Charles Caudrelier has withdrawn from the Route du Rhum after the port foil on his trimaran, Gitana 18, was damaged less than 39 hours after the start. The boat was sailing north of the Azores when the failure occurred, with Caudrelier lying fourth in the Ultim class.
Caudrelier inspected the foil during the night and found that carbon-fibre layers along its trailing edge had come away, pulling out connected hydraulic hoses. After consulting the shore team, he concluded the damage could not be repaired at sea and turned back toward the team’s base in Lorient, Brittany. Gitana 18 began its return at midday on Tuesday, sailing at no more than 10 knots; the team expected it to reach port over the weekend.
Team director Cyril Dardashti said the damage was not caused by a collision with an external object. He added that Caudrelier had to work inside one of the trimaran’s floats to isolate the damaged foil’s hydraulic system and preserve the use of the boat’s other systems. The team said its immediate priority was the safety of both skipper and vessel.
The retirement ends Caudrelier’s attempt to break the Route du Rhum record of six days, 19 hours, 47 minutes and 27 seconds, which he set in 2022 aboard the previous Gitana, the 17. Gitana 18 is a recently developed, highly experimental boat designed around new foils and other systems. Before the race, Caudrelier described the crossing as an opportunity to learn the boat and master its complex equipment.
With Caudrelier out, the Ultim contest was led by Tom Laperche on Lazartigue and Armel Le Cléac’h on Banque Populaire. They were separated by 8.6 nautical miles at 18:00 on Tuesday, according to the supplied race report.
Sources: El País Deportes.