Offshore sailing legend Francis Joyon has reportedly capsized on Monday 2nd November, just south west of Ireland whilst competing in the vintage Multihull class in the 2026 Route du Rhum.

Joyon is widely revered in the ocean racing world and victor of the dramatic 2018 edition of the transatlantic race, where he pulled off an impressive line honours won in the Ultime IDEC Sport.

The Frenchman was sailing his classic 60-foot ORMA trimaran in the transatlantic classic when the incident occurred. The skipper is said to be safe and a rescue operation is currently underway.

The incident will serve as a stark reminder of the volatile ORMA 60 class. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, these high-octane multihulls were the undisputed darlings of offshore grand prix racing, with fiercely competitive fleets, and edge-of-the-seat speed. However, their extreme power-to-weight ratios and narrow margins for error made them notoriously precarious.

Following a succession of spectacular, high-profile capsizes and structural failures, most notably during the punishing 2002 Route du Rhum, safety concerns mounted alongside escalating campaign costs and soaring insurance premiums. By the late 2000s, sponsors and skippers had begun pulling back, leading to the class gradually fizzling out.