Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe 2018 Guide by OC Sport

A MESSAGE FROM HERVÉ FAVRE THIS IS GOING TO BE A MEMORABLE STAGING OF A CLASSIC RACE As co-CEO of OC Sport and President of OC Sport Pen Duick, the Anglo-French sports management company which owns and runs the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, it gives me great pleasure to welcome everyone to what promises to be a memorable edition of this great race. On this the 40th anniversary of the first staging of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, when Mike Birch led the fleet across the Atlantic to Pointe-à-Pitre, we are celebrating what has become one of the classic tests in world professional and amateur solo ocean racing. The race has always been a challenge and this edition will be no different as the skippers from France and all over the world take on the boisterous weather of the Autumn in the English Channel off Saint-Malo and then head out into the Atlantic in search of the Trade Winds – the magic carpet that takes them west to the Caribbean. Fittingly we have a record-breaking entry for this eleventh edition of the race with no less than 123 skippers registered to set sail on November 4th – on its own this is a phenomenal vote of confidence in this sporting contest. We can expect record-breaking numbers of spectators to attend the race villages in Saint-Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre and to follow the race online and through the expansive media coverage.

Finally we will all enjoy the amateur Rhum class divided for the first time into monohull and multihull divisions and featuring a total of 38 skippers, among them the great Loïck Peyron in a sistership of the boat sailed by Mike Birch to victory in 1978. I am delighted to see so many amateur sailors take up the challenge of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe and wish them all the best as they make their way westwards along our 3,542-nautical mile course. To finish I would like to thank our sponsor once again – the Région Guadeloupe - for their continuing passion for this race which has proved so successful at highlighting the charms of the Guadeloupian islands in recent years. We are particularly pleased that the Région has already decided to commit its support as title sponsor for the next race in 2022. All that remains for me is to wish all our competitors fair winds and we look forward to welcoming them on the dockside in Pointe-à-Pitre.

Hervé Favre Co-CEO of OC Sport and President of OC Sport Pen Duick

There is so much to look forward to this time round, not least what promises to be an epic battle for line honours – and perhaps even a new race record – in the Ultime multihull class. The IMOCA division – with 20 boats - looks impressive and will be exceptionally tough as always, as will the smaller multihulls of the Multi50 class which, like the Ultimes, have attracted a high quality entry of six skippers. Perhaps the most competitive and compelling of all though will be the Class40 monohulls which have taken the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe to their hearts with no less than 53 skippers entered for what will be a grueling, exciting, and intense fight for glory.

CONTENTS

Welcome

The Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe in 10 Questions

Saint-Malo

Azores Madeira

Canary GREAT Islands

CIRCLE ROUTE

1978 OLYMPUS 23 DAYS 06H 59' 35''

Dominican Republic Cap Vert

1982 ELF AQUITAINE 18 DAYS 01H 38' 00" 1986 FLEURY MICHON VIII 14 DAYS 15H 57' 15''

1990 PIERRE 1ER 14 DAYS 10H 08' 28'' 1994 PRIMAGAZ 14 DAYS 06H 28' 29''

Antilles

Ocean

1998 PRIMAGAZ 12 DAYS 08H 41' 06'' 2002 GÉANT 13 DAYS 07H 53' 2006 GITANA 7 DAYS 17H 19' 06'' 2010 GROUPAMA 9 DAYS 03H 14' 47''

The Weather

2014 BANQUE POPULAIRE VII 7 DAYS 15H 08' 32''

The Islands of Guadeloupe

Loïck Peyron

A Strong International Fleet

Ultime

Multi50

IMOCA

Class40

44 Rhum Mono

Rhum Multi

Ellen MacArthur

A Classic Race With a Rich History

The RĂŠgion Guadeloupe is stepping up its long-term involvement in the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe for the 40th anniversary of the race.

Forty years ago, Michel Etevenon created the Route du Rhum, which has gone on to become the most legendary of the single-handed transatlantic yacht races. Linking Saint-Malo in Brittany and Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe, via a course that has remained unchanged since its inception, today this race goes by the name “Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe,” thanks to the strong support from the Région Guadeloupe as exclusive major partner for the second consecutive edition. For this anniversary edition, the Région Guadeloupe wanted to step up and perpetuate its involvement in this prestigious event. Indeed, keen to form a strong association with Destination Guadeloupe, which is resolutely geared towards watersports and to this competition of international standing, the Regional Executive has chosen to put its exclusive major partnership on a long-term footing, signing up for 2018 as well as for the 2022 vintage.

This year, I was keen for the Région Guadeloupe to renew its support to five Guadeloupian skippers, who will proudly sport the colours of our islands during this competition. We wish them every success; doubtless this journey will be a memorable adventure for each and every one of them. The Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe also boosts the appeal of the region, particularly with regards to tourism, which is an unquestionable boom for our islands. In fact, expectations are high that this public investment will benefit everyone: hotels and gîtes, car or boat rental companies, shops, restaurants, artisans and those in both farming and fishing. Equally, we have high hopes in terms of tourism and this event will help us reach our objectives, which include welcoming over a million tourists a year from 2020 and creating 1,000 jobs along the way.

This significant financial investment by the Région Guadeloupe offers a chance to really shine a spotlight on our region and increase its visibility, with economic benefits equal to the indisputable potential of the islands of Guadeloupe and their inhabitants.

Moreover, the media exposure relating to the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe is unprecedented: dozens of hours of reports, interviews, images and communications which, from late October to late November, shine a spotlight on Guadeloupe, its lands and its inhabitants.

Indeed, much more than a sports event with global reach, the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe is a genuine vehicle for economic development for our islands, which has as much to do with developing our expertise as it has enhancing the appeal of our archipelago to a national and international audience.

The Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe is also a vehicle for economic development for our region. The leader of this sector, the Regional authority, brings together a set of protagonists around several projects targeting the promotion of our services and our products, which extend well beyond our coastline to national and international horizons.

Over the years, this race has managed to establish its reputation in France and around the world, boasting an ever-expanding contingent of overseas skippers. Indeed, participation in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe is increasingly prized, judging by the 123 entries for this 11th edition.

Ary Chalus President of the Région Guadeloupe

It is also a popular forum, gathering together millions of loyal visitors in the race villages at the start in Saint-Malo and at the finish in Guadeloupe. As such, the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe is a fine opportunity for the Région Guadeloupe to demonstrate its commitment to the development of sport and the whole of the region’s watersports industry in particular. A scheme already reaping rewards is the Regional authorities creation of Guadeloupe Grand-Large. This is a structure designed to train future offshore racing skippers and yachting professionals, that has enabled five local skippers to defend our colours in the last Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe.

