Special Pos. Report episode
A special episode of Pos. Report was presented by Southern Spars and recorded from La Recouvrance in Saint-Malo, focusing on the architectural innovations of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe sailing event.Guests and their roles
The episode featured Sébastien Sainson, head of the studies department for Gitana Team, Guillaume Combescure, technical director of the Imoca Macif Santé Prévoyance, and Lionel Huetz, a naval architect at Marc Lombard Yacht Design specializing in hull and appendage design.Daily routines and boat design
The guests discussed their daily routines at the Route du Rhum village before the departure on Sunday. Sébastien Sainson explained how the Ultim Gitana 18, launched last February, was designed, including its major innovations such as rudders, rigging, and foils.Performance estimates and future designs
He estimated that the boat of Charles Caudrelier would be "at 70-80%" of its potential on the Rhum, whereas its main competitors would be "at 110%." Guillaume Combescure detailed how MerConcept has continued to evolve the Imoca Macif Santé Prévoyance of Sam Goodchild, while working on the design of the next one, expected in June.Design variations and safety improvements
Lionel Huetz discussed the different versions of Lift, the Class40s designed by Marc Lombard Yacht Design, explaining how the firm works to evolve the hull. He noted that the scope is narrower on these boats, which do not have foils, but that architects still arrive at different solutions, each design having well-identified strengths.Future plans and safety measures
The three guests detailed the solutions they are implementing to better protect the sailors and ended by discussing the future evolutions of their respective boats. The episode was broadcast on October 30, 2026.
