The Maxi Banque Populaire XI triumphs in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2023!

For this first ocean victory for the Maxi Banque Populaire XI, the two men sailed a high-flying race of 14 days 10 hours and 14 minutes 50 seconds, triumphing in a tough duel. Their daring option on the rounding of Madeira enabled them to take the lead in the race. Overtaken as they passed Ascension Island, they quickly regained pole position by staying at the helm for long periods, putting in a lot of hard work and maintaining impressive average speeds downwind. This enabled them to extend their lead over their rivals and stay at the head of the fleet until they reached the bay of Fort de France in Martinique.

Two years after the launch of the Maxi Banque Populaire XI, this collective success rewards the performance-boosting, optimization and innovation work carried out tirelessly by Team Banque Populaire. It's a source of immense pride for the team, which has won its second victory in its 13th participation in the Route du Café, and its third victory in 2023 after winning the Solitaire du Figaro and the 24h Ultim.

Although Sébastien Josse had already won this event in 2013, it's a first for Armel Le Cléac'h. With less than two months to go before the start of the first single-handed round-the-world Ultim race, this victory confirms that Armel and the Maxi Banque Populaire XI can be counted on to rise up to meet this new challenge, which promises to be just as exciting.

Their race in figures
Time of arrival (local time): 18:19:50
Time of arrival (CET): 23:19:50
Race time: 14 days, 10 hours, 14 minutes and 50 seconds
Total distance covered: 9,263 nautical miles
Actual average speed: 26.75 knots.

For further details: Voile Banque Populaire