When was the first race held? In 1978 and it was won by the Canadian sailor Mike Birch who finished just 98 seconds ahead of second-placed Michael Malinowsky after 23 days, six hours and 58 minutes at sea. In that race the French sailor Alain Colas was lost overboard. Why does it go to from Saint-Malo to Guadeloupe? Well Saint-Malo is a classic Brittany port much loved by France’s offshore racing community – and Britain’s Alex Thomson among other sailors - and Guadeloupe is a French Caribbean island group that is treated as a Department of France. What makes this race special? It’s always a great atmosphere in Saint-Malo with the promise of a Caribbean finish awaiting the sailors, just as the weather starts to turn colder in Europe. The early phases often see rough weather associated with Atlantic depressions before the skippers settle into a fast downwind ride in the Trade Winds. The finish is amongst the most atmospheric in professional sailing when the skippers arrive for party time in Pointe-à-Pitre. How long is the course? The nominal length is around 3,542 nautical miles but skippers will often sail further, especially if the start is to windward across the northern fringes of the Bay of Biscay. Do French sailors always win it? Mostly but not always. As we have seen Mike Birch is Canadian and Laurent Bourgnon of Switzerland won the race in 1994 and 1998. Another non-French winner was Britain’s Dame Ellen MacArthur who won the IMOCA division in 2002 with her fellow countryman Mike Golding finishing second. How many boats take part? The race has grown over the years but not always in a linear progression. In 1978 there were 38 entries, increasing to 52 entries in 1982. The lowest entry was 1994 when just 24 boats took the start line but the field has been expanding ever since with 87 boats in 2010, 91 in 2014 and now a whopping 123 in 2018.

Who holds the record the for the fastest race time? The fastest time has steadily come down over the years as boats have got faster, stronger and lighter. While Mike Birch reached Pointe-à-Pitre after 23 days, Loïck Peyron sailing the big trimaran Banque Populaire VII got to the finish after just seven days, 15 hours, eight minutes and 32 seconds in 2014, setting the current course record. How do the classes work? Well, there are six classes in total. The race started with one class of multihulls – now known as the Ultime class. But since 2002 there has also been a class of IMOCA monohulls, that contest the Vendée Globe solo round-the-world race two years after the Route du Rhum, and a 50ft division of multihulls called the Multi50 class. In 2006 the Class40 monohull fleet was admitted and then in 2010 an amateur “Rhum” class was introduced. This year, for the first time, the Rhum division is being split into two for monohulls and multihulls. Where’s the excitement going to come from this time round? With a record-breaking fleet taking part, the start off Saint-Malo is sure to be spectacular. Then we are set for a battle royal in the six-strong Ultime class that features the biggest and fastest multihulls on the planet that can cover more than 850 miles in a day. The IMOCA division is going to be tasty too with more than 20 boats lining up, while the Class40 division looks very interesting indeed with no less than 53 skippers vying for glory. So who should I look out for? There are so many talented skippers in this one, but here are a few names to start with. In the Ultimes, François Gabart is the superstar after setting an astonishing new solo round-the-world record last year of just 42 days. In the IMOCA fleet, his fellow countryman Jérémie Beyou will be worth keeping any eye on in his new Charal foiler – is this the boat to take him to victory not just in Guadeloupe but in the 2020 Vendée Globe? In the Class40 division the French skipper Yoann Richomme has the newest boat in the fleet but Britain’s Phil Sharp – a previous winner of this race – and his rival and fellow countryman Sam Goodchild will be looking to give him a run for his money.

Spanning 3,542 miles between Saint-Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre in November, the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe offers up a variety of weather scenarios. These are broken down into three sets by Cyrille Duchesne, race weather expert for Météo Consult, partner to the single-handed transatlantic race.

Azores Madeira

Canary GREAT Islands

CIRCLE ROUTE

1978 OLYMPUS 23 DAYS 06H 59' 35''

Dominican Republic Cap Vert

1982 ELF AQUITAINE 18 DAYS 01H 38' 00" 1986 FLEURY MICHON VIII 14 DAYS 15H 57' 15'' 1990 PIERRE 1ER 14 DAYS 10H 08' 28'' 1994 PRIMAGAZ 14 DAYS 06H 28' 29''

Antilles

Ocean

1998 PRIMAGAZ 12 DAYS 08H 41' 06'' 2002 GÉANT 13 DAYS 07H 53' 2006 GITANA 7 DAYS 17H 19' 06'' 2010 GROUPAMA 9 DAYS 03H 14' 47'' 2014 BANQUE POPULAIRE VII 7 DAYS 15H 08' 32''

Between a disturbed westerly breeze and the Azores High

The trade wind route isn’t always that gentle

“In November, the atmospheric circulation is generally disturbed in the English Channel and then in the Bay of Biscay under the influence of an offshore westerly breeze. In general, the Azores High is not positioned as far north as in the summer, to the extent that it no longer generates a ridge of high pressure extending out towards the Bay of Biscay, instead tending to retreat towards the Azores. As such, in 70-80% of cases, we experience W to SW’ly breezes, with low pressure systems rolling around the north of the Atlantic.

Once you’ve rounded Cape Finisterre and the Bay of Biscay is behind you, the major challenge is to work out at which latitude you’ll be able to hook up with the trade wind, as it all depends on the position of the famous Azores High: if it’s in its average position for this time of year, over the Azores that is, you generally hook up with the trade wind fairly quickly from Madeira or between Madeira and the Canaries. However, if the zone of high pressure is positioned further south, the trade wind will in turn be a long way south, between the Canaries and Cape Verde.

This often generates SSW’ly winds in front of the disturbances, alternating with WNW’ly winds off the back of the cold fronts, with some rougher conditions as the cold front rolls through: if the low pressure systems push further over towards the British Isles, we have to make our way along the edge of these low pressure systems, so this generates quite strong winds. However, if the low pressure systems remain further north towards Iceland, the disturbances tend to disperse more resulting in less steady winds.

From that point, three options become apparent: • The first consists of rounding to the north of the Azores High. The advantages: it’s the most direct route and you make the most of the Atlantic disturbances, which translate as steady breeze. The disadvantages: it’s predominantly upwind resulting in tougher sailing conditions, and there’s a risk of latching onto lighter wind when you drop down to hunt out the trade wind. • The second option, in contrast to the first, is to hunt down the trade wind to the south. The risk here is that you may have a lot further to sail, especially if you drop a long way south. However, the upshot of this is that once you do hook onto the trade wind, you benefit from a steadier breeze, which we refer to as the deep trade wind that enables you to belt across the Atlantic. • The third option is a central route, with a southerly course at the start but slightly less of a detour and a moderate trade wind.

Two other scenarios, though less frequent at this time of year, are possible: we can end up on the edge of a zone of high pressure sprawling between the British Isles and the North Sea, which whips up a NE’ly wind equating to more favourable conditions for the start, enabling the fleet to exit both the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay pretty sharpish. The other scenario, which is even less frequent, is an Azores High positioned further north, like it was in the summer, with milder conditions and a ridge of high pressure that cuts off the southerly route in the Bay of Biscay, forcing the sailors to round to the north of it.

