After 10 days, 7 hours, 40 minutes and 13 seconds at sea, Alexia Barrier crossed the finish line of the Route du Rhum 2026 on Wednesday, November 11 at Pointe-à-Pitre. Aboard IDEC SPORT-CIC, the navigator from Antibes finishes in fifth place in the Ultim category and becomes the first woman to complete this transatlantic crossing on a maxi-trimaran of this class. An arrival filled with emotion, which already opens new perspectives for the next chapter of her journey.
Tears came before relief. Twenty minutes before crossing the finish line, Alexia Barrier let the pressure accumulated over more than ten days of solo sailing release. Once the line was crossed, joy took over. Fist raised, smiling and jumping on the boat’s trampoline, the skipper savored this moment after a crossing marked by difficult weather and several technical problems.
« Twenty minutes before the line, I was crying my eyes out and I was realizing what I had done. Being the first woman in history on this type of boat is just crazy. It was a really special Route du Rhum. I hurt, it was difficult, I hung in there and I loved every day of this race. Solo and crew racing, it’s really not the same thing. I wasn’t prepared to experience such an intense pace. »
With this fifth place in Ultim, Alexia Barrier achieves an unprecedented performance in the history of the Route du Rhum. The 46-year-old navigator becomes the first woman to finish the race at the helm of a trimaran in this category. A new milestone for someone who had already set a reference time around the world with an all-female crew in January, in 57 days, 21 hours and 20 minutes.
A grueling crossing to Pointe-à-Pitre
Since leaving Saint-Malo on November 1st, the pace has barely slowed down. From the first hours, gusts and speeds over 35 knots required constant vigilance. Nights succeeded one another with maneuvers, with only a few minutes of rest between adjustments.
Weather then forced the navigator to regularly adapt her sails and course. From D0 to D3, each sail change required significant physical effort. Fatigue accumulated, while sailing conditions continued to evolve.
« The pace, the succession of weather phenomena. I had to stay on top of it the whole time, no let-up. Even at the end, there was no wind. But when there’s no wind, you can’t sleep. You have to keep the boat going. And on my boat, I’m constantly exposed to the elements. Like at the beginning of the race, I got quite cold, I was sleeping on the ground, on a cushion, I couldn’t warm up, I had to crawl to get a rope. It was a bit like being a survivor. That’s what was difficult. »
The end of the race was also marked by damage to the mainsail. Torn at the second reef, the canvas required several repair attempts, sometimes in difficult conditions. Alexia Barrier continued on her way while carefully managing her equipment, refusing to give up on reaching Guadeloupe with her boat.
« I tore my mainsail three days ago, it had also happened to us on the World Tour so I knew I could finish the race, worst case without a mainsail. But I really didn’t want it to end like that, especially since there was no wind to finish the race. It stressed me out a bit, and then I told myself that I knew what to do. So I removed the lump in my throat and replaced it with the disco ball. »
A solo world tour in 2028 for Alexia Barrier
Despite the gap with the leading Ultim boats and the difficulties encountered, Alexia Barrier focuses above all on the experience gained. This first solo Route du Rhum allowed her to measure the demands of this category, but also to identify points to improve before setting off again.
« I’m a bit surprised to arrive so far behind the other Ultim boats and at the same time I’m so proud to have finished the race and so happy to already have the points in mind that I’ll work on. I’m hungry to get back there to really express myself. This was a first, a trial run. A bit like when you make your first crêpe, it’s not always a success. But the next one will be magnificent. »
The next major objective is already identified: the Arkéa Ultim Challenge Brest, a solo around-the-world race scheduled for 2028. In the meantime, the boat will need to be prepared and adapted. The navigator particularly wants to improve her protection on board and participate in Ultim class races to gain more experience competing against other competitors.
« Next, for me, will be solo around the world in 2028. Next year, we’ll prepare the boat well for that. No more nights in the little niche outside, we’ll add some protection. We’ll also participate in races within the Ultim class to really get a sense of the competition, to measure ourselves against others. Even if we have an old boat, there’s no reason not to try our luck. »
Beyond individual performance, Alexia Barrier also wanted to highlight the role of her shore team in this adventure. The preparation, weather monitoring and technical support contributed to getting IDEC SPORT-CIC to Pointe-à-Pitre.
« I’m proud of myself, I’m 400% proud of my team. Once again, without this collective, nothing is possible. We didn’t win the trophy but we won an XXL challenge. That’s the magic of the Route du Rhum: it’s a solo race, but it’s especially a collective effort to cross the Atlantic. »
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