Ultim2017L-shaped foils

Banque Populaire IX

32 m foiling maxi-trimaran of the Ultim class, designed by VPLP for Team Banque populaire and skippered by Armel Le Cléac'h. Launched in October 2017, it was destroyed after capsizing during the 2018 Route du Rhum.

Correct

StartsRaces started in finished editions. Non-starters (did not start, withdrawn) are not counted.Computed on 7 Oct 2026.See in the glossary: 1

WinsFirst place in the division: same edition, same class.Computed on 7 Oct 2026.See in the glossary: 0

PodiumsTop three in the division: same edition, same class.Computed on 7 Oct 2026.See in the glossary: 0

Adjusted finish rateLower bound of the 95 % confidence interval (Wilson) of the finish rate: a boat with 1 finish out of 1 start gets 21 %, not 100 %. Greyed out under 5 starts.Computed on 7 Oct 2026.See in the glossary: 0%Small sample; raw: 0% · 1 start

Mean performanceMean of the percentiles of the classified results. Greyed out under 3 classified results.Computed on 7 Oct 2026.See in the glossary: —; 0 classified results

Biography

Banque populaire IX is a foiling maxi-trimaran of the Ultim class, built for solo offshore racing and record attempts. Its design was entrusted in March 2015 to the VPLP office, working with Team Banque populaire's own design department and drawing on the experience gained with Banque populaire V and the evolution of Banque populaire VII. Its foils, steerable in every direction, were drawn by Martin Fischer, a former America's Cup designer.

Because French yards were not available, the central hull was built in the UK at Green Marine, with CDK Technologies as project manager. After roughly twenty months of work, the trimaran was launched in Lorient on 30 October 2017; its first sail followed on 3 November, when it exceeded 35 knots flying on its foils. In February 2018 it completed a first Atlantic crossing from Lorient to Pointe-à-Pitre.

On 14 April 2018 the boat capsized off Morocco while being delivered to the Nice UltiMed. It was repaired in Vannes and Lorient and relaunched on 29 August 2018. Armel Le Cléac'h started the Route du Rhum on 4 November 2018, made a technical stop in Roscoff to fix an energy-system problem, then caught up with the leaders.

On 6 November 2018 the port float broke in heavy seas north-east of the Azores and the trimaran capsized; the skipper, alone on board, was rescued by a trawler. Towed to Vigo (arriving on 23 November), the boat was found to be completely destroyed after 17 days upside down, making a rebuild impossible. The sponsor then decided to build a new trimaran.

Sillage ratingGlicko-2 rating computed per class from every edition: each result counts as duels against the rest of the fleet, one edition weighing one game. Starts at 1,500; provisional while its deviation is above 110.See in the glossary

Per class; the band shows the uncertainty (±2 deviations, about 95 %).

ClassRating1 0001 5002 000Best rating

Ultim1,370± 582Provisional

Computed on 7 Oct 2026.

Technical specs

Keel typeThe weighted fin under a monohull's hull, which stops it drifting sideways and keeps it upright.See in the glossary: Not provided

FoilsAn underwater wing that lifts the boat so it drags less in the water and goes faster.See in the glossary: L-shaped foilsA foil made of a vertical shaft and an almost horizontal wing: it makes the boat fly.See in the glossary

Hull lengthLength of the hull alone, without the bowsprit or protruding appendages.See in the glossary: 32m

Max beamMaximum width of the boat; for a multihull, from one float to the other.See in the glossary: 23m

DraftHow deep the boat sits: from the waterline to the lowest point of the keel.See in the glossary: Not provided

Air draftHeight of the boat above the water: from the waterline to the top of the mast.See in the glossary: 38m

DisplacementThe mass of the boat ready to sail, equal to the mass of water it displaces.See in the glossary: 14,000kg

Upwind sail areaSail area carried when the boat sails towards the wind: mainsail and headsail.See in the glossary: 610m²

