Après avoir établi le premier record autour du monde en équipage 100 % féminin sur le Trophée Jules Verne, Alexia Barrier poursuit son ambition en prenant le départ de la Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe 2026 à la barre du mythique IDEC SPORT - CIC. Première femme engagée dans la catégorie ULTIM, elle ouvre une nouvelle page de l'histoire de la discipline

Le 1ᵉʳ novembre prochain, Alexia Barrier s’alignera au départ de Saint-Malo, destination Point-à-Pitre, pour une Route du Rhum en solitaire dans la catégorie phare des ULTIM. Cette nouvelle étape confirme une ambition née avec The Famous Project : repousser les limites de la performance et ouvrir de nouveaux horizons dans la course au large.

À jamais la première sur un bateau de légende

Aux côtés des meilleurs marins du monde et dans la classe la plus exigeante de la voile de compétition, prendre seule les commandes d'IDEC SPORT - CIC est un défi. Alexia Barrier devra maîtriser un trimaran de 32 mètres capable de dépasser les 40 nœuds de vitesse. Une responsabilité immense qui exige une parfaite maîtrise technique, physique et mentale sur un maxi-trimaran devenu une légende de la Route du Rhum en franchissant victorieusement la ligne d’arrivée à trois reprises*. En devenant la première femme à naviguer en solitaire sur ce géant des mers, Alexia Barrier s'inscrit dans la lignée des plus grandes navigatrices et écrit une page inédite de la classe ULTIM.

* En 2018 avec Francis Joyon, en 2014 avec Loïck Peyron (Banque Populaire VII) et en 2010 avec Franck Cammas (Groupama 3).

De Saint-Malo à 2028

Cette Route du Rhum 2026 n'est pas une parenthèse, mais le nouveau chapitre d'une histoire qui s’écrit jusqu’en 2028. Ce programme, basé à Brest, pensé et structuré sur trois ans, va installer Alexia Barrier et son IDEC SPORT - CIC durablement dans la classe ULTIM. Après cette première confrontation en solitaire à l’automne, la navigatrice s’attaquera à une campagne de record et de grandes courses océaniques avant de s’aligner au départ de l'Arkéa ULTIM Challenge en 2028, puis de repartir à l’assaut du Trophée Jules Verne avec son propre record dans le viseur.

Engagés depuis le premier mille

Si la performance sur l’eau est en solitaire, l'aventure est avant tout le fruit d'une formidable dynamique collective et d’une fidélité sans faille qui dépasse le cadre sportif. IDEC SPORT, le CIC et SOPRA STERIA accompagnent The Famous Project depuis ses débuts, non pas par habitude mais par conviction partagée : une vision entrepreneuriale où la performance, l’innovation et la prise de risque sont des sources d’inspiration et autant de leviers de transformation pour leurs propres organisations. Un engagement qui s'inscrit dans la durée à l’image d’Alexia Barrier.

Dans son sillage, la navigatrice continue d'embarquer la jeune génération à travers son association 4myplanet. Elle leur transmet ce qu'elle sait depuis longtemps : l'océan est l'un des biens les plus précieux à protéger.

Après avoir écrit une première page de l'histoire des ULTIM avec un équipage 100 % féminin autour du monde, Alexia Barrier poursuit naturellement son chemin : continuer à naviguer parmi les meilleurs, sur les bateaux les plus rapides du monde.

"Monter seule à bord d'IDEC SPORT - CIC, c'est accepter de sortir de sa zone de confort à chaque instant. C'est exactement ce qui me motive. Je ne viens pas seulement participer à la Route du Rhum, je viens apprendre, progresser et écrire une nouvelle page de mon histoire de navigatrice.", Alexia Barrier

