Cart
Six racing trimarans set off to conquer the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe equipped with LOFTNETS nets: five Ocean Fifty trimarans and the Vintage Multi Arkéa – Handicap International.
Hervé des Horts, CEO of LOFTNETS, made a point of coming to Saint-Malo to cheer them on at the start on behalf of the entire LOFTNETS team. It was an opportunity to admire the incredible energy and professionalism of the teams involved in such a sporting challenge. A challenge as exhilarating as it is demanding for these solo sailors, who sail on the edge almost constantly from the very first day of the race until they reach the finish line in Pointe-à-Pitre.
Damien Seguin's Vintage Multi Arkéa – Handicap International trimaran took the lead in its class on the second evening of the race and has maintained a flawless performance ever since, despite extremely challenging weather conditions.
"I would like to thank Damien for showing us around his impressive trimaran with a big smile and remarkable calm, less than two days before the start. The two large trampoline nets were still being adjusted, an essential task to ensure they were perfectly tensioned before the race."
Damien Seguin, a Sailor Who Turned His Disability into a Strength
Damien Seguin, a multiple medal-winning athlete born without a left hand, is helping to change perceptions of people with disabilities. For this new transatlantic race, the skipper launched his "challenge for inclusion and international solidarity" and is carrying out awareness-raising initiatives with school groups.
"This is a project that combines sporting performance, inclusion and solidarity. [...] Ocean-going multihulls have always been a dream of mine. So setting off on my fifth Route du Rhum at the helm of a legendary boat is something truly special."
An Extremely Intense Race in the Ocean Fifty Class
Reaching speeds of over 30 knots as soon as they catch the trade winds, these foiling trimarans demand constant attention to avoid capsizing.
Thibaut Vauchel-Camus – Solidarity and Competition
Competing for the third time, the Saint-Malo skipper is ready and determined to sail his way to the top of the podium! He is racing boldly aboard his Ocean Fifty Solidaires en Peloton by Delanchy, a strategy that has enabled him to join the leading trio. We're cheering him on all the way!
This exceptional sailor has been racing under the banner of the Défi Voile Solidaires en Peloton for 15 years. This inspiring human and sporting adventure is driven by the desire to turn the ocean into a place of hope for everyone affected by multiple sclerosis, in partnership with the France Sclérose en Plaques association.
LOFTNETS is proud to have supported him as a technical partner since 2017, equipping his 50-foot racing trimarans with state-of-the-art trampoline nets. This long-standing partnership demonstrates the great confidence Thibaut and his technical team place in LOFTNETS' expertise.
"The fact that, in our sport, our competitors are also our partners, with whom we share something unique, is a truly remarkable experience."
Although they are supposed to be rivals, the skippers in the Ocean Fifty class have a remarkable ability to put competition aside when the risks outweigh the pleasure of racing. The eleven sailors in the Ocean Fifty class have forged an almost brotherly bond over countless nautical miles, setting the stage for an exciting battle and a magnificent story in 2028, when they will meet again for the new format of the Solitaire du Figaro.