Downwind sail areaSail area carried with the wind on the beam or from behind, with the big headsails.See in the glossary: 890m²

No current skipper

Skippers over time

Armel Le Cléac'h🇫🇷2017

Identity card

LaunchedThe moment a new boat touches the water for the first time.See in the glossary: 2017

ShipyardThe company that builds the boat, or carries out major work on it.See in the glossary: CDK Technologies,Green Marine (Hull)

Designer(s)The designer of the boat: hull shape, appendages, structure, sail plan.See in the glossary: VPLP Design

DesignThe drawing a boat is built from; sister-ships share the same design.See in the glossary: VPLP Design Ultim 2017

GenerationBuild period: boats of the same generation often share the same technical choices.See in the glossary: 2017 – 2021

Hull typeHow many hulls the boat has: monohull, catamaran or trimaran.See in the glossary: TrimaranA multihull with three hulls: a central hull and two side floats.See in the glossary

StatusWhere the boat stands today: active, retired from racing, lost, in a museum or converted.See in the glossary: LostSunk or wrecked.See in the glossary

SponsorsA company or institution that funds a boat, a team or a skipper in exchange for visibility.See in the glossary: Banque Populaire · Title sponsorThe company that gives its name to the boat or team.See in the glossary · since 2017

Operating teamThe organisation running one or more racing boats: technical crew, logistics, partners.See in the glossary: Team Banque populaire · since 2017

FlagThe country the boat is registered in.See in the glossary: France

Life timeline

Names, skippers, shipyards and races, in one place.

Name

Banque Populaire IX

Skipper

Armel Le Cléac'h

Races

201720192021202320252026

Podium
Finished
Retired
Yard work

Detailed timeline

2018
1. End · 23 November 2018
  Boat declared destroyed in Vigo
  Towed to Vigo, the trimaran is found to be completely broken up; a rebuild is impossible.
2. Capsize · 6 November 2018
  Capsize during the Route du Rhum
  The port float breaks north-east of the Azores and the boat capsizes; Armel Le Cléac'h is rescued by a trawler.
3. 4 November 2018
  Route du Rhum 2018RetiredThe boat started but did not finish the race (DNF).See in the glossary
4. Capsize · 14 April 2018
  Capsize off Morocco
  The trimaran capsizes during its delivery to the Nice UltiMed; it is repaired and relaunched on 29 August 2018.
2017
1. Launch · 30 October 2017
  Launched in Lorient
2. SkipperThe sailor in command of the boat, responsible for it in the race.See in the glossary · 30 October 2017 – 6 November 2018
  Armel Le Cléac'h
3. Launched as
  Banque Populaire IX
Unknown date
1. Build (Hull) · until 2017
  Green Marine
  Construction of the central hull.
2. Build · until 2017
  CDK Technologies
  Built under CDK Technologies' project management, in Lorient.

In figures

Computed from the results in the directory.

LongevityYears from launch to the last start, starts, names carried and skippers.See in the glossary: 1 year; 1 starts · 1 names · 1 skippers

Retirement causesCauses grouped into categories. The four most frequent get a colour, the rest count in “Other”; “Unknown” also covers causes not entered yet.See in the glossaryRetirements of this boat, all races. · 1 retirement

Show the data

	Other
Retirement causes	1

Race record

Race record of Banque Populaire IX
Year	Race	Boat name	Skipper	Result	Elapsed time	Gap to the winnerOfficial time minus the winner's, relative to the winner's time: +5 % means 5 % slower.See in the glossary
2018	Route du Rhum	Banque Populaire IX	Armel Le Cléac'h	RetiredThe boat started but did not finish the race (DNF).See in the glossary	—	—

Page reliability

4 sources · updated 7 Oct 2026

Suggest a correction

Missing informationSail numberDraft

Page history (17)

