CLS Provider for the Arkea Ultim Challenge

CLS improves the safety of major ocean races thanks to its expertise in detecting icebergs from space and its ability to understand their drift. Some major races have trusted CLS to help skippers identify iceberg hazards.

Vendée Globe, Jules Verne Trophy, Barcelona and now the ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE, the management of the biggest ocean races have put their trust in CLS to detect ice threatening the competitors’ route and to build together the famous exclusion zone which, based on the expertise of our satellite image analysts, defines the limit that must not be crossed to avoid icebergs.

Sailing through the roaring forties and howling fifties in the heart of the Southern Ocean is a major challenge. The Antarctic and the 3 capes of the Deep South are areas prone to the formation of sea ice.

This is where CLS’s expertise comes into play, providing high-resolution satellite data to detect icebergs threatening the competitors’ progress and calculating their trajectory and displacement.

In partnership with race management, CLS ice experts define exclusion zones to avoid the most dangerous icebergs. These zones are updated according to ice movements linked to weather conditions and currents.

Watch the interview with Jimmy Viard, Satellite Imagery Interpretation Expert at CLS, who talks to France3 Iroise about our services for the ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE.