--- title: "Route du Rhum - Damage to Actual Ultim 4 - Anthony Marchand forced to end his participation in the Route du Rhum | Actual group" description: "A difficult decision, made this Wednesday, November 4, in consultation with Samuel Tual, President of Actual group." canonical_url: "https://www.actualgroup.com/en/group/press/route-du-rhum-destination-guadeloupe-i-damage-to-actual-ultim-4-anthony-marchand" locale: en meta: "og:description": "A difficult decision, made this Wednesday, November 4, in consultation with Samuel Tual, President of Actual group." "og:title": "Route du Rhum - Damage to Actual Ultim 4 - Anthony Marchand forced to end his participation in the Route du Rhum " --- **Press release ****· **November 4, 2026 # **Route du Rhum - Damage to Actual Ultim 4 - Anthony Marchand forced to end his participation in the Route du Rhum ** Hope lasted until the very end. But despite the immediate mobilization of the team and the investigations carried out in Galway (Ireland) on Actual Ultim 4, the conditions are not met to safely continue the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe. A difficult decision, taken this Wednesday, November 4, in consultation with Samuel Tual, President of Actual group. ## A few seconds to avoid the worst After a first day of racing that demonstrated the capabilities of both sailor and boat, Anthony was right in the fight, in third place, at nearly 40 knots. On Monday morning, some 400 miles off the tip of Brittany, Actual Ultim 4's central rudder hit an unidentified object, causing a sudden lock in the steering system. The trimaran slowed down and spun 180 degrees. Anthony found himself at the helm of a machine that had become uncontrollable, with a risk of capsizing. In these extreme circumstances, the skipper nevertheless kept his composure. In constant contact with the shore-based technical team, he managed to stabilize the situation in less than an hour and regain control of his Ultim. ## Trying everything, without compromising on safety On Tuesday around 4:30 p.m., Actual Ultim 4 reached the Irish port, where it was joined by part of the Team Actual technical team. Initial inspections were carried out before nightfall, and further investigations followed to assess the extent of the damage. However, the diagnosis revealed that the required repairs were too extensive to consider a quick restart under satisfactory conditions. Compounding this technical equation was particularly unfavorable weather, making a departure within two days unimaginable. Right up to the last moment, every solution was explored. But on November 4, Samuel Tual and Anthony Marchand jointly made the decision to withdraw. At this high level of competition, knowing when to step back when safety guarantees are no longer met is also part of the job. ## Already looking to the future In Galway, the technical crew is hard at work preparing for the return delivery trip. Two tasks being tackled simultaneously, with one single ambition: to make the most of this experience and prepare for what comes next. Because while this Route du Rhum ends prematurely, it also leaves behind valuable lessons. And above all, a 2027-2028 program that has lost none of its ambition. ### Anthony Marchand, Skipper of Actual Ultim 4 > *« Obviously, this isn't the ending I envisioned for this Route du Rhum. It’s a tough decision, but a necessary one. We also have to look at what we managed to save. All the parts are here, nothing is destroyed and everything is repairable, even if it will take time. We saved the boat and the rudder, and that’s a real success given what happened. Our project doesn't stop at one race. We have a great 2027 season ahead of us and it is by no means compromised. »* ### Samuel Tual, President of Actual group > *« Our sport is magnificent, but it pulls no punches. On Monday, Anthony faced an extremely dangerous situation. He showed remarkable composure and clarity of mind that command respect. We did everything we could to allow him to set off again, but there comes a time when you must prioritize safety and look to the future. That, too, is what top-level sport is about. I would like to warmly thank Team Actual for their dedication, as well as the 4,000 Group employees supporting this project. For 25 years, we have been involved in offshore racing because it embodies values we deeply believe in: commitment, solidarity, and resilience. Today, we are obviously very disappointed, but also proud of how Anthony and the entire team handled this challenge. »* ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.