Armel LE CLEAC’H

Ultim skipper, on Maxi Banque Populaire XI, Lorient

“This race means a lot to me, the most beautiful of all transatlantic races. It helped shape my vocation, it made me experience highs and lows. I have only one goal: to do everything to win.”

Biography

The Route du Rhum holds a special place in Armel Le Cléac’h’s heart. As a child, he would wander the docks with his parents and follow the race religiously on the radio and in the newspapers. A seasoned skipper and winner of prestigious races (Solitaire du Figaro, Vendée Globe, Transat Jacques Vabre), Armel has achieved a podium finish (2nd in 2010) and a few disappointments. Nevertheless, the Breton sailor has never lost his fierce determination to win. In this quest, he can count on his boat, the Maxi Banque Populaire XI, which has been patiently made more reliable and optimized since its launch in 2021.

Record

• 2024, Finistère Atlantique, 1st
• 2024, Arkea Ultim Challenge Brest, 3rd
• 2023, Transat Jacques Vabre, 1st
• 2020, Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, 1st
• 2017, Vendée Globe, 1st
• 2016, Transat anglaise, 1st
• 2012, Vendée Globe, 2nd
• 2010, Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, 1st
• 2003, Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, 1st

Boat

Maxi Banque Populaire XI, VPLP, GSEA Design and Team Banque Populaire, CDK, 2021

In the same class

• Guirec SOUDÉE
• Alexia BARRIER
• Louis BURTON
• Tom LAPERCHE
• Anthony MARCHAND
• Charles CAUDRELIER
• Thomas COVILLE