Lucky to be alive and uninjured

Among the prominent entrants in the 2026 Route du Rhum solo transatlantic race was Armel Le Cléac’h (FRA) in the 100-foot Ultim Class as skipper of Maxi Banque Populaire XI. However, the seasoned skipper and past winner of the Vendée Globe capsized two days into the race, 550 miles northwest of the Azores.

Launched in 2021, recovering the boat will be difficult. With the capsize far from any port, and an inverted 32-meter foiler being difficult to tow and vulnerable to further damage, there may not be a plan. As for Le Cléac’h, he shares the experience:

How did the capsize happen?
Before the accident, everything was going well on board. I think we’d had a good start to the race—the boat, the weather team, and I were right in the mix, neck and neck with SVR-Lazartigue and Tom (Laperche). I was about to navigate through a patch of stronger wind, accompanied by a wind shift. I was preparing to tack, knowing we needed to get ready for a weather front. I had already reduced the sail area. – Full report

Source: https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2026/11/12/lucky-to-be-alive-and-uninjured/