What a feeling of euphoria to stand on the deck of a trimaran at full speed, carried by the wind, in the heart of the sea off the coast of Monaco. A few days earlier, we had embarked on an extraordinary adventure during the Monaco Yacht Show, alongside Richard Mille and The Famous Project, an all-female crew aiming this year for the Jules Verne Trophy. Throughout our stay, we immersed ourselves in a world as demanding as it is inspiring, driven by collective energy and a desire to make sailing history while challenging norms and changing mindsets. A timeless interlude, at the crossroads of performance, dreams, and commitment.
Since its beginnings, Richard Mille has established itself as a distinctive player in the world of sport, blending fine watchmaking with exceptional performance. By combining innovative materials with advanced techniques, the brand continues to push the boundaries of what is possible. Present on Formula 1 circuits, tennis courts, and the most exclusive golf courses, the brand supports elite athletes. Today, Richard Mille continues its pursuit of excellence by partnering with renowned sailor Alexia Barrier, the founder of The Famous Project. Beyond a sporting challenge, this project is a true maritime epic, one that has never been accomplished before.
The Famous Project brings together an all-female crew of ten sailors, a world first on a 32-meter maxi trimaran. Led by Alexia Barrier, they will attempt to set a women’s reference time for this non stop, unassisted round the world sailing route, and perhaps even break the current Jules Verne Trophy speed record. It is a colossal challenge, but well within reach for Alexia, who has been a skipper for over twenty years, with a record of 18 transatlantic races, including 5 solo, a finish in the 2020 Vendée Globe, and more than 200’000 nautical miles sailed. To take on this challenge, Alexia and her teammates will sail aboard the Ultim Idec Sport, the fastest maxi trimaran in the world, on which Francis Joyon set the Jules Verne Trophy record in 2017 in 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds.
As the days went by, we came to understand that The Famous Project goes far beyond a simple sporting challenge. It is a total commitment, almost spiritual, to the ocean, to the team, and to oneself. On board, daily life demands discipline, focus, and constant adaptability. There is talk of weather, strategy, endurance, and group dynamics. But also trust, resilience, and the precious ability to reinvent oneself in the face of the unexpected. Always driven by the firm desire to shift boundaries and challenge perceptions, by showing that gender is in no way a limit to performance. “This pioneering project aims to open new perspectives for women in sailing while changing the way their true abilities are perceived,” says Alexia Barrier.
This experience shared with Richard Mille and The Famous Project far exceeds the scope of an event and reflects the resolutely forward thinking vision of the watchmaking house. A highlight of our stay was undoubtedly the outing at sea with Alexia and her crew. Far from the bustle and docks of the Monaco Yacht Show, we tasted the raw sensation of the wind, the precision of the steering, the adrenaline of maneuvers. On the water, words become superfluous: the body takes over, the mind recenters. This immersion allowed us to grasp, if only for a moment, the intensity of their everyday lives. An invitation to realize that behind every achievement lies an extraordinary inner strength, the one that drives us to keep moving forward, no matter the winds or the tides.
