Xavier Bellouard is a French owner-skipper passionate about offshore racing and offshore cruising. With his son Alexandre, they form a father-son duo sharing the same passion for fast sailing and offshore competition. Xavier embodies a modern approach to performance cruising: prioritizing the joy of speed on the water and shared experiences with crew (family and friends), rather than relentless rating optimization. This philosophy is reflected in the choice of the Lift 45 Maxitude, a sailboat designed first and foremost for pleasure and comfort, yet proving to be highly competitive in regattas.
Xavier Bellouard is convinced that scow bow design (reverse bow with wide chines) represents the future of offshore racing, and chose Marc Lombard Yacht Design Group to bring this vision to life on a 45-foot sailboat. Since Maxitude’s launch in May 2025, Xavier and Alexandre have logged over 12,000 nautical miles in 8 months, competing in prestigious regattas (Armen Race, Rolex Fastnet Race, Rolex Middle Sea Race, RORC Transatlantic Race) with strong results. Their approach emphasizes crew sailing, shared speed enjoyment, and exploring new destinations, perfectly embodying the cruiser-racer spirit of the Lift 45.
Maxitude achievements (2025-2026)
Rolex Fastnet Race 2025 : 7th place IRC1
Rolex Middle Sea Race 2025 : Participation
RORC Transatlantic Race 2026 : 3rd place IRC1, 4th overall, speed record 21.7 knots
