Going for a 26,000-Mile Sunday Sail With the Arkea Ultim Challenge

While you’re out enjoying a sunny sail along the coast of California this coming Sunday, there will be six 100-ft trimarans taking off from Brest, France, for a blitz around the planet. In the ever-extreme edge of sailing, the French are taking it up another notch by fielding six overachieving 100-ft tris in a race around the planet.

The six skippers and boats competing are Éric Péron racing Trimaran Adagio, Thomas Coville sailing Sodebo Ultim 3, Anthony Marchand skippering Actual Ultim, Tom Laperche sailing SVR-Lazartigue, Charles Caudrelier racing Maxi Edmond de Rothschild and Armel Le Cléac’h racing Maxi Banque Populaire XI.

You can follow the six 100-ft French Ultim trimarans around the world here: Arkea Ultim Challenge. They might be finishing before you’re done putting the boat away on Sunday.

Beyond the tris, the world’s oceans remain full of sailboats and big races. The RORC Transatlantic Race also takes off Sunday from the Canary Islands to Grenada. A grand prix fleet of ocean racers will compete, including three MOD 70s — Argo, Limosa and Zoulou — and the 100-ft maxi Leopard 3, which will be out to break Comanche’s course record. You can follow them on the tracker here.