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28 October 2026

Route du Rhum 2026: Seven SLAM Sailors Ready to Cross the Atlantic

Seven skippers, four classes, one destination: Guadeloupe. SLAM is heading into the 2026 Route du Rhum alongside seven ocean racing sailors, from Alexia Barrier, the first woman to compete in the ULTIM class, to Sébastien Simon, third in the latest Vendée Globe. Experience, ambition and firsthand accounts ahead of a 3,542-nautical-mile solo Atlantic crossing.

On Sunday, 1 November, at 13:02, the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe 2026 fleet will set sail from Saint-Malo, Brittany, bound for Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe. The 3,542-nautical-mile crossing, approximately 6,560 kilometres, is one of the great challenges of ocean racing.

Now in its 13th edition, the race has been held every four years since 1978, bringing together sailors competing across six classes. From the autumn weather systems of the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay to the Atlantic trade winds, each skipper must manage strategy, manoeuvres, rest and unexpected situations entirely alone.

SLAM will be represented by seven sailors across four classes: Alexia Barrier in ULTIM, Luke Berry in Ocean Fifty, Manuel Cousin, Arnaud Boissières and Sébastien Simon in IMOCA, and Jonas Gerckens and Axel Tréhin in Class40. Seven different stories, united by the pursuit of performance and the need for reliable technical equipment in demanding offshore conditions.

Alexia Barrier

ULTIM | IDEC SPORT – CIC | France

A New Chapter in ULTIM History

The first woman to compete in the Route du Rhum's ULTIM class, Alexia Barrier will take the helm of IDEC SPORT – CIC, a 31.5-metre maxi trimaran. After finishing the 2020–2021 Vendée Globe in 24th place and leading an all-female crew around the world non-stop with The Famous Project, the French sailor is returning to solo ocean racing.

"I know this boat, but when sailing solo, every manoeuvre, every decision and every difficulty takes on a different dimension. My personal challenge will be to stay ambitious while remaining lucid."

On an ULTIM, managing energy is crucial, and so is having the right clothing. For Alexia, the essential piece is the thermal base layer worn next to the skin, providing warmth, moisture management and freedom of movement.

«

A good piece of clothing on board is one you end up forgetting: it does its job and lets me do mine. You can be exhausted, with battered hands, and feel exactly where you belong. And even when sailing solo, I never really set off alone: behind every mile sailed is the work of an entire team.

»

Luke Berry

OCEAN FIFTY | Le Rire Médecin Lamotte | France

An Ocean Fifty Debut Four Years in the Making

For Luke Berry, this will be his third Route du Rhum, but his first at the helm of an Ocean Fifty, departing from his home city of Saint-Malo. Runner-up in the 2015 Mini Transat and third in the 2025 Transat Café L'Or alongside Antoine Joubert, he has progressed from Mini 6.50 to Class40 and then multihull racing. Sleep management will also be essential, balancing rest with tactical decisions and manoeuvres. Among his SLAM essentials, Luke chooses the Altura FZ Grid Fleece for its versatility:

"It can be worn on its own or as a layering piece, keeping me warm while still allowing me to move freely."

«

For the past four years, my partners and I have been working towards the goal of being on the start line of this race in a multihull. The biggest challenge will be finding the right balance between risk and performance. We know that our boats can be very unpredictable, and the risk of capsizing is real

»

Manuel Cousin

IMOCA | Coup de Pouce | France

First Atlantic Crossing on Foils

With two completed Vendée Globes behind him, Manuel Cousin is preparing for his third Route du Rhum aboard Coup de Pouce. After finishing 23rd in the 2020–2021 Vendée Globe and 31st in 2024–2025, he faces a new challenge: his first Atlantic crossing aboard a foiling IMOCA. Manuel also highlights the harsh realities of life on board, from constant impacts against the waves to wet conditions and physical strain. Clothing needs change throughout the crossing:

"When you need to go on deck, particularly from the start until at least the Canary Islands, it is cold and you need to stay dry. Then there are the lightweight layers that SLAM makes, which are really nice and comfortable. We really appreciate the SLAM shorts and T-shirts — they are excellent for the rest of the crossing."

His participation also supports Coup de Pouce, an association dedicated to helping children develop essential learning skills and preventing early educational difficulties.

