The 32-metre Maxi Edmond de Rothschild offshore racing trimaran Gitana 18 has undertaken her first "flight", following the fitting of her first starboard-side hydrofoil - a Y-shaped pendulum appendage of "unprecedented dimensions" inspired by America’s Cup flying monohulls.
The yacht commenced her first runs in light conditions, with winds of between 10 and 13 knots, off the coast of Belle-Île, France, helmed by Charles Caudrelier and members of the Gitana Team.
The update comes following the yacht's first sail in March (completed as a technical test rather than a speed trial), a month after she was launched from the team’s shed in Lorient, Brittany - though the trimaran was first unveiled in early December 2025. Gitana 18 will take part in her first major sporting event, the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe, which begins on 1 November 2026.
“In the life of a boat, three months after its launch, we’re really in the phase of discovery and fine-tuning, but in my mind I’m already focused on performance and competition," said Caudrelier. "Our foils are truly the finishing touch to Gitana 18, one of the major innovations. We’ve pushed the design to the limit. These are highly technical components, unprecedented at this scale and with all the systems that it entails. These parts are arriving later than expected – we won’t hide that – but we haven’t wasted any time since the launch."
Unlike her predecessor, Gitana 18 is capable of switching from hybrid mode to 100 per cent flight, a development said to be at the forefront of a new generation of large, high-performance oceanic trimarans.
Described by the team as a “polymorphic creature”, she can adjust, deploy and retract a wide range of elements to optimise performance. Her beam measures 23 metres, with a cockpit floor of 9 square metres, a living area of 4.8 square metres, nets covering 170 square metres and an aerodynamic surface of 73 square metres.
Her newly fitted retractable Y-shaped foils are designed to provide multiple trimming options to optimise flight on every point of sail. Other features include revolutionary rudders, a redesigned central daggerboard on the central hull, and a reimagined rig with adjustable spreaders, allowing the 38-metre mast to bend and modify mainsail power – a world first at this scale.
"Everything on board is so new and different – beyond the appendages that everyone’s talking about – that this period without foils has allowed us to take things step by step, without rushing things, whether it’s getting to grips with the spreader mast or the electric steering system, or even the autopilot specially developed with WDS for this boat," Caudrelier added.
He continued: "The Route du Rhum starts in five months. The deadlines are tight; we know that, and every moment counts. To be in a position to win races, Gitana 17 required two years of fine-tuning. But today we can also draw on the team’s experience and expertise, and all the planning and virtual sailing carried out using the digital twin on the simulator. The coming months look set to be busy, but every day I realise what a privilege it is, thanks to our owner, Ariane de Rothschild, to be where we are."
Cyril Dardashti, director of the five-arrow team, commented on the sail: “The week has got off to a great start for us! Finally being able to carry out the boat’s first flights is another significant milestone for the team, which has been putting in a colossal amount of work for months. We were eager to experience this together. And more than the flight itself, it is the way in which this first took place that gives us a great deal of confidence for the future."
He continued: "The foils were a long time coming due to their highly complex design, but outings like Monday’s are bound to be a source of satisfaction. Gitana 18’s ambitious objective, right from the design phase, was to aim for the perfect flight. But despite the Gitana Team’s 10 years of experience in offshore sailing, it remains a daring gamble."
Concluding, Dardashti said: "On Monday, in less than 30 minutes, the crew managed to find the right mode and make the initial adjustments to achieve stable flight. It’s a process that took us nearly two years with Gitana 17… That boat led the way for 10 years; Gitana 18 is taking over in the finest possible manner."
The trimaran was designed by the Gitana design office and Team Verdier, while Florian and Michaël Quistrebert, in collaboration with the Palais de Tokyo, were responsible for her striking “monumental” livery. CDK Technologies built the platform in close cooperation with suppliers including C3 Technologies (rudders), Re Fraschini (foils), Southern Spars (mast and boom) and North Sails.
The vision for Gitana 18 followed nearly 200,000 nautical miles sailed aboard Gitana 17, with successes on the racing circuit including the Transat Jacques Vabre, Route du Rhum and the Arkéa Ultim Challenge, alongside the history of the Gitanas and the philosophy of her owners, today Ariane de Rothschild and her daughters.
As with her predecessor, Gitana 18 also serves as a floating artwork: French artists Florian and Michaël Quistrebert, assisted by graphic designer Jean-Baptiste Epron, created a composition imagined as a female epic, combining art and technology. The first sail offered the team a chance to experience the full visual impact of this new graphic signature offshore.
Ariane de Rothschild, CEO of Edmond de Rothschild and owner of the Gitana fleet, commented at the yacht's launch in February: "For 150 years, my family has expressed its passion for the sea and sailing performance through these legendary yachts, always with a spirit of innovation. The new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is the embodiment of that vision. It is bold in its architectural concept and in its artistic design, created by Florian and Michaël Quistrebert."
Gitana 18 succeeds a long line of high-performance racing trimarans, with nearly 200,000 nautical miles sailed aboard Gitana 17, including victories in the Transat Jacques Vabre, Route du Rhum and the Arkéa Ultim Challenge. She is the 28th boat in Gitana’s maritime saga, which is about to celebrate its 150th anniversary.
The port-side hydrofoil will be fitted to Gitana 18 over the next fortnight, according to the yard, following which Caudrelier will be undertaking further offshore sailing and training sessions.