One summer, two challenges, and a whole lot of Excess !
This summer, Excess owners added a little extra challenge to their sailing adventures: competing against other members of the tribe!
From July 1 to September 30, two challenges took place in partnership with Seanapps, our onboard connectivity solution. First, pushing the speed limits. Then, clocking up nautical miles. Two rounds, two goals and an international community ready to take on the challenge.
How did it work? You simply cast off, Seanapps automatically records your sailing data, and the leaderboard evolves as you sail.
The result : 38 participants in the Speed Challenge, followed by 30 in the Distance Challenge. And some crews clearly weren't holding back!
Round 1 – Speed Challenge: Who claimed the record ?
From July 1 to August 15, it was all about speed! Over six weeks, crews let their sailing skills do the talking. And some were clearly in no mood to slow down!
With a top speed of 17.26 knots, Massimo, aka @CommMAx, claimed first place aboard his Excess 11. An impressive performance that put him ahead of the 37 other participants.
The Speed Challenge podium :
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🥇 TOP 1 — Massimo | Italy | Excess 11 | 17.26 knots
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🥈 TOP 2 — Nicolas | France | Excess 14 | 14.80 knots
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🥉 TOP 3 — Greg | New Zealand | Excess 14 | 14.78 knots
A few figures to show just how popular the challenge was: 38 owners took part, with 15 Excess 11s, 9 Excess 13s and 14 Excess 14s on the starting line. One thing is certain: the Excess tribe brought its A-game!
Round 2 – Distance Challenge: The nautical miles are adding up !
On August 16, it was time to change course. This time, there was no need to chase top speed: the challenge was to cover as many nautical miles as possible by September 30. The focus shifted to endurance and long-distance sailing.
And it's fair to say that some crews made the most of their summer on the water. With 1,675.53 nautical miles covered, PJ, an Excess 13 owner from the United States, claimed first place. A comfortable lead over the competition!
The Distance Challenge podium:
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🥇 TOP 1: PJ | United States | Excess 13 | 1,675.53 NM
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🥈 TOP 2: Bryan | United States | Excess 13 | 1,314.08 NM
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🥉 TOP 3: James | United States | Excess 14 | 944.56 NM
For this second round, 30 catamarans took part: 9 Excess 11s, 8 Excess 13s and 13 Excess 14s.
Next stop: the 2027 Factory Tour !
The challenge may be over, but the Excess adventure continues! The top three participants in each of the two leaderboards will receive an invitation to the 2027 Factory Tour. An exclusive opportunity to go behind the scenes and discover how their catamaran is built, right here at the heart of our factory in the Vendée region of France.
Congratulations to all participants on a fantastic 2026 edition! And a big thank you to our partner Seanapps for helping make these two challenges happen.
Seanapps: Connectivity to enhance your sailing experience
Since 2022, Excess catamarans have been part of Groupe Beneteau's connected boating journey with Seanapps. Thanks to an onboard unit and its mobile app, owners can remotely monitor their boat's status, receive real-time alerts and benefit from maintenance and sailing recommendations.