Correction7 Oct 2026
- biography— Banque populaire IX is a foiling maxi-trimaran of the Ultim class, built for solo offshore racing and record attempts. Its design was entrusted in March 2015 to the VPLP office, working with Team Banque populaire's own design department and drawing on the experience gained with Banque populaire V and the evolution of Banque populaire VII. Its foils, steerable in every direction, were drawn by Martin Fischer, a former America's Cup designer. Because French yards were not available, the central hull was built in the UK at Green Marine, with CDK Technologies as project manager. After roughly twenty months of work, the trimaran was launched in Lorient on 30 October 2017; its first sail followed on 3 November, when it exceeded 35 knots flying on its foils. In February 2018 it completed a first Atlantic crossing from Lorient to Pointe-à-Pitre. On 14 April 2018 the boat capsized off Morocco while being delivered to the Nice UltiMed. It was repaired in Vannes and Lorient and relaunched on 29 August 2018. Armel Le Cléac'h started the Route du Rhum on 4 November 2018, made a technical stop in Roscoff to fix an energy-system problem, then caught up with the leaders. On 6 November 2018 the port float broke in heavy seas north-east of the Azores and the trimaran capsized; the skipper, alone on board, was rescued by a trawler. Towed to Vigo (arriving on 23 November), the boat was found to be completely destroyed after 17 days upside down, making a rebuild impossible. The sponsor then decided to build a new trimaran.
- description— 32 m foiling maxi-trimaran of the Ultim class, designed by VPLP for Team Banque populaire and skippered by Armel Le Cléac'h. Launched in October 2017, it was destroyed after capsizing during the 2018 Route du Rhum.
- Launched— 2,017
- generation_id— 887f59fb-59f1-5323-a32e-aab0bbd49afa
- Status~~active~~ lost
Source: Banque populaire IX — Wikipédia (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398
External identifier7 Oct 2026
Source: Banque populaire IX (Wikidata) (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398
External identifier7 Oct 2026
Source: Banque populaire IX (Wikidata) (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398
Identity corrected7 Oct 2026
- valid_to— 2018-11-23
- valid_from— 2017-10-30
- Flag— FR
- sponsor_org_id— 2a2e0b7f-b477-460b-8c5c-b2a24a2052db
- valid_to_precision~~year~~ day
- valid_from_precision~~year~~ day
Source: Banque populaire IX — Wikipédia (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398
New configuration7 Oct 2026
Source: Banque populaire IX — Wikipédia (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398
Designer added7 Oct 2026
Source: Banque populaire IX — Wikipédia (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398
Yard work added7 Oct 2026
Source: Banque populaire IX — Wikipédia (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398
Yard work added7 Oct 2026
Source: Banque populaire IX — Wikipédia (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398
New skipper7 Oct 2026
Source: Banque populaire IX — Wikipédia (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398
Operating team7 Oct 2026
Source: Banque populaire IX — Wikipédia (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398
Sponsor7 Oct 2026
Source: Banque populaire IX — Wikipédia (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398
Event added7 Oct 2026
Source: Banque populaire IX — Wikipédia (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398
Event added7 Oct 2026
Source: Banque populaire IX — Wikipédia (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398
Event added7 Oct 2026
Source: Banque populaire IX — Wikipédia (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398
Event added7 Oct 2026
Source: Banque populaire IX — Wikipédia (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398
Image added7 Oct 2026
Source: File:Banque Populaire IX au ponton Route du Rhum 2018.jpg (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398
Page created6 Oct 2026
Source: Route du Rhum 2018 — Wikipédia (opens in a new tab) · approved by marin-be72444383bf4ef6f834c6e398

Other

Retirement causes

Year

Race

Boat name

Skipper

Result

Elapsed time

Gap to the winnerOfficial time minus the winner's, relative to the winner's time: +5 % means 5 % slower.See in the glossary

2018

Route du Rhum

Banque Populaire IX

Armel Le Cléac'h

RetiredThe boat started but did not finish the race (DNF).See in the glossary

—