The aim then is to find a balance between course/speed, the choice often being made fairly quickly offshore of Portugal.

Whatever the configuration, the opening gambit in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe is often decisive, the sailors having to constantly find a compromise between going fast to ensure they’re the first to hook onto the trade winds and coping the best they can with what may be a disturbed weather situation and hence likely to cause breakage if they end up in very rough conditions.

After that, we sometimes have a tendency to think of the trade wind as a fairly stable, constant breeze throughout the Atlantic crossing, which certainly is not the case: the trade wind is a breeze that can vary a huge amount in terms of strength and direction. Though there are around 15-20 knots of NE’ly wind on average, it can pick up to 35-40 knots if there’s instability. The reverse of this

can also occur where the trade wind effectively drops away resulting in less pressure and small transition zones with no wind, particularly so between the Azores High and the Bermuda High. As such, your sailing must be coloured by the mood of the trade wind at the time. The sea state will also come into play. Indeed, when you have fairly deep low pressure systems in the Atlantic this can generate cross seas with, on the one hand, a NW’ly swell due to these low pressure systems, that extends quite far south, and on the other a sea picked up by the NE’ly trade wind. It’s pretty uncomfortable.

Instability in the squalls As you approach the West Indies, you generally experience increased instability, because you’re further from the zone of high pressure and you’re closing on the intertropical convergence zone (the doldrums), which is a vast zone of low pressure with less wind and greater instability. This is translated as zones of squalls, either isolated or in more organised lines, which we refer to as Easterly waves, which gives rise to significant fluctuations in the wind when traversing this area. This requires the utmost vigilance from the sailors, together with lots of manœuvres and sail trimming. When it comes down to more isolated squalls, these too require clever negotiation as they sometimes involve a dramatic increase in wind strength on approaching the squall and then, off the back of that, zones of calm where you can come to a complete standstill. The sailor’s experience and observation will help him or her traverse these storm clouds, which can be observed from some distance. Around the Antilles arc, you have to be able to negotiate the wind shadows created by the islands or, the reverse of that, deal with the wind picking up between the two islands. Essentially, you need to know where to go to avoid getting caught out. To finish off, the east-about circumnavigation of Guadeloupe is often laboured, in the wind shadow of La Soufrière volcano, and generally involves a fair amount of nervous and physical tension. As a result, the finish is often pretty heavy going until the moment of deliverance and the entrance to the Canal des Saintes”.

SAINT-MALO

40 YEARS OF THE ROUTE DU RHUM AT SAINT-MALO Every year Saint-Malo stages a rich pallet of great events, but our city really reaches a different level of excitement every four years with the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe. In 2014, there were 800,000 visitors who toured the official race village during the 10 days that is was open. Now Saint-Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe are celebrating 40 years of the race and the happy relationship that has developed between the two cities, intertwined by the race and all its challenges. Before the start it is a majestic sight to see all of the masts, the shimmer of the water on the hulls and the excitement on the pontoons. It is a unique atmosphere that makes it a beautiful and popular festival on the quays, all ramping up to the big day – the departure of the fleet for the race start. On this edition of the race, we will inaugurate the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe dock with plaques that commemorate previous editions and with the handprints of all the winners, which we collected when we had the chance to bring them all back together in 2014. It was a beautiful and fair tribute to the men and women who have sailed in this legendary race. 123 sailors, several thousand visitors and activities for all throughout the event, this edition of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe will, without question, be the best yet and a transatlantic race featuring all the emotions. One word sums up the event: extravagant. Claude Renolult Mayor of Saint-Malo and President of the Saint-Malo Agglomeration

40 YEARS OF ADVENTURE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOLIDARITY 40 years of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe means 40 years of adventure, technology and solidarity. We all have those memories or images of a victory, a race start or from skippers wrestling with difficult conditions. So many memories of adventures and exploits that honour Brittany. Technology is at the heart of the race and gives us the opportunity to remember that Brittany is a digital territory. But it is also a centre for the construction and engineering of these boats. Finally, we cannot talk about the race without speaking about solidarity. The cohesion between the skippers, the SNSM without which we would have no security, and all those in between who make the Route du Rhum a success including the partners, organisers and communities. As it does every four years, the Brittany region will be ready to rendezvous and be part, once again, of the Rhum adventure. Loïg Chesnais-Girard President of the regional counsel of Brittany

ULTIME MULTI50

CO MA

IMOCA

PE CH

EVENT SCHEDULE

VIEUX GRÃ&#x2030;EMENTS

Wednesday, 24 October 17:00-20:00 Village open 17:00 Mandatory presence of boats in Saint-Malo 18:00 Opening ceremony

DUGUAY-TROUIN BASIN

Thursday, 25 October 10:00-20:00 Village open gu

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Friday, 26 October 10:00-22:00 Village open

Sunday, 28 October 10:00-20:00 Village open Monday, 29 October 10:00-20:00 Village open

Saturday, 27 October 10:00-22:00 Village open 18:00-19:00 Presentation of the skippers

ZONE ANIMATIONS NAUTIQUES 4

PALAIS DU GRAND LARGE

5 6 14

QUA I

Tuesday, 30 October: 10:00-20:00 Village open

Friday, 2 November 10:00-22:00 Village open Saturday, 3 November 10:00-22:00 Village open Saturday, 3 November 08:00-17:00 Village open 14:00 Departure of the 11th edition of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe

13 9 ESPLANADE SAINT-VINCENT 10 11 OFFICE DU TOURISME

CENT

Thursday, 1 November 10:00-22:00 Village open 15:30 Blessing of the boats

HARBOUR OFFICE

SAINT-VIN

Wednesday, 31 October 10:00-20:00 Village open

TRINQUE

QUA

SAINT-MALO KEY KEY

CLASS40 CLASS40

RACE RACE VILLAGE VILLAGE

RHUM RHUM MONO MONO

ENTRY/EXIT ENTRY/EXIT POINTS POINTS

RHUM RHUM MULTI MULTI

HALLS HALLS AND AND EXHIBITORS EXHIBITORS

ENERGY ENERGY OBSERVER OBSERVER

OTHER OTHER EXHIBITORS EXHIBITORS

PEN PEN DUICK DUICK VI VI

FOOD FOOD STALLS STALLS

HALL HALL 9 9 1. CITY 1. CITY OFOF SAINT-MALO SAINT-MALO EXHIBITION EXHIBITION 14.14. 15.15. TRINQUETTE TRINQUETTE BAR BAR 2. HALL 2. HALL 1.31.3 16.16. CLASS40 CLASS40 EXHIBITION EXHIBITION 3. GUADELOUPE 3. GUADELOUPE EXHIBITION EXHIBITION 17.17. ARMOR ARMOR LUX LUX OFFICIAL OFFICIAL SHOP SHOP 4. HUGO 4. HUGO BOSS BOSS 18.18. GUADELOUPE GUADELOUPE ISLANDS ISLANDS 5. LA 5. LA MIE MIE CALINE CALINE 19.19. HALL HALL 1313 6. HALL 6. HALL 4 4 20.20. REGION REGION BRETAGNE BRETAGNE 7. OFFICIAL 7. OFFICIAL SHOP SHOP 21.21. MIX MIX BUFFET BUFFET 8. THE 8. THE RHUM RHUM BREWERY BREWERY 22.22. SUZUKI SUZUKI 9. MAIN 9. MAIN STAGE STAGE 23.23. HALL HALL 1515 10.10. RADIO RADIO FRANCE FRANCE 24.24. SODEBO SODEBO 11.11. FRANCE FRANCE TVTV 25.25. HALL HALL 1616 12.12. PARTNERS PARTNERS PAVILION PAVILION 26.26. HARBOUR HARBOUR OFFICE OFFICE 13.13. HIGHFIELD HIGHFIELD