« Alexia Barrier incarne tout ce qui nous anime chez IDEC SPORT : l'audace, l'exigence et la volonté de repousser les frontières du possible. La voir prendre seule les commandes d'IDEC SPORT - CIC sur la Route du Rhum est un moment fort, à la fois pour elle et pour nous. Ce trimaran est une légende vivante de la course au large, et Alexia en devient la première femme à naviguer en solitaire. C'est une fierté immense. Notre engagement à ses côtés depuis le premier jour ne doit rien au hasard : cette façon d'aller chercher ce que personne n'a encore osé faire, c'est exactement l'état d'esprit qui guide nos propres ambitions. Nous lui faisons totalement confiance pour relever ce nouveau défi »

Patrice Lafargue, Président du Groupe IDEC

« Alexia Barrier ne relève pas simplement des défis sportifs, elle fait bouger les lignes de son sport et, en véritable cheffe d’entreprise, elle structure, planifie et déroule son plan de route. C’est ce caractère et cette volonté entrepreneuriale que nous avons choisi d’accompagner une nouvelle fois à travers son engagement en solitaire, sur la Route du Rhum. Le challenge est grand, comme l’était celui d’un Tour du Monde avec un équipage 100% féminin. Mais une fois de plus, Alexia sait qu’elle pourra compter sur le support du CIC, de ses équipes et de tous ceux qui n’hésitent pas à se mobiliser pour rendre possible … ce qui n’a pas encore été réalisé ! Alexia sera la première à naviguer en solitaire sur ce maxi-trimaran IDEC Sport – CIC et nous sommes de tout cœur à ses côtés. »

Daniel Baal, Président du CIC

« Alexia ne se contente pas de prendre le départ d’une course mythique : elle ouvre la voie. Seule femme engagée en Ultim sur la Route du Rhum, elle démontre que ce sont les actes, et non les intentions , qui font évoluer les standards. Par son engagement, elle bouscule les codes et contribue à faire avancer toute une discipline.
C’est cette même exigence et cette capacité à repousser les limites qui rapprochent Sopra Steria et Alexia Barrier depuis plus d’un an. À ses côtés, nous mettons la technologie au service de sa performance et de sa sécurité, avec une conviction claire : l’innovation prend tout son sens lorsqu’elle renforce l’humain.
Nous sommes fiers de l’accompagner dans cette nouvelle aventure et admiratifs de son engagement qui dépasse largement le cadre sportif. »

Eric Pasquier, vice-président du conseil d’administration SOPRA STERIA

When they crossed the starting line of the Jules Verne Trophy near Ushant on November 28, the sailors of The Famous Project CIC Alexia Barrier, Dee Caffari, Annemieke Bes, Rebecca Gmür Hornell, Deborah Blair, Molly LaPointe, Támara Echegoyen, and Stacey Jackson, aware of the colossal scale of the record set in 2017 with the same IDEC Sport maxi trimaran by Francis Joyon and his crew, 40 days and 23
hours, were above all eager to make history in women's sports and sailing by becoming the first exclusively female crew to complete this non-stop circumnavigation. Today, they have achieved their goal, after 57 days, 21 hours, and 20 minutes of adventure, punctuated by countless race events and unpredictable pitfalls inherent in this immense journey across the vastness of the ocean. Where, 27 years ago, British sailor Tracy Edwards and her 10-strong female crew, pioneers in the field, failed off the coast of New Zealand, Alexia and her girls triumphed over all the difficulties thrown in their path, including damage and winter storms that tested their resilience and determination right up to the very last mile.

The Atlantic as a warm-up
“The watchword: don't break anything!” As soon as she crossed the starting line of her round-the-world race, Alexia announced her intention to sail cautiously and rationally, giving her highly international crew (seven nationalities) the opportunity to find their rhythm and put into practice, this time in a race, the thousand and one maneuvers they had repeated in training. In strong northwesterly winds and rough seas, it was difficult to find the right balance without risking the dreaded breakage that has caused so many abandonments in the long history of the Jules Verne Trophy. Abandonment is a word that is forbidden aboard the Maxi Trimaran IDEC SPORT, which emerged unscathed from the first difficulties of its journey. Repeated gybes in the Portuguese trade winds and a successful transition to the north-easterly winds, which were particularly irregular this year and dotted with wind holes, allowed the sailors to settle calmly and seriously into their routine, punctuated by the watch schedules that would become their daily life for the next eight weeks. On December 7, Alexia and her girls crossed the equator after eight days and three hours of controlled sailing, despite a particularly mean doldrums that had been growing stronger as the Maxi Trimaran passed through.

