Alexia Barrier is still smiling, even when the fatigue in her voice is obvious. The sole woman in the ULTIM class, racing IDEC SPORT-CIC, remains one of six Ultims left in the fleet on this Route du Rhum, Destination Guadeloupe. On this morning's radio check-in, that fatigue came through, but so did something else: genuine enjoyment, a bright spot in otherwise unpredictable Atlantic weather.
This is her first solo Ultim campaign, and she says she is finding her groove.
"I feel better and better. I'm managing to find my rhythm, with quite a few transitions and manoeuvres that are pretty physical on this boat. I'm learning how not to push too hard, so I stay in one piece and above all have enough energy to get to the finish. I love sailing this boat, solo, and learning something new every day is absolutely brilliant."
Her routing has been deliberate rather than reactive. She and her routing team chose not to simply follow the fleet through the first weather front, a call she says saved her energy.
"It's a matter of choice and anticipation, because these boats are incredibly demanding, you can't let the machine get ahead of you. I'd rather be a bit slower at times to anticipate a sail change than leave it to the last minute, the way you might in a Figaro. We're a long way from Figaro mode here."
Life on board has its own soundtrack. David Bowie, the Pogues and the Red Hot Chili Peppers get her through manoeuvres, and she times jobs by the number of songs they take. Singing, though, is out.
"I don't have enough breath to sing and grind at the same time," she says. The rest of the time, if there is any, she eats and sleeps, staying ready for the next job on the handles. "Even when it's hard, even when it hurts, I don't forget to enjoy it. I love being on this road to Rome, solo, on an Ultim."
She crossed paths overnight with Corentin Horeau (MACSF) and Pierre Quiroga (WeWise), swapping a few words with Quiroga, a fellow southerner. Barrier deliberately avoids checking rankings or positions, focusing instead on the weather and the day's jobs, staying pragmatic to conserve energy.
Ahead lies a good downwind day, then three gybes to find steadier wind before finally turning south, with Guadeloupe starting to show itself. Conditions should stay settled until tomorrow. After that, it's back to 30 knots, helmet, lifejacket and survival suit on continuously, just to stay safe.