ES ES I RA I R A RS RS C OC O VAUBAN VAUBAN BASIN BASIN

S S D ED E

I I U AU A Q Q

RLYRLY BABA TA TA

QUETTE ETTE 15 15 16 16 AI BAJ BAJ OYE OYE R R

U I SU I S - LTO- L O T IN IN S AS A AUI A I U QQ 25 25 24 24 23 23

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21 21 20 20

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INTRA-MUROS INTRA-MUROS

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ON ON WATER WATER ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES

THE ISLANDS OF GUADELOUPE So many islands, so many possibilities

Situated about 5,000 miles from the coasts of Europe, between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, the Guadeloupe Islands have been the homeland and the finish point of the transatlantic Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe since 1978. The archipelago of Guadeloupe is known for its many tourist attractions: the beauty and diversity of its landscapes, the richness of its cultural heritage and traditions, its cuisine combining tradition and modernity, its historical sites and the variety of its rhythms and sounds. Each of its five inhabited islands is a destination in itself, revealing its own natural charms and cultural attractions. From island to island, the archipelago offers the chance to enjoy unique sensations and unforgettable encounters, all in a setting of rare beauty.

Basse-Terre: Natural charm and majestic beauty The island of Basse-Terre is the largest of the archipelago and also the greenest. Mountainous and volcanic, it abounds with natural wealth. From north to south, its dense tropical forest, classified as a national park of France, is endowed with luxuriant vegetation and rare species. Its volcano "Soufriere", at 1,467 metres, is the highest peak of the Lesser Antilles. It is part of one of nine active volcanoes in this area. Its underwater nature reserve regularly witnesses the passage of cetacean colonies. Its many waterfalls and rivers, its hot springs, its banana fields, its forest canopy and its beaches amaze all lovers of nature, lovers of hiking and mountain activities.

Grand-Terre: Fascinating landscapes and extraordinary sensations The second of the two main islands, Grand-Terre is the most dynamic in terms of tourism. There are plenty of hotels, restaurants and discos but also remnants of the island’s colonial history including old distilleries and mills. The island benefits from an expansive limestone plateau where sugar cane is grown. With turquoise waters and white sand, an exceptional seabed, cliffs and landscapes, it appeals to lovers of nautical and seaside activities as well as those who just want to relax. And a historic stop not to be missed is the ACTe Memorial, the internationally recognised centre dedicated to the memory of trafficking and slavery.

Marie-Galante: An authentic Island where tradition has been honoured Also called the "big cake" because of its shape, or "the island of 100 mills," Marie-Galante, is where Guadeloupean culture is perfectly preserved, and where ancestral traditions are kept alive. Marie-Galante is known for the quality of its rums and for its music festival "Land of Blues," a hugely popular occasion. Another highlight are its white sand beaches and transparent waters. This island has an authentic charm that seduces its visitors.

The Archipelago of the Holy Sights: Panoramas of beauty Originally inhabited by Bretons and Normans, the archipelago consists of nine small islands, two of which are inhabited - Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas – which are very popular with boaters and divers who have made their mark. Known for their idyllic landscapes, colourful seabed, bright sun and panoramic views, these are idyllic harbours that rival the most beautiful bays in the world.

Desirade: A surprising story Named "Deseada", the island "so desired" by the sailors of Columbus who renamed it "Desirada" during their second voyage in November 1493, this is the first of the archipelago that often sailors pass with joy and relief after a long voyage at sea. It is also the only geological reserve of the overseas territories and the privileged land of the Amerindians from the third to the sixteenth century. It is full of many remains of national nature reserves.

SCHEDULE Friday 9 November 10:00 Opening of the village MEMORIAL ACTe 10:00 Opening of the village of the Place de la Victoire, Pointe-à-Pitre 10:00 Opening of the village of Basse-Terre Saturday 10 November ETA Estimated arrival day of Ultimes Tuesday 13 November 10:00 Estimated arrival day of Multi50s Wednesday 14 November ETA Opening of the village of the Bas du Fort Marina

Thursday 15 November ETA Estimated arrival day of IMOCAs Saturday 17 November 10:00 Parade of Ultimes, Multi50s, IMOCAs 18:00 Public award ceremony on the village stage of MEMORIAL ACTe Sunday 18 November 20:00 Closure of the village of Basse-Terre Monday 19 November ETA Estimated arrival day of Class40s ETA Estimated arrival day of Multi Rhum Tuesday 20 November ETA Estimated arrival day of Rhum Mono

Friday 23 November Pro AM Golf at Saint-François International Saturday 24 November Class40 Parade, Mono Rhum, Multi Rhum 18:00 Public award ceremony on the village stage of MEMORIAL ACTe Sunday 25 November 20:00 Closing of the villages of MEMORIAL ACTe, Marina Bas du Fort and the Place de la Victoire Friday 23 November 14:00 Closure of the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe finish line

FROM THE “BLUE GIANT” TO THE “LITTLE YELLOW” Philippe Eliès At 54, Loïck Peyron won the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe 2014 at the helm of a blue maxi-trimaran, standing in for Armel Le Cléac'h at a moment’s notice when the latter injured his hand. Now he’s returning for the 40th anniversary of the transatlantic race with his little yellow "Happy", a virtual mirror image of the trimaran "Olympus Photo" with which Mike Birch won the first edition in 1978. From a blue giant to a little yellow, the skipper from La Baule on France’s Atlantic coast is back to hunt down what he calls “conditions favouring the giddiness of uncertainty”.

