Sailing: Maxi Banque Populaire XI in the Transat Café L’OR
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
On Sunday, October 26, Armel Le Cléac’h and Sébastien Josse set sail aboard the Maxi Banque Populaire XI trimaran (Ultim class) to defend their title in the latest edition of the Transat Café L’OR biennial transatlantic sailing race between Le Havre in France and Fort-de-France in Martinique.
After setting off in challenging conditions, the two skippers quickly detected a rudder problem that evening (the underwater part of the steering system). In consultation with the Banque Populaire Team, they decided to make a stopover at their Lorient base to replace the faulty part, secure the boat, and get back in the race as quickly as possible.
The Banque Populaire Team worked tirelessly overnight to get the boat back out to sea as soon as possible. Mission accomplished at around 11:30 a.m., and the marathon resumed for Armel Le Cléac’h and Sébastien Josse, with nearly 6,200 nautical miles (11,480 km) of open sea between them and Fort-de-France.
Follow the live race at https://www.voile.banquepopulaire.fr/
©BPCE / Olivier Blanchet / Alea