Picking up the pace
The tropics, the proximity of Brazil, the south-easterly trade winds, combined with high morale, saw the female crew of the Famous Project CIC grow bolder and more confident as the miles passed, accumulating good days with more than 500 miles covered, close to the heart of the Saint Helena High. This was an efficient route to the Cape of Good Hope, which they crossed on their 17th day of racing, after covering nearly 8,000 miles at an average speed of over 19 knots. The only fly in the ointment was the stuck mainsail hook. This is a set of parts, part of which is attached to the mainsail track and the other to the headboard. This assembly connects the mast to the sail. A custom titanium part attached to the headboard remained stubbornly stuck, forcing the crew of The Famous Project CIC to dismantle it every time they took in or released a reef, and therefore to lower the entire sail to access this part. This was the first obstacle that Alexia and her crew managed to overcome through sheer determination.

To the rhythm of the Indian Ocean
On December 16, as they slipped beneath the Cape of Good Hope, the southernmost point of the African continent, the sailors of The Famous Project CIC entered one of the monuments of a round-the-world sailing trip, the Indian Ocean. And to start off this hearty main course, they were served the Agulhas Current piping hot, perhaps to give them a taste of the much-feared “Great South.” The Agulhas Current, flowing straight down from the shores of Madagascar, accelerates under Africa, reaching speeds of up to 3 knots in places.
Facing the west wind, it stirred up a very rough sea on the Maxi trimaran's route, which severely shook the crew. Alexia, Dee, Annemieke, Rebecca, Deborah, Molly, Támara, and Stacey cleverly found the right balance between steering and autopilot, choosing the headsails combined with their mainsail, which was still restricted by the hook blockage, and the rhythm of life on board. They made good speed out of this unfriendly zone and headed a little further south with each mile, on an efficient course towards the Kerguelen Islands. They also entered into phase with the Indian Ocean's steamrollers, where violent centered depressions gallop with beautiful regularity, and for several years now (see the Last Vendée Globe), far to the north, forcing them to take a very northern route as the sailors sought the best angle and wind strength in the northern part of the depressions. The maxi trimaran shook itself off, lengthened its stride, and the girls of The Famous Project CIC could look towards the next big marker of their round-the-world trip, Cape Leeuwin at the western tip of Australia, which they hoped to see on Christmas Eve, a nice gift for the whole crew and especially for the Australian on board, Stacey Jackson.

A fishing net for Christmas!
It was at the time, due to the time difference, when Australians were opening their Christmas presents that the sailors of the all-female The Famous Project CIC crossed the longitude of Cape Leeuwin at the southwestern tip of the Australian continent. The crew thus checked off the second of three major milestones in their round-the-world voyage, after the Cape of Good Hope on December 16 and before Cape Horn, after 25 days of sailing since their departure from Ushant.
This was a highly symbolic crossing, especially for the newcomers on board, and was received and appreciated as a real gift at the end of a beautiful and fast week in the Indian Ocean. The IDEC SPORT maxi trimaran demonstrated the full extent of its astonishing seafaring qualities in rough seas and strong northwesterly winds, allowing Alexia and her “girls” to cover nearly 700 miles in 24 hours at an average speed of over 27 knots.
This cavalcade was briefly interrupted that morning by a huge fishing net and its floats caught in the starboard foil of the large multihull. “We went from 30 knots to 5 knots!” described Alexia. “We put the boat in reverse and were able to remove the large net, but the foil remained stuck in the down position for a while.” Unbeknownst at the time of the incident, the foil's limitation would force the crew to permanently sail without this important appendage a few days later.

A very physical Pacific
On January 2, the sailors of The Famous Project CIC left Point Nemo, the “maritime pole of inaccessibility,” on their port side. This geographical position, located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, marks the point furthest from any land. They also passed the precise location where, 27 years ago, the first all-female crew, led by British sailor Tracy Edwards, saw their dreams of a historic round-the-world voyage collapse along with the mast of their catamaran Royal & Sun Alliance. At that precise moment in their journey, the girls of The Famous Project CIC became the only sailors to have come so far in a Jules Verne Trophy race.

Cape Horn as a reward
On Tuesday, January 6, at 3:14 p.m. (French time), The Famous Project CIC's Maxi Trimaran IDEC SPORT rounded Cape Horn.
It was a historic moment in the long and illustrious history of ocean racing, as never before had an all-female crew rounded the famous Chilean rock in a non-stop multihull race. It took the sailors just under 11 days to reach Cape Horn from Leeuwin, a distance of 3,800 miles. It was a fast crossing, marked by 48 hours of very heavy weather, with hellish seas and waves over 8 meters high, and winds gusting to over 50 knots. The crew, now perfectly attuned to the maneuvers and handling of the maxi trimaran, showed strength, cohesion, and composure, constantly confronted with a stubborn mainsail hook that forced them to flee in order to take in or release a reef. It was a trans-Pacific crossing marked by consistency, with the maxi trimaran covering more than 550 miles a day with remarkable regularity, on a route that was certainly very northern, but efficient and rational, skirting the violent depressions of the southern ocean. Subjected to fatigue, cold, and snow, but always focused on adjustments, anticipation, and the refined piloting of the maxi trimaran, the eight sailors of The Famous Project CIC affirmed the solidarity and constant kindness that have been the hallmarks of their round-the-world voyage. On their 38th day of sailing and with nearly 16,000 miles covered (25,700 km), the girls of The Famous Project CIC were able to begin the final feat of their journey: the crossing of the immense Atlantic.

Standing up right !
The eight sailors of The Famous Project CIC had been sailing with their heads up since January 15. They crossed the equator again on their 48th day at sea. They could legitimately congratulate themselves on their fast and efficient sailing in the South Atlantic. Having passed Cape Horn in the middle of the afternoon on January 6, it took them only 9 days, 5 hours, and 38 minutes to reach the equator, one of the best performances ever on this route. True to its reputation, the Intertropical Convergence Zone, the sinister doldrums, proved mischievous in slowing down and even holding back the girls of The Famous Project CIC. Storm clouds multiplied on the route of the Maxi Trimaran IDEC SPORT as it attempted to gain ground to the north. With the entry into the trade winds came the dreaded moment of reducing the sail area, and the stubborn hook on the mainsail was once again causing problems, forcing Alexia and her girls to undertake another painful dismantling and reassembly operation, which also penalized their speed. And as trouble always comes in packs, it was while performing this delicate reefing maneuver that the girls noticed a tear in the leech of the mainsail. A sail workshop was set up, while numerous banks of sargassum seaweed slowed the boat's progress.

A tense finale
“If it were easy, everyone would do it!” This quip from British sailor Dee Caffari, in response to the first tear in the mainsail of the Maxi Trimaran IDEC SPORT, took on its full terrible meaning a good thousand miles from the finish line. The mainsail, which had already torn once at the second reef, literally exploded after 55 days at sea. Without its starboard foil, the maxi trimaran lost the use of its autopilots.
And yet, faced with these mounting setbacks, the eight women on board gritted their teeth and stubbornly insisted on completing the race at all costs, achieving a titanic feat that no female crew had ever accomplished before: a non-stop circumnavigation of the globe in a maxi multihull. It was the dream of Alexia from France, Dee and Deborah from Britain, Annemieke from the Netherlands, Rebecca from Switzerland and New Zealand, Molly from Italy and the US, Tamara from Spain, and Stacey from Australia, was now threatened by a huge winter storm ironically named… Ingrid. Under single mast and, at the slightest drop in wind, with the help of the J3, stubborn as hell, Alexia and the girls of The Famous Project CIC lived only to the rhythm of their three-hour shifts on deck.

