Arnaud Boissières crossed the finish line in Les Sables d’Olonne on Thursday morning, securing seventh place in the Vendée Arctique after 10 days, 13 hours and 12 minutes at sea. The French skipper piloted his IMOCA, April Marine, across 3,115 nautical miles at an average speed of 12.3 knots, finishing nearly two days behind race leader Sam Goodchild.
For Boissières, the result represented vindication. He had competed in the previous Vendée Arctique edition four years earlier but was forced to abandon after battling a severe depression for over 24 hours, compounded by a cascade of breakdowns. This time he came armed with the ex-Guyot Environnement foiler, renamed April Marine in search of a co-sponsor, and approached the race with measured expectations. The northern waters could prove brutal. He held sixth position until Scotland before Nico d’Estais slipped past him, but Boissières held that seventh slot to the finish.
What made the passage north was the quality of the sailing itself. Running the boat cleanly required constant attention, but the IMOCA revealed genuine potential in the heavy conditions on the return leg. Boissières never fired the race engine, relying instead on hydrogen fuel cells and solar panels, a choice that feels substantial in an era when offshore racing grapples with its environmental footprint.
“You don’t have many chances to sail that far north,” Boissières reflected after finishing. “The sky up there is threatening, turbulent. There are countless islands that feel majestic and wild. We even spotted some charter boats, so we’re not the only crazy people out there.”
His approach to the race reflected his temperament. Rather than chase positions aggressively, he focused on learning the boat and pushing hard when conditions warranted it. When heavy wind and rough seas arrived on the return journey, the April Marine’s foiling capabilities became apparent. That discovery alone justified the effort. Boissières characterised the race as initiatoric, a necessary step toward qualification for the Vendée Globe in 2028.
What set him apart was his ability to hold onto humour throughout. When crossing the Arctic Circle, he posted a video of himself in underwear, claiming he was “dressed as a polar bear” before presenting a jar of Nutella to the ocean as an “offering.” It was silly, but it captured something true: Boissières sailed with genuine joy, not just ambition. Every objective he’d set when leaving port had been met. The boat had proven itself. He’d sharpened his skills. The next step toward the southern ocean was already in view.
