After a first week in the race village devoted to the public and partners, Alexia Barrier has switched to race mode. Between mental rehearsals of manoeuvres aboard the Ultim IDEC SPORT-CIC and initial weather analysis, The Famous Project’s skipper is getting ready to clear her mind before the start of the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe on Sunday 1 November 2026.
Getting into her bubble
While crowds keep flocking to the Ultim pontoon, Alexia Barrier is already out on the water, standing on the trampoline of her maxi-trimaran. Like a skier before a giant slalom, she mentally replays every manoeuvre. After easing off at the start of the week, she will nonetheless wait a little longer before withdrawing into herself: “I think I’ll get into my bubble once the boat is at anchor, on Friday evening,” she explains.
Until then, the challenge will be to manage the energy spent between commitments and the enthusiasm of the public who have come to admire the maxi-trimaran. On race day, the emotional load will be high: she will need to stay focused and break down every move.
Ready to shake up the order
On 1 November, eight Ultims will line up at the start. The first and only woman entered in the class, Alexia Barrier approaches this solo transatlantic race with ambition: “I’m aiming for more than just reaching Guadeloupe. While staying focused and humble, I’m not setting myself any limits. On the Route du Rhum, anything is possible.”
Yet the skipper refuses any comparison with her rivals. Above all, she is happy to have brought back to Saint-Malo the Ultim IDEC SPORT-CIC, a three-time winner of the race, with Franck Cammas in 2010, Loïck Peyron in 2014 and Francis Joyon in 2018.
Mild conditions for the start
On Sunday, the multihulls are expected to set off in a light north-north-easterly wind, for a relatively comfortable first twenty-four hours. Things could get tougher after that. According to the direct route considered by Christian Dumard, her weather router, the Ultim IDEC SPORT-CIC should pass very close to the Azores before picking up the trade winds, which are still not well established. “The Atlantic will not be plain sailing,” he warns. These are demanding conditions that Alexia Barrier already faced during her qualification in September.
See you on 1 November
Late on Friday 30 October, a final lock passage will take the maxi-trimaran out to its mooring, ready for the start. On Sunday 1 November at 1:02 pm, Alexia Barrier will set off from Saint-Malo for 3,542 nautical miles to Pointe-à-Pitre, alone at the helm of the Ultim IDEC SPORT-CIC. She will be the first woman to compete in the Ultim class in the race, with the ambition of writing a new chapter in the history of this legendary boat.