The Famous Project CIC's voyage around the world is expected conclude tomorrow, Monday, between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. local French time, when the Maxi Trimaran IDEC SPORT crosses the finish line in Ushant. Shortly after, it will take approximately four hours for the crew members, including Alexia Barrier (France), Dee Caffari (United Kingdom), Annemieke Bes (Netherlands), Rebecca Gmür Hornell (Switzerland and New Zealand), Deborah Blair (United Kingdom), Molly LaPointe (United States and Italy), Támara Echegoyen (Spain), and Stacey Jackson (Australia), to enter the harbour of Brest and dock at Quai Malbert.

Before reaching this significant milestone, the crew must navigate challenging waters on they way across the Bay of Biscay aboard a the trimaran that has been impacted by the loss of its mainsail. Over the past 24 hours, the all female crew The Famous Project CIC have made steady progress toward France and Brittany, maintaining an average speed of nearly 16 knots by alternating between the staysail (J3) and jib (J2) according to the wind conditions.

As they approach the Rochebonne plateau, known for its difficult waters due to the rise of the continental shelf, they will encounter expected winds of up to 45 knots from the north-northwest. This crew is working toward a historic achievement as they strive to become the first all-female team to complete a circumnavigation in a multihull.

Alexia Barrier congratulates the crew on board Sodebo: “We send Thomas Coville and the crew on board Sodebo our heartfelt congratulations. We followed their progress from start to finish. It is historic, extraordinary. Well done for the record!"

Day 57

The Famous Project CIC ’s great voyage around the world will come to an end tomorrow, Monday, at midday, between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m., when the Maxi Trimaran IDEC SPORT will cross the finish line of the Jules Verne Trophy in Ushant. It will take another four hours or so before
Alexia Barrier, Dee Caffari, Annemieke Bes, Rebecca Gmür Hornell, Deborah Blair, Molly LaPointe, Támara Echegoyen and Stacey Jackson enter the harbor of Brest and moor their giant at Quai Malbert. But before this long awaited conclusion for the girls and their loved ones, they must face the rough waters of the Bay of Biscay on a sailboat that has been significantly weakened since the loss of its mainsail.

The sailors of The Famous Project CIC have, fortunately, made good progress towards France and Brittany over the last 24 hours, managing to maintain an average speed of nearly 16 knots by alternating between the staysail (J3) and jib (J2) depending on the strength and direction of the wind. It is under their bare mast, perhaps still with the J3, that they will have to negotiate the 45 knots of north-northwest wind expected near the Rochebonne plateau, also known for the hellish state of its waters caused by the rise of the continental shelf. As we can see, nothing will be spared for the valiant crew on the verge of achieving their Holy Grail: becoming the first female crew to complete a circumnavigation in a multihull.

Day 56

“If it were easy, everyone would do it!” The aphorism made two days ago by British sailor Dee Caffari in response to the first tear in the mainsail of the Maxi Trimaran IDEC SPORT takes on its full terrible meaning with every mile covered by the female crew of The Famous Project CIC. The mainsail, which was first torn at the second reef, is now completely unusable since yesterday. The starboard foil has stopped working since the return in theSouth Atlantic, while one of the two autopilots on board has also decided to give up.
And yet, faced with this accumulation of setbacks, a single motto inhabits, nourishes, and motivates the eight women on board: reach Ushant, complete the loop, and achieve this titanic feat that no female crew has ever accomplished, a non-stop round-the-world race in a multihull. The dream of Alexia from France, Dee and Deborah from Britain, Annemieke from the Netherlands, Rebecca from Switzerland and New Zealand, Molly from Italy and America, Tamara from Spain, and Stacey from Australia is within reach, 800 miles away, that Neptune is trying to turn into a seaman’s nightmare, throwing nothing less than a huge winter storm, ironically named Ingrid, at the battered girls and their damaged trimaran. Powered by their mast only and, at the slightest drop in wind, with the help of the J3, they are steering their bows more and more decisively towards the raging Bay of Biscay and the tip of Brittany. They know that the heavy weather is not over yet, as a second deep low-pressure system will hit the French coast tomorrow morning. Yes Dee, if only it were that easy...

Alexia Barrier:
"The night went well, and we're being tossed around a bit by the waves because we're under sail, but it's okay. With the sunrise, we're securing the lazy bag, the boom, and the mainsail, which is quite heavy. The wind should pick up again in four hours. We're taking it in stride, it'll be fine."

It was 9 p.m. last night when, during a gybe maneuver to round Terceira Island in the Azores, the head of the mainsail on the IDEC SPORT maxi trimaran tore. It should be noted that this same mainsail had already torn in the middle during a similar maneuver yesterday morning, forcing Alexia and her crew to lower the sail to the second reef. They planned to reach Ushant and the finish line in this configuration, which was perfectly suited to the stormy conditions prevailing over the 1,000-odd miles still to be covered. Alas! They will now have to do without what remained of this sail and sail exclusively under their wing mast (30m2) and their headsails.

So it was under sail that they performed a series of gybes during the night to round the island of Ponta Delgada this morning and leave the Azores in their wake, continuing on their way to the Iberian Peninsula. Conditions in the area, on the southern edge of the depression, are as forecast, with winds of over 35 knots strengthening and a sea already well formed with waves of over 6 meters coming from the northwest, which will continue to grow over the next 24 hours. An unfriendly day lies ahead for the crew, who have already spent 55 days at sea, but whose determination to reach Ouessant and complete the loop remains undiminished. At a slow trot, propelled by their single mast and headsail,
Alexia Barrier, Dee Caffari, Annemieke Bes, Rebecca Gmür Hornell, Deborah Blair, Molly LaPointe, Támara Echegoyen and Stacey Jackson are hammering away at it; they will see Ushant and complete their round-the-world voyage next Monday evening or Tuesday morning. 

Alexia Barrier:
"The day is breaking, we haven't seen the sea yet, and I think that's better for getting started. We have no sails and are moving at an average speed of over 10 knots with a mast surface area of 30 square meters. We think we'll be able to unfurl the J3 (staysail) around 11 a.m., once the worst of the sea has passed for the area we're in. The goal is to stay above 10 knots. Christian (Dumard) has given us a special polar route, without a mainsail. We will keep you informed of the various timings. We are remaining cautious, of course..."

ETA: Monday morning on the finish line.

There is much thinking, pondering, and mentalizing aboard the Maxi Trimaran IDEC SPORT from The Famous Project CIC. And along with the desire to finish this first women's round-the-world race in a maxi multihull as quickly as possible, there are many criteria that conflict with sheer performance. Impossible seas, strong winds from the wrong direction, a damaged boat… so many imponderables that Alexia Barrier, Dee Caffari, Annemieke Bes, Rebecca Gmür Hornell, Deborah Blair, Molly LaPointe, Támara Echegoyen and Stacey Jackson have chosen to deal with by listening to the voice of reason.

It is generally agreed that it is pointless and unreasonable to face the worst, and the international crew led by Alexia and Dee prefers to bide its time, rowing in the shelter of the Azores archipelago rather than tempting fate, and the storm set to rage over the next 48 hours off the Iberian Peninsula and as far as the tip of Brittany. Only then, on Saturday morning they hope, will they brave the still rough ocean to head directly for Ushant and the finish line, which they could cross on Monday, January 26, in the morning.

