Rothschild: Charles Caudrelier as modest as Michael Schumacher

But if you put yourself to the test and build a boat, even start from scratch and say: "Okay, let's start again from the beginning and rethink everything", you really have to be humble. "And above all," says Ariane de Rothschild, "your skipper has to be too, because his contribution is very, very valuable. He feels the boat. You can't just think it's a question of maths or numbers. He is the one who uses the boat."

Ariane de Rothschild compared Charles Caudrelier's skills with those of one of the world's most famous sportsmen and said: "If I had to make a comparison, I would think of Michael Schumacher, whom I got to know. It was his modesty that made him such a great racing driver. It's true that Ferrari had an incredible manager in Jean Todt, but Michael was an exceptional athlete because he always gave valuable feedback."

According to Ariane de Rothschild, she got to know Michael Schumacher as "an incredibly modest person" who "always contributed to the construction of the cars". "He was also an extremely curious person. Always thinking: 'How can I improve the little things to make the car much better? I think Charles has exactly that mindset."

The unveiling! "Gitana 18" on its course into the new age of full-time flight: