Heading for the 2026 Route du Rhum: Magellan Stands with Sébastien Marsset!

The summer months were put to good use to carry out major technical work on the skipper’s boat, the IMOCA Foussier, including the replacement of the keel system and the mast base, which had suffered excessive wear. The de-masting also provided a valuable opportunity to inspect, replace, and reinforce the entire rigging.

Such an operation requires absolute precision: reinstalling the mast with perfect accuracy, ensuring its alignment, and restoring the original settings and proper rigging tensions are all critical steps for the boat’s reliability and performance.

In this context, Sébastien Marsset was able to rely on a team of experts such as Mathieu Ravier, the boat captain, Kleden Troadec, technical assistant, and Molly Lapointe, who brings the experience of her two crewed round-the-world voyages to the project.

After several test sailings, Sébastien Marsset set out to sea again for a week of solo training in the Bay of Biscay (in the south-east of France). This format requires true immersion in the rhythm of offshore racing: managing fatigue and sleep, making decisions, and maintaining performance over the long term. Off the coast of Cape Finistère, the skipper faced challenging weather conditions, similar to those he’ll encounter on the Route du Rhum, which allowed him to test the sails, fine-tune his settings, and continue working on his autopilot.

This series of sailing events continues with the Défi Azimut in Lorient on September 17, one of the few opportunities for direct competition with the flotilla before the Route du Rhum. The goal will be to observe the competitors’ tactics, assess the intensity of the racing, and take a critical look at how the boat is being handled. It is also an essential rehearsal from a sporting, technical, and logistical standpoint, as the next major event approaches.

The 2026 Route du Rhum will be the culmination of several months of preparation, teamwork, and dedication to a strong sporting ambition: to reach the boat’s full potential in Saint-Malo (France) in early November.

This event will also be an opportunity to bring all partners together for a dedicated day to reflect on the history, progress, and future prospects of a project that extends far beyond the scope of the competition itself.

Alongside the skipper, Cap Agir Ensemble, the corporate partner club of which Magellan is a member. It supports the Handicap Agir Ensemble endowment fund, dedicated to supporting people with intellectual disabilities. This collective effort thus combines the pursuit of performance with a positive societal impact.

The 2026 Route du Rhum represents a key milestone on a broader journey: aiming for a Top 10 finish in the 2028 Vendée Globe!