A torn main sail
As the route to Ushant, Brittany, and Brest becomes more difficult with each passing hour due to the impressive obstacles posed by these particularly violent winter storms, the difficulties have accumulated aboard the Maxi Trimaran IDEC SPORT of the girls from The Famous Project CIC. The latest, and not least, was the tearing of the mainsail yesterday afternoon as the boat maneuvered to slip into the heart of the Azores archipelago. Four hours of effort, with American Molly LaPointe hanging from the mast, were necessary to lower the sail and secure it at the second reef. This is certainly a minimalist configuration, but ironically, it corresponds precisely to the sail needed to withstand the harsh conditions that are developing in the area.

ETA Monday morning
This brutal, severe, and irreparable misfortune at sea will ultimately deprive Alexia and her crew of three-quarters of their mainsail. The west-northwest wind is picking up, the sea is getting rougher, but nothing can dampen these women's determination to complete their non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the globe as soon as possible, becoming the first female crew to achieve this feat. Slowed down by this untimely tear, the girls of The Famous Project CIC saw the small “gateway” they had glimpsed to escape the strongest winds near Cape Finisterre close inexorably. Winds of 40 knots and above from Labrador have been battering the Galician coast since midday, raising waves already measured at over 7 meters, which will reach 10 meters and above in the coming hours. The route through the Bay of Biscay is blocked for at least 48 hours, and Alexia and her “girls” are now planning to reach the Ushant line next Monday. Battled, often. Beaten, sometimes. Defeated, never.

Christian Dumard, shore-based navigator:
"After careful consideration, they have decided to wait. The reasons: heavy seas with waves expected to reach between 8 and 9.5 meters, with winds of over 45 knots and gusts of 55-60 knots. It is wiser to wait around 30 hours and set sail again on Saturday 24th in the morning to finish in conditions that will remain rough (6 to 7-meter waves and 35 knots / gusts of 45-50 knots) for an ETA on Monday 26th in the morning."

Day 54

As the route to Ushant, Brittany, and Brest becomes increasingly difficult with each passing hour due to impressive obstacles in the form of particularly violent winter storms, difficulties are mounting aboard the Maxi Trimaran IDEC SPORT crewed by the women of The Famous Project CIC. The latest, and not least, was the tearing of the mainsail yesterday afternoon as the boat maneuvered to slip into the heart of the Azores archipelago. It took four hours of effort, with American Molly LaPointe clinging to the mast, to bring the sail back and secure it at the second reef. This is certainly a minimalist configuration, but ironically, it corresponds precisely to the sail area needed to withstand the harsh conditions that are developing in the area. This brutal, severe, and irreparable misfortune at sea will ultimately deprive Alexia Barrier, Dee Caffari, Annemieke Bes, Rebecca Gmür Hornell, Deborah Blair, Molly LaPointe, Támara Echegoyen and Stacey Jackson of three-quarters of their mainsails.

The west-northwest wind is picking up, the sea is getting rougher, but nothing can dampen these women's determination to continue on their way, to press on in the face of adversity and to complete their non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the globe as soon as possible, thereby becoming the first all-female crew to achieve this feat. Held back in their progress by this untimely tear, the women of The Famous Project CIC saw the small “gateway” they had glimpsed to escape the strongest winds near Cape Finisterre close inexorably. The 40-knot winds from Labrador will batter the Galician coast from midday onwards, raising waves already measured at over 7 meters. The route through the Bay of Biscay will be blocked for at least 48 hours, and Alexia and her “girls” are now planning to cross the finish line at Ushant on Sunday evening or Monday. Battled, often. Beaten, sometimes. Defeated, never.

Alexia Barrier:
"Our mainsail tore in two when we gybed to take in reef 1. It was 15:00 UTC. In short, we spent three hours trying to lower the mainsail. Finally, we managed to lower it to reef 2. We have a piece of mainsail left, just enough for reef 2. So we resumed our journey.
It can't be repaired, and in any case, two reefs are enough to get to Brest with the weather we're going to have. So there you go, we're not worried. We're strong, we're united.
So chins up, we'll make it."

Dee Caffari:
"What a day! We have to fight for every kilometer we cover in this final stretch. We have chosen tenacity, resilience, and teamwork to overcome the challenges we face and continue to fight every day. There have been 30 attempts to win the Jules Verne Trophy, but only 14 of them have successfully circumnavigated the globe. Only 9 of them have resulted in a record.
In a few days, these figures will change, and that's exciting. History is being written, examples of what is possible are being created. If it were easy, everyone would do it."

Day 51

With its bow pointed towards Newfoundland at 90° to the direct route, the Maxi Trimaran IDEC SPORT, crewed by the women of The Famous Project CIC, has been skirting around the high-pressure center lingering west of the Azores archipelago since leaving the doldrums. The west-northwest trade winds are preventing any efficient route towards Europe, France, and Brittany, and Alexia Barrier, Dee Caffari, Annemieke Bes, Rebecca Gmür Hornell, Deborah Blair, Molly LaPointe, Támara Echegoyen and Stacey Jackson are forced to take the long way home.
It is a long and tedious journey, in strong winds and rough seas, which they are striving to complete as quickly as possible, spurred on by the arrival on Wednesday of a violent storm in the Bay of Biscay. Now more than ever, it is time to focus and strategize in order to negotiate a potentially tricky finish. Despite the fatigue that is now palpable on board after 51 days of high-pressure sailing, Alexia and her crew are totally focused on the considerable goal that has been driving them since December 14: to become the first all-female crew to complete a non-stop round-the-world race in a maxi multihull. And that's no small feat!

Alexia Barrier:
"We're feeling tired, yes, we've just completed a round-the-world trip. We're also feeling impatient, because land is getting closer. But above all, we feel very clear-headed and calm. Because we know why we're here. And we know why we want to see it through to the end. There's always a real collective spirit among the crew. And paradoxically, we're exhausted, but we remain mentally strong.
There are between 20 and 25 knots, we're reaching. The South Atlantic is a little rougher, a little more physical, a little more confrontational. The North Atlantic is more strategic. It can also be brutal, as we'll see at the end of the round-the-world race. It's more unstable, with a lot more weather transitions. It's an ocean that's more mentally demanding. Especially since we know that the end is near and that the weather can still play with our nerves.
The finish looks like it's going to be tough, with waves over 8 meters high. That's certainly not something to smile about. Even though we're always very cheerful and smiling, we're focused and under pressure. We'll see how it develops. And we're not there yet, so it may still decrease in intensity before we get there."

Day 49

True to its reputation, the Intertropical Convergence Zone, the sinister doldrums, once again proved mischievous throughout the day yesterday, slowing down and even holding back the girls of The Famous Project CIC. Storm clouds multiplied on the route of the Maxi Trimaran IDEC SPORT as it attempted to head north.
It was only at nightfall that the powerful north-easterly trade winds finally filled the sails of the giant trimaran. Then came the dreaded moment of reducing the sail area, and the stubborn hook on the mainsail once again proved difficult to release, forcing Alexia Barrier, Dee Caffari, Annemieke Bes, Rebecca Gmür Hornell, Deborah Blair, Molly LaPointe, Támara Echegoyen, and Stacey Jackson to undertake another painful dismantling and reassembly operation, which also penalized their speed.
And as trouble always comes in threes, it was while performing this delicate reefing maneuver that the girls noticed a tear in the leech of the mainsail. At daybreak, a sail workshop was set up on board. “Nothing too serious,” says Alexia. "We'll be able to repair it quickly, but we'll be slowed down a bit this morning, as we're now sailing only under mainsail with two reefs and J3." Add a little (a lot) of sargassum* in this equatorial part of the course, and you will understand that the 2 800 miles still to go to Ushant are not the easiest leg of this incredible journey.

*Sargassum is a kind of brown algae in the Sargassaceae family.
Since 2011, vast patches of sargassum have spread across the high seas northeast of South America and also towards Africa. They clump together in vast rafts that can reach over 1 000 m² and several meters thick. It is estimated that in 2018, a record biomass of 20 million tons colonized this part of the ocean.