Where did you find “little yellow”? “Whilst trawling the internet, I came across a miniscule photo of a small blue trimaran for sale in England. I returned to France and hopped on a ferry bound for England. I hired a car and I ended up face to face with a boat that looks absolutely nothing like she does today. There were hatches and portholes everywhere, tracks, furlers, an outboard off the back, a cut-away bow…I looked at the hull number, it was No.2. No.1 is that of Mike Birch, winner of the first edition of the Route du Rhum, which was unfortunately lost in the Atlantic in late 1978. In a panic, Walter Greene, the owner and builder made a second, then a third identical one, still made from moulded wood, save for the floats which are made from polyester. How much does a trimaran like that cost? I got in contact with the then owner, a Dutchman who was asking 60,000 euros for her. He wanted too much but I managed to negotiate him down. In February 2013, together with my friend Jean-Baptiste Le Vaillant, we relaunched the boat, changed the battery, hoisted the sails and took the helm at the dead of night, in a storm. It was a bit full-on admittedly, but we made it to the Multiplast yard in Vannes, which offered us shelter. We found ourselves alongside the maxi-catamaran ‘Orange 2’ and the maxi-trimaran ‘Sodebo’. With a group of mates, we set about stripping her back, sanding and doing her up… To cut a long story short, four months’ work and we had ‘lil’ yellow’ back in the water in the summer of 2014, ready for the Route du Rhum. I christened her ‘Happy’ because she’s sweet and makes you smile. And that’s when you got a phone call. At the other end of the line, Ronan Lucas, manager of Team Banque Populaire… I was treating myself to a little time out with my little yellow ‘Happy’ and I’d just set off on my qualifier with her, bound for Spain. I was under spinnaker in August, there was an easterly wind, I’d just said goodbye to Marie Tabarly, who was at anchor with ‘Pen Duick VI’ at Houat. A recipe for happiness! And there I was, the idiot who doesn’t turn his phone off… Offshore of Houat, my phone rings. Two miles further out and I’d have been out of range, only to return two weeks later. Ronan Lucas says to

me: ‘We’ve got a problem… and I’ve got an indecent proposal to make to you’. He tells me that Armel Le Cléac'h has injured himself, that he won’t be able to take the start of the Rhum with the maxitrimaran. Ronan asks me if I’d agree to replace him. The trimaran is the former ‘Groupama’ with which Franck Cammas won the last edition of the Rhum. And how did you reply? I say no right off the bat. I cannot. Because I’ve got 54 commissions, because I’m involved in something else with ‘Happy’, because there’s the America’s Cup and I’m under contract to Artemis. I cannot because on a physical level, the boat’s crazy. I’m familiar with this machine: six months earlier, I went sailing on her for an afternoon, just like that on a little jaunt. Ronan and I continue the conversation and I dump the sails to stay in mobile range. It had been 12 years since I’d done any single-handed multihull sailing, and in race format. In fact it was the Route du Rhum in 2002 when things went pear-shaped with ‘Fujifilm’ off of Cape Finisterre. And Ronan is insistent, telling me that the trimaran wasn’t as physical as all that. Pfff! A trimaran measuring 31.50 metres in length, 22.50 metres wide with 678m² of downwind sail area, designed to be driven by 12 guys… What made you change your mind? In our heads, we all have a little devil and a little angel. The little angel says to you: ‘you’d be completely moronic to do it.’ And the little devil replies: ‘no go on, go for it, it may be just fantastic!’ Ronan Lucas tells me he needs an answer by the following morning. So there I am on my little boat with two solutions: pure joy ahead of me or an option with massive helpings of damned trouble. What do you do? It’s some challenge, am I capable or not? I call my wife and she says to me: ‘go on, it could be great’. She sensed that I was in two minds and, personally, when I’m like that, it means it’s already a done deal. Imagine the night, alone at sea… The following morning, I call Ronan back and I say: ‘Ok, but on three conditions 1. I complete my qualifier with my little yellow trimaran. 2. I ask Artemis if they’ll agree to release me for longer than planned. 3. I do my compulsory physical tests to see if I’m in shape and I want to test out the boat for a few hours to see if I can hoist this massive mainsail’.

And the tests were conclusive… I return to La Trinité-sur-Mer after my qualifier, head to Lorient, climb into a rib setting out from the Citadel in PortLouis with the Banque Populaire team and I hide under the sail bags as the news about Armel’s injury has leaked out and the media want to know who’s replacing him. I hoist the mainsail all on my own, a 30-minute job, foaming at the mouth like a dead rat, I perform three or four manœuvres, I step off the boat, still stashed away under the sails and I tell Ronan ‘you’re on’ and while I’m at it Artemis tells me it’s ok too. At that point, all hell breaks loose. That same evening, we send out a press release and, overnight, I head off in search of my ‘little yellow’ in La Trinité to deliver her to Lorient. Once there, the switch is made from ‘lil’ yellow’ to ‘big blue’. The following day, I set off single-handed to complete my qualifier on the maxitrimaran. It’s madness, you’ve got 50 bits of string on deck, you’ve only spent two hours on board, you don’t have the instructions and you end up alone on the monster at the age of 54! But that’s what I’m passionate about, it’s my job. How did you feel when you were first across the finish line in Pointe-à-Pitre? You don’t really take it in at the time. It’s only a few days later that you begin to realise. It’s a reality that exceeded all my dreams as I wasn’t dreaming about it. It was so impossible a feat for me to pull off. I don’t do a lot of sport, I’m not a top athlete but I do have a lot of energy, with a fair amount of output. And I manage my sleep very well; it was my 50th Atlantic crossing as I’ve been doing two-a-year since I was 19. At sea, I can visualise things well and anticipate any hassles. I think they call that experience. Is it your last glassful of Rhum? Ah, that wouldn’t be a bad thing! Yes, at some point you need to call it quits with the silliness don’t you (laughs)? I believe it’s my last sip. Finishing off the Rhum like that isn’t a bad idea. Finishing in the slowest way possible (he took seven days 15 hours with the maxi-trimaran ‘Banque Populaire VII’ in 2014 and he’s reckoning 22 days with ‘Happy’) and racing a symbolic boat, that rounds off 40 years of offshore racing. I was at the start of the first one at 18 years of age but I didn’t do it and now I’m on the startline 40 years later, so it’s all good.”

A STRONG ENTRY FROM OUTSIDE FRANCE

WILL ENLIVEN THE CLASS40 AND IMOCA FLEETS IN THIS ANNIVERSARY YEAR Ed Gorman The Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe has always been a predominantly French affair – even if the first race was won by a Canadian in Mike Birch - but the 40th anniversary staging of the event features the strongest contingent of international sailors in the race’s history.

the 2008 Vendée Globe, when she finished fourth, and the 2015 Volvo Ocean Race, Davies wants to do well in what will also be her first Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe.

Among the 123 skippers taking the start at Saint-Malo for the eleventh edition of the race on November 4th will be 25 non-French sailors making up 20% of the fleet with entrants from the USA, Australia, Belgium, Britain, Finland, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and Japan.

Based in Lorient, the British skipper has taken time to get used to her boat formerly sailed by Jérémie Beyou – a VPLP-Verdier design equipped with the latest generation of foils. “You have to learn how to deal with the stress and violence of the boat,” she said. Among Sam’s rivals will be her husband – the French sailor Romain Attanasio who will be at the helm of the IMOCA, Pure-Famille Mary.

The strongest contingent is from Britain with five skippers in the Class40 fleet and two in the IMOCA division. In the IMOCAs the British challenge is led by Alex Thomson, the runner-up in the last Vendée Globe, who will be racing in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe for the first time. The stampede to Pointe-à-Pitre will be his final outing for his current Hugo Boss before his new boat hits the water next year.

The British contingent in Class40s is powerful with two skippers in Phil Sharp and Sam Goodchild who should be in contention to win this huge division of more than 50 boats. Sharp at the helm of Imerys Clean Energy brings an impressive record to the startline, having won this race in Class40s in 2006 and finished third in the class in both The Transat bakerly in 2016 and the Transat Jacques Vabre in 2017.

Also taking the fast route to Guadeloupe on a foiling flyer will be Thomson’s fellow countrywoman Sam Davies at the helm of Initiatives Coeur. Now 44-years-old, the veteran of

But Sharp is under no illusions about how tough this contest is going to be. “The level has greatly evolved,” said the Briton who is now based in La Rochelle. “The standard of competition

promises to be very high and there are more than 50 boats so you might even say it is shaping up to be an extraordinary challenge.” Sharp has proven he is a determined competitor who will keep hard driving against all odds. Goodchild too is an impressive sailor with an enviable record and a decent boat (a Mach40). “Single-handed sailing is what really gets me fired up, but I’ve tried as many other things as possible to rack up the maximum variety of experience,” said Goodchild, who is from Falmouth but spends much of his time in Lorient. He will be going for the podium. “There are no excuses – my goal is to reach Guadeloupe with no regrets.” There are two American skippers in the race, both in the Class40 fleet. John Niewenhous in Loose Fish is a professional pilot who at 60 is relatively new to solo ocean racing. His goal is to get to Pointe-à-Pitre in one piece and inside the top-23% of the fleet. His fellow American in the class is Michael Hennesy on Dragon, an Owen Clarke design launched in 2008. Hennesy is the Class40 representative in the States and holds down an important role in banking when not on the water. “My goals?” he asked. “The first is to make it to the startline and the second is to make it to the finish line. Between the two, I hope to sail an honourable race.” There is only one Swede in this nautical contest and it is Mikael Ryking on Talanta. The 47-year-old from Stockholm has been sailing all his life having started in Optimists at six. But after a successful career in the telecommunications industry he was looking for a new challenge and found it in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. “I was one of the best in my field but I’d got to the point where I didn’t really feel like it was challenging me any more,” he said. “I lacked inspiration and energy so I decided to turn my life around and participate in the most spectacular races on the planet.” Self-funded, Ryking will be looking to make a respectable passage to the Caribbean. “It’s not easy, but I’m heading in the right direction,” he said.

Also with one entrant is Japan but Hiroshi Kitada has the benefit of considerable experience in this field. He is a veteran of the Rolex Fastnet Race in 2017, the Transat QuebecSaint-Malo in 2016 and The Transat bakerly in 2016 when he finished seventh in Class40s. Based in Lorient but hailing from Aomori in Japan, the 54-year-old company director first discovered sailing when he was looking for a little wooden boat to put in his swimming pool. After sailing single-handed in a Mini6.50 and then a Pogo S3, he stepped up to Class40. “Initially I introduced myself as a 51-year-old beginner,” he said. “Today I am three years older,” added Kitada who explained that he first got to grips with solo offshore sailing in The Transat bakerly, a race which - like the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe - is owned and organised by OC Sport. “That’s where I learnt what offshore racing really meant,” he said. “I really love the simplicity of single-handed sailing. It’s impossible to blame someone else else if you make a mistake.” His boat, Kiho, is named by combining the initials of his wife and daughter and signifies “precious sails” in Japanese. There is a strong German contingent with three entries and two in the IMOCA fleet, among them the Franco-German sailor Isabelle Joschke on Monin. Aged 41 and also based in Lorient, Joschke has previously impressed in Class40s. Having bought Yann Elies’s VPLP-Verdier designed 60-footer, she has prepared well for her first Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. “I’ve done a lot of sailing with the aim of making the boat as accessible as possible in solo configuration,” she explained. “What matters most is that the boat sees it through on a technical level. I’ll have a bit of pressure on my shoulders as the first section may be tough, but I’m not going to pressure myself about a result as I know I’ll be flat out,” Joshke added. So there are some foreign raiders to watch out for in this Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe and, who knows, could a nonFrench sailor take the spoils in the Class40 or IMOCA fleet?

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ULTIME

These are the biggest, fastest and most dangerous racing yachts on the planet – boats which even under a solo skipper can travel more than 800 nautical miles in 24 hours. The Ultimes, previously known as “Giants,” have evolved from the late 1980s when the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe included big multihulls for the first time. Since then the boats have got bigger, lighter and faster. The Ultimes are massively sophisticated and complex machines that cost around €8-10 million to build. Given the right weather conditions they should be capable of threatening the current race record of seven days and 15 hours.

ARMEL LE CLÉAC’H

FRANCIS JOYON

FRANÇOIS GABART MACIF

Lives: Gouesnac’h, France Age: 41 Home port: Lorient Nationality: France Previous participations: 2 After winning the Vendée Globe 2016-2017, Armel Le Cléac’h is looking forward to the challenge of the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe, especially after missing out on the race four years ago due to injury which saw him replaced at the helm of the maxi solo, Banque Populaire VII by Loïck Peyron. Despite receiving his new flying trimaran in late October 2017, Armel is in a fight against the clock to ensure the boat is in tip-top condition for the start after capsizing in mid-April.

Lives: Locmariaquer, France Age: 62 Home port: La Trinité-sur-Mer Nationality: French Previous participations: 7 At 62, Francis Joyon has built up an impressive track record as a pioneer of single-handed multihull records, all of which he has held at one time or another, from the round-the-world to the North Atlantic, to the 24-hour speed record. The skipper of IDEC Sport got into offshore racing via the Route du Rhum in 1990 and has since competed in the race seven times, including a 2nd place finish in 2010.

Lives: La Forêt-Fouesnant, France Age: 35 Home port: Port-la-Forêt Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 Having won the two most prestigious races in the IMOCA class (Vendée Globe 2012 and Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe in 2014), François Gabart enjoyed equal success in the Ultime class as winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre in 2015 and The Transat Bakerly in 2016. Setting a new single-handed round-the-world record in 2017 (42 days, 16 hours), François has since given his MACIF trimaran a complete overhaul ready for the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe.

ROMAIN PILLIARD USE IT AGAIN!

SÉBASTIEN JOSSE

THOMAS COVILLE

Lives: Crac’h, France Age: 43 Home port: Lorient Nationality: France Previous participations: 0 Romain Pilliard is aware that he won’t be boxing in the same league as his prestigious rivals in the Ultime class, despite having plenty of offshore racing. Instead, his main objective is to launch the campaign to ‘reduce, reuse, recycle.’ The sailor is matching his actions to his words by using the former Castorama/B&Q with which Ellen MacArthur broke the singlehanded round-the-world record in 2005, giving the boat a second life using reconditioned materials.

Lives: Clohars-Carnoët, France Age: 43 Home port: Lorient Nationality: French Previous participations: 2 Third in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe in 2014, Sébastien Josse has experience both offshore and on a multihull, which makes him a legitimate contender for victory in Pointe-à-Pitre. His maxi, Edmond de Rothschild, was launched in 2017 and went on to finish second in the Transat Jacques Vabre, despite foil problems. The technical team has since been working to remedy these teething problems whilst Sebastien has been working on his offshore and single-handed skills.

Lives: Locmariaquer, France Age: 50 Home port: La Trinité-sur-Mer Nationality: French Previous participations: 5 Whether he is racing against the clock or against competitors, Thomas Coville has an impressive sailing CV, including breaking the single-handed round-theworld record in a multihull on Christmas Day 2016. Finishing 1st in his first Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe in 1998, Thomas has since gone on to finish third in 2006 and 2010 before an unlucky race in 2014 when the skipper of Sodebo Ultime collided with a freighter on the first night which put an end to his participation.

MAXI SOLO BANQUE POPULAIRE IX

IDEC SPORT

MAXI EDMOND DE ROTHSCHILD

SODEBO ULTIM’

MULTI50

The Multi50 class offers an entry-level group of fast multihulls that, like the Class40s, are designed to be relatively affordable, exciting to sail and capable of competing in trans-ocean races. The main rules of the class limit the overall length and beam of these catamarans and trimarans to a maximum of 50ft, the number of appendages to four while foils, canting rigs and hydraulics are forbidden. In a mainly French class that traces its roots back to the 1970s, there are still a variety of boats on the water, some custom-built and raced by professional skippers, others home built and sailed by talented amateurs.

ARMEL TRIPON RÉAUTÉ CHOCOLAT

ERWAN LE ROUX

FENÊTRÉA-MIX BUFFET

GILLES LAMIRÉ

Lives: Nantes, France Age: 43 Home port: La Trinité-sur-Mer Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 After a first participation in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe 2014, which culminated in a stellar fourth place in IMOCA, Armel Tripon is back this year in a Multi50 with real ambition. He has every intention of securing a podium finish in Pointe-à-Pitre, and his experience certainly makes him one to watch, Following victory in the Mini Transat 2003, eight years on the Figaro Bénéteau circuit and success in Class40, over the past two seasons, he’s rapidly asserted himself as a formidable client in Multi50.

Lives: Ploemel, France Age: 44 Home port: La Trinité-sur-Mer Nationality: French Previous participations: 2 Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe (in 2014), Transat Jacques Vabre (in 2009, 2011 and 2015), Tour de France à la Voile (2008, 2009 and 2014): Erwan Le Roux has a competitive background that encompasses the most prestigious races. Today, he’s unquestionably one of the stalwarts of the Multi50 class and French sailing in general. His main assets? Unfailing determination, a boat he knows inside out and more than rigorous preparation. Favourite? Most certainly.

Lives: Cancale Age: 48 Home port: Saint-Malo Nationality: French Previous participations: 3 Having won the two most prestigious races in the IMOCA class (Vendée Globe 2012 and Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe in 2014), François Gabart has enjoyed equal success in the Ultime class as winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre in 2015 and The Transat Bakerly in 2016. After setting a new single-handed round-the-world record in late 2017 (42 days, 16 hours), François has since given his MACIF trimaran a complete overhaul, ready for the 2018 edition of the race.

LALOU ROUCAYROL ARKEMA

THIBAUT VAUCHEL-CAMUS

THIERRY BOUCHARD

Lives: Saint-Vivien de Médoc, France Age: 54 Home port: Port Médoc Nationality: French Previous participations: 3 Three Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe participations and three podiums already - suffice it to say that if Lalou Roucayrol is returning to the event for a fourth time, it’s certainly not to work as an extra. Indeed, although he’s always finished in the top-three, the one place that’s escaped him so far is the top spot, and that’s precisely what he’s after this year. The 40th edition of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe will most likely be his last single-handed race in a Multi50.

Lives: La pointe du Grouin, France Age: 40 Home port: Saint-Malo Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 After finishing second in the last edition of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe in Class40, Thibaut VauchelCamus is back, this time in the latest Multi50 creation. Launched back in January, and carrying a message of hope that “Together we can defeat multiple sclerosis”, the boat has already proven she’s got guts and that her skipper has quickly got her in hand judging by her performance in the pre-season events and aims to make the podium.

Lives: Sanary-sur-Mer, France Age: 59 Home port: La Seyne-sur-Mer Nationality: French Previous participations: 2 A motorcycle, mountain bike, and offshore racing fanatic, Thierry Bouchard is an avid adventure sportsman who loves competition. On the water, he has 10 Tour de France à la Voile races to his credit, eight transatlantic races, six wins in SNIM on a Mumm 30, as well as World No.2 in Class40. Already proven on multiple occasions on a monohull, he now very much hopes to demonstrate the same skill on a multihull during this Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe.

SOLIDAIRES EN PELOTON-ARSEP

LA FRENCH TECH RENNES SAINT-MALO

CIELA VILLAGE

IMocA

Originally called the Open 60 class – now named IMOCA after the International Monohull Open Class Association – these iconic speed machines have been the mainstay of professional monohull solo ocean racing since the mid-1980s. IMOCAs are elegant, fast and light, using carbon materials with all the latest models now incorporating foils. But they are also rugged racing machines that have to be capable of not only completing the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe but also the Vendée Globe solo round-the-world race. IMOCAs are governed by a box rule that limits key parameters and sets safety standards, such as a minimum stability requirement. But over the years the boats have become steadily more radical… and faster.

ALAN ROURA LA FABRIQUE

ALEX THOMSON HUGO BOSS

ALEXIA BARRIER 4MYPLANET

Lives: Lorient, France Age: 25 Home port: Lorient Nationality: Swiss Previous participations: 1 Originally from Geneva, Alan Roura was immersed in offshore sailing from an early age by a family who took him on a long-haul passage around the world at the tender age of eight and he competed in his first Mini-Transat having just turned 20. Three years later, at 23, he became the youngest sailor to complete the Vendée Globe, securing 12th place. That feat didn’t go unnoticed and he has high hopes for his new 60-footer that was equipped with foils in the first half of 2018.

Lives: Gosport, England Age: 44 Home port: Gosport Nationality: British Previous participations: 0 He has taken the start of eight round the world races, completing four and he’s twice finished second in the Transat Jacques Vabre and yet Alex Thomson has never before competed in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. He’ll unquestionably be one of the firm favourites for victory in Guadeloupe with 20 years’ experience of offshore racing, plus he’ll be at the helm of one of the most high-performance 60-footers in the fleet, on which he secured second place in the last Vendée Globe.

