Alexia Barrier Becomes First Woman to Race in ULTIM Class

French offshore racer Alexia Barrier will become the first woman to compete in the prestigious ULTIM class – the top category of solo ocean racing – in the 2026 Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe. Barrier will skip the legendary IDEC SPORT – CIC, which is one of the most successful maxi-trimarans in the history of transatlantic sailing, and will set another record in breaking barriers in offshore sailing.

The welcome comes after Alexia's historic success in The Famous Project CIC, leading the first all-female team to circumnavigate the Earth unassisted and without stop on a maxi-trimaran in the Jules Verne Trophy. The crew were not able to beat the outright record but did set a new standard for an all-female crew in one of sailing's toughest tests of endurance, adding another feather to Barrier's cap as one of the greatest pioneer sailors in the sport.

Now, Alexia is getting ready for a whole new challenge. This is one of the most famous single-transatlantic races, the Route du Rhum which has been held in Guadeloupe since Saint-Malo, France, every four years, and covers some 3,500 nautical miles. The ULTIM division is the fastest, most technologically advanced offshore racing yacht available, and demands the most skill to sail alone across the Atlantic.

Key Highlights

• Historic First: Alexia Barrier becomes the first woman to race in the ULTIM class at the 2026 Route du Rhum
• Legendary Yacht: She will skipper the record-winning IDEC SPORT – CIC trimaran
• Milestone for Women: Her entry marks a major step for women in elite offshore sailing

Alexia will pilot the fast and race-bred 32 metre IDEC SPORT – CIC trimaran. The giant multihull requires total technical mastery, physical endurance and mental toughness for a single-sailor to be able to exceed 40 knots. The sailor under such a high performance yacht has many responsibilities, including ones in the sometimes-chaotic weather of the Atlantic leg of the trip.

Its trimaran is an outstanding legacy in itself. In 2018 it won the Route du Rhum thanks to Francis Joyon; in 2014 it won with Loïck Peyron on board Banque Populaire VII and in 2010 with Franck Cammas on board Groupama 3. With this renowned yacht's helm in hand, Barrier takes one of the most famous racing yachts in offshore sailing history.

The Alexia is an important step for the sport of elite offshore racing in terms of gender representation. To date, the ULTIM class has been entirely male dominated with its immense technical complexity, physical demands and financial scale, until now. As a woman enters the fleet it's a milestone for women at the highest level of solo ocean racing.

As she sets out for sporting glory in her next adventure, the 2026 Route du Rhum, Alexia Barrier is also continuing her campaign for more opportunities for women in offshore sailing. She will be the first female to sail unsupported in the ULTIM class and will be shaping a new narrative in the history of one of the sailing world's most prestigious events, while serving as a reminder to a new generation of sailors that they can face old challenges.