Wednesday 11 November 2026, Pointe-à-Pitre. First woman in the overall rankings of the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe after 10 days and 7 hours of racing, Alexia Barrier makes sailing history: she becomes the first woman to complete a solo transatlantic at the helm of a maxi-trimaran from the premier class, the Ultims.
The tears of joy came twenty minutes before the finish line. Once she had crossed it, at 3:42 pm local time, Alexia celebrated at the bow of the Ultim IDEC SPORT-CIC, flares in hand, as she approached a pontoon where a large crowd had gathered to cheer her in.
A major page in offshore racing history:
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet.” And yet Alexia Barrier has just written a major page in offshore racing history, after 10 days, 7 hours, 40 minutes and 13 seconds of solo sailing. Fifth in the Ultim rankings, she crowns months of work begun with her all-female round-the-world voyage with The Famous Project: “Solo and crewed sailing are really not the same thing. I wasn’t prepared for such an intense pace, it was completely crazy.”
On an Atlantic crossing like no other, which saw three leading figures of the class forced to retire, the skipper managed to tame the power of her maxi-trimaran all the way to the finish line.
“I’m 400% proud of my team”:
This Route du Rhum will go down as one of the most complex ever in tactical terms. “I’ve done several transatlantics, it’s a bit like crossing the street. This one was more like crossing it in the middle of a protest march!” Alexia smiles. An analysis shared by Clément Surtel, technical director of The Famous Project: “Far from the royal trade-wind route, it was more like an English transat profile, with tricky strategic choices when it came to the fronts.”
Between the northern route and low-pressure systems, the start of the race was demanding: “No sleep, hallucinations in the first few days, then the fronts where nobody got any respite.” On 8 November, with the maxi-trimaran still at full potential, the mainsail tore under the impact of a very heavy sea. A major setback, overcome before facing the opposite challenge on leaving the tropical depression: “Light airs are no rest, you have to keep trimming all the time.”
Despite exhaustion, doubts and fear, Alexia is savouring the moment: “I feel so privileged. I’m proud of myself, I’m 400% proud of my team.” A formative experience during which she got the measure of the manoeuvres and built her automatic reflexes. “She handled it extremely well,” says Clément Surtel.
True to her environmental commitments, Alexia also used the crossing to deploy an ARGO float, a chance “to involve the Ultim class more closely in oceanographic research”.
Patrice Lafargue, Chairman of IDEC SPORT:
“Alexia has shown exceptional strength of character, unwavering determination and a remarkable ability to see her commitment through, despite the difficulties encountered at sea. She fully embodies the values we hold dear: daring, perseverance, courage and the will to push the limits. We are proud to have supported her in this adventure and to see the IDEC SPORT boat cross the finish line once again by her side. I warmly congratulate her and her whole team on their achievement.”
Daniel Baal, Chairman of CIC:
“A second challenge met for Alexia Barrier aboard her trimaran IDEC SPORT – CIC. This race will go down in offshore racing history for its toughness, its twists and turns and its incredible human adventures. Alexia has completed her odyssey across the Atlantic and becomes the first woman racing an Ultim to reach Pointe-à-Pitre. We are proud of her, and all CIC employees join me in thanking her for taking on this challenge with such panache.”
Eric Pasquier, Vice-President of Sopra Steria:
“The Route du Rhum is an exceptionally demanding race that only a handful of sailors dare to tackle solo in an Ultim. With gruelling weather and a torn mainsail, Alexia has once again shown a resilience that commands the admiration of everyone at Sopra Steria. As the first woman to cross the finish line in an Ultim, she is paving the way for generations to come. Congratulations to her and her whole team: great adventures are always collective.”
Her race in figures:
- Race time: 10 d 7 h 40 min 13 s, two days faster than the women’s best time, held by Justine Mettraux since 2022
- Finish: 3:42:13 pm in Pointe-à-Pitre (8:42:13 pm in Paris)
- Distance sailed: 4,112.27 miles
- Average speed: 14.25 knots on the great-circle route, 16.60 knots actual
The whole IDEC SPORT team congratulates Alexia and everyone at The Famous Project. Well done!
Relive the race on the Route du Rhum 2026 race tracker.