Lives: Biot, France Age: 38 Home port: Antibes Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Alexia Barrier has long been a part of the offshore racing scene with one objective in mind: the Vendée Globe. The dream is about to become a reality for the sailor, who has a pool of partners around her enabling her to acquire the legendary IMOCA Pingouin. Supported by the association 4myplanet, she will carry out a scientific observation mission for Côte d’Azur University, alongside an educational programme with the towns of Antibes and Biot, to increase awareness about ocean preservation.

ARI HUUSELA ARIEL II

ARNAUD BOISSIÈRES

BORIS HERRMANN

Lives: Helsinki, Finland Age: 56 Home port: Helsinki Nationality: Finnish Previous participations: 1 Generally found at the controls of a Finnair Airbus A350 measuring over 70 metres long, Ari Huusela will be somewhat closer to the waves when he competes on an 18-metre IMOCA. The experienced Finn discovered his passion for sailing at the age of 24. Having first competed in the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe in 2014, Huusela took possession of his new IMOCA in April. As such he can confidently attack the Rhum as the only representative of the Nordic countries in the fleet.

Lives: Les Sables d’Olonne, France Age: 46 Home port: Les Sables d’Olonne Nationality: French Previous participations: 2 Having completed three consecutive Vendée Globes as well as a whole host of transatlantic passages, Arnaud Boissières can pride himself on having racked up one of the greatest mileages in IMOCA. For his third participation in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, the skipper of La Mie Câline Artipôle is taking the helm of a new 60-footer and has spent the last six months adapting his steed with her new foils.

Lives: Hamburg, Germany/Monaco Age: 37 Home port: Monaco Nationality: German Previous participations: 0 Fascinated by the ocean since childhood, Hermann has competed in the MiniTransat, won a double-handed round the world race in Class40, completed a Barcelona World Race, then another circumnavigation of the globe during Francis Joyon’s first Jules Verne Trophy attempt, before launching a Vendée Globe campaign for 2020. He aims to finish in the top third of the fleet in his first Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, on the highly reliable ex-Gitana, a 2015 foiler.

LA MIE CÂLINE ARTIPÔLE

MALIZIA II-YACHT CLUB DE MONACO

DAMIEN SEGUIN GROUPE APICIL

ERIK NIGON

VERS UN MONDE SANS SIDA

FABRICE AMEDEO

Lives: Auray, France Age: 39 Home port: Port-la-Forêt/La Trinité-sur-Mer Nationality: French Previous participations: 2 For his third consecutive participation in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe (the first two in Class40), thanks to the support of his partner Groupe APICIL, Damien Seguin will be setting sail on an IMOCA. As well as putting in a competitive performance, the double Paralympic champion who was born with no right hand, is promoting the Des Pieds et des Mains association, which he founded in 2006. His objective – to change perceptions and show that disabilities don’t have to hold you back.

Lives: Paris, France Age: 51 Home port: La Rochelle Nationality: French Previous participations: 2 Erik Nigon is one of the rare amateurs competing in the IMOCA in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. “100 % amateur”, he confirms, albeit an informed amateur, since this executive from AXA’s IT department has been racing offshore for 15 years having ticked off the Figaro Bénéteau, Class40 and Multi50 categories, before launching into IMOCA with a Vendée Globe project prompted by the desire to “go full circle”. He also champions the fight to combat AIDS.

Lives: Levallois-Perret, France Age: 40 Home port: La Trinité-sur-Mer Nationality: French Previous participations: 2 A former journalist who competed in the last Vendée Globe, Fabrice Amedeo has laid down his quill to pull on his foulies as a full-time skipper. Racing the former No Way Back, a 2015 generation foiler, he launched his new machine in early April which equates to almost an eightmonth preparation for the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. As such, must we conclude that he is to be viewed as a serious outsider, or maybe more, between Saint-Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre?

ISABELLE JOSCHKE MONIN

JÉRÉMIE BEYOU CHARAL

LOUIS BURTON BUREAU VALLÉE

Lives: Larmor-Plage Age: 42 Home port: Lorient Nationality: French Previous participations: 2 With the August launch of his Charal, the only very latest generation IMOCA, specially designed around foils, Jérémie Beyou will be one of the star attractions of the race. A born competitor, he will be keen to “continue on a roll” that has been coloured by his success in the New York-Vendée 2016, his third place in the last Vendée Globe and his victory in June in the Volvo Ocean Race. Due to the youthfulness of his boat, Beyou doesn’t consider himself to be a potential favourite – even if everyone else does.

Lives: Saint-Malo, France Age: 33 Home port: St-Malo Nationality: French Previous participations: 2 Tiptoeing into the world of offshore racing, Louis Burton has managed to carve out a wake in Saint-Malo, where he’s now settled after leaving his Parisian roots. Indeed, after starting out in the Class40, thanks to the support of Bureau Vallée he very quickly switched over to IMOCA, where he was the youngest skipper at the start of the Vendée Globe 2012. He has now purchased the former Banque Populaire foiler, which he took possession of in April 2017. A contender for the podium, Burton is one to watch.

Lives: Lorient, France Age: 41 Home port: Lorient Nationality: French-German Previous participations: 0 Isabelle Joschke was in her twenties before she developed a real passion for sailing thanks to a training session at the famous Glénan Islands. After becoming a professional skipper, she competed in the Mini-Transat 2005, which was the starting point in a journey that has taken her to the Figaro Bénéteau, the Class40 and now IMOCA in the colours of Monin. She’ll also be promoting Horizon Mixité association, created in 2012, whose objective is to promote the mixing of the sexes across all areas of society, not just sailing.

NEWREST-ART ET FENÊTRES

PAUL MEILHAT SMA

ROMAIN ATTANASIO

Lives: Les Sables d’Olonne, France Age: 50 Home port: Les Sables d’Olonne Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 For a long time, Manuel Cousin reconciled his professional occupation (Sales Executive at Toyota) and a passion for racing, which quickly stretched from round-the-cans racing to offshore racing, with several Atlantic crossings to his credit. In 2017 he became a full-time skipper having begun a Vendée Globe project with the Groupe Setin, at the helm of a Farrdesign IMOCA launched in 2007 for JeanPierre Dick. At 50, he says competing in his first Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe is a “dream come true.”

Lives: Lorient, France Age: 36 Home port: Port-la-Forêt Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Winner of the first two races of the season in IMOCA, Paul Meilhat has demonstrated that, despite competing on a boat (winner of the Vendée Globe 2012 and the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe 2014) that is less powerful than the 2015 generation foilers, its reliability and his thorough understanding of his steed are key when aiming for a spot on the podium in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. He started offshore racing in 2008 and is a real talent, guided by Michel Desjoyeaux and partnered by SMA.

Lives: Trégunc, France Age: 