A lot to do: Sports Director Sébastien Josse, Skipper Armel Le Cléac'h, Team Director Erwan Steff. | Photo: Pierre Bouras / BPCE
Banque Populaire announces the construction of a new Ultim trimaran. Armel Le Cléac'h will sail the 32 metre long and 23 metre wide maxi trimaran
One year after confirming its commitment to sailing until 2029, Banque Populaire announces the construction of a new trimaran. The maxi multihull "Banque Populaire 15" belongs to the Ultim class - the largest and fastest high-performance trimarans in offshore sailing. The class was recently expanded with the new "Gitana 18" of the Rothschild racing team.
The Banque Populaire team's design office is putting together a design group consisting of Antoine Koch, Gsea Design and the designers from Finot Conq. This is the first time that Antoine Koch - known for his high-performance monohulls - has been fully involved in the design and construction of an Ultim. Koch is also working on the Imoca "Banque Populaire 14", which will be launched next year, as well as Boris Herrmann's new "Malizia" and the new boat for Thomas Ruyant. The teams are building three sister ships.
As with the previous boats, the CDK Technologies shipyard in Lorient is responsible for the construction of the maxi-trimaran. Construction is scheduled to take 28 months until launch in the first half of 2029.
Racing and record attempts
The new trimaran is set to compete in prestigious regattas. Team Banque Populaire is targeting victories in the Route du Rhum 2030 and the Arkea Ultim Challenge 2032. The trimaran will also be used for record attempts, including the Trophée Jules Verne - the crew circumnavigation.
With this project, Banque Populaire wants to expand the team, which has set 18 records in 37 years of involvement in sailing and has won over 20 major ocean regattas. "We want to have a competitive boat for the Route du Rhum 2030 and fight for victory," explains Armel Le Cléac'h, who won the Vendée Globe in 2017 on a Banque Populaire ahead of Alex Thomson. The team wants to draw on its many years of experience and continue to tighten all the screws for innovation and performance.
Banque Populaire supports the Sailing Valley
The construction of the maxi-trimaran is mobilising around 150 companies, most of them in the so-called Sailing Valley in Brittany. According to the main sponsor, the project goes beyond the sporting framework and involves a network of craftsmen, self-employed people and small and medium-sized enterprises who are contributing their expertise to the realisation.
Pierre-Laurent Berne, Technical Director of Banques Populaires: "This is a human, technical, technological and economic adventure with a strong collective dimension," he says. With this project, Banque Populaire is reaffirming its support for French companies.
A bank as boat owner
Banque Populaire acts not only as a sponsor, but also as the owner of each of its boats. This model is rare in ocean sailing and demonstrates a special commitment to a sport in which the vagaries of weather and technology are numerous. The bank celebrates 40 years of involvement in sailing in 2029.
It currently has two boats for important upcoming regattas: the "Banque Populaire XI" with Armel Le Cléac'h for the Route du Rhum and a Figaro for the Solitaire du Figaro with Loïs Berrehar. At the same time, the Imoca 14 is under construction and is due to be launched at the beginning of next year - with a view to the Vendée Globe 2028.
Technical alignment
The design office is aiming for a versatile trimaran and wants to improve performance on certain courses, especially downwind. Sébastien Josse, Sports Director of Team Banque Populaire, explains: "A lot of water has flowed under the foils since the first Ultim. We now know that these boats can fly for a long time and circumnavigate the world."
The team wants to build on the experience gained over the past few years. The aim is to do everything possible to ensure that the boat performs at the Route du Rhum 2030. Maël Devoldere, head of the design office, describes the opportunity to design the Ultim of tomorrow as incredible. With the first Ultim generation, it was a leap into the unknown - now there are far more certainties about flying.
The team is looking for solutions to gain an edge, win races and break records. The design office is focusing on an early flight phase and optimising the boat especially for rough courses with lots of waves. "We are very happy to be working with Antoine Koch, who represents the generation of architects of tomorrow," says Devoldere. Together with everyone involved, the aim is to find the best solutions in order to be even more efficient.
The maxi-trimaran will incorporate the latest advances in materials, on-board systems and technology. Banque Populaire wants to document its claim to permanent innovation with the new building.
Experience in building and operating racers
The Maxi Banque Populaire 15 is the ninth boat built by the Banque Populaire team and the seventh trimaran. It is the 14th boat to sail under the Banque Populaire colours. The study and construction phase lasted 40 months.
The project has matured over the years in discussions with the managers and is the result of collective reflection and constant dialogue, which gave rise to the idea. "We will draw on our years of experience, especially with Banque Populaire XI," says the skipper.
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Fridtjof Gunkel
Deputy Chief Editor YACHT