Manuel at the Vendee Globe >>

«

For my third Route du Rhum, my biggest personal challenge will first of all be to make it to the finish, because crossing the Atlantic is never a small thing. It will be the first time I have made the crossing on a foiling boat, with these new foils. The aim will be to perform as well as possible and test myself against my fellow competitors who also have foils

»

©Loic VENANCE / AFP / Route du Rhum

Axel Tréhin

CLASS40 | Exalt | France

Living Up to His Boat's Potential

A sailor and boatbuilder, Axel Tréhin began his career by rebuilding a damaged Mini 6.50 that he bought at the age of 19. In 2025, he won the Rolex Fastnet Race and the Normandy Channel Race in Class40, arriving at his second Route du Rhum with high ambitions. At the helm of Exalt, Class40 number 214, Axel expects the crossing to take a little under two weeks. Conditions on board will be physically demanding:

"What is hard to imagine is how violent these boats can be. They slam into the waves, and you spend a lot of time holding on and tensing up. It soon gives you a headache."

This is why he considers his offshore salopettes indispensable:

"I do not want discomfort to hold me back when I need to trim my sails as often as possible. Whether it is hot or cold, they are lightweight and waterproof, and I keep them on."

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Above all, I am fortunate to have a boat that I believe in enormously. I am convinced it is one of the fastest in the fleet, and my biggest challenge will be to live up to what the boat can do

»

Arnaud Boissières

IMOCA | APRIL Marine | France

The Experience of "Cali"

Five Route du Rhum appearances and four completed Vendée Globes: Arnaud Boissières, known as "Cali", is among the most experienced sailors in the IMOCA fleet. Seventh in the 2008–2009 Vendée Globe and eighth in 2012–2013, he added an IMOCA class victory at the 2026 Drheam Cup to his record.

At the helm of APRIL Marine, Boissières will bring more than twenty years of ocean racing experience to the Atlantic crossing, an invaluable asset when facing difficult conditions and the unexpected challenges of solo sailing.

Jonas Gerckens

CLASS40 | Belgium Ocean Racing – Curium | Belgium

Belgium Returns to the Class40 Fleet

Jonas Gerckens is returning for his third Route du Rhum, following a 14th-place finish in 2018 and a retirement in the 2022 edition. The Belgian skipper will race aboard Belgium Ocean Racing – Curium, having secured his qualification through the 2026 Drheam Cup.

His offshore racing experience will be an important advantage in one of the race's most competitive classes, where consistency, strategy and the ability to maintain a strong pace can make all the difference.

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On 1 November, the seven SLAM sailors will line up in Saint-Malo, ready to take on the Atlantic. Seven stories, seven boats and one destination: Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe

»

Sébastien Simon

IMOCA | Groupe Dubreuil – Air Caraïbes | France

From the Vendée Globe Podium to the Route du Rhum

Third in the 2024–2025 Vendée Globe and winner of the 2018 Solitaire du Figaro, Sébastien Simon will be one of the sailors to watch in the IMOCA fleet.

Making his Route du Rhum debut, the French skipper will race aboard Groupe Dubreuil – Air Caraïbes, a new IMOCA designed by Guillaume Verdier and built by Carrington Boats in 2026. With a new boat and extensive solo racing experience, Simon will aim to build on his Vendée Globe success and deliver another leading performance.

SLAM: Technical Sailing Apparel Tested by the Atlantic

The sailors' accounts reveal what race trackers and rankings cannot show: demanding manoeuvres, fragmented sleep, changing weather conditions and the constant need to maintain focus and comfort over many days at sea.

From the thermal protection required during the early stages of the crossing to the lighter layers needed when approaching the Caribbean, technical clothing must adapt to the changing demands of offshore sailing.

From Alexia Barrier's essential base layer to Luke Berry's Altura FZ Grid Fleece, from Axel Tréhin's offshore salopettes to the lightweight garments appreciated by Manuel Cousin, a common priority emerges: being able to focus on sailing, knowing their equipment will support every movement.

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Route du Rhum 2026: Seven SLAM Sailors Ready to Cross the Atlantic

On Sunday, 1 November, at 13:02, the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe 2026 fleet will set sail from Saint-Malo, Brittany, bound for Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe. The 3,542-nautical-mile crossing, approximately 6,560 kilometres, is one of the great challenges of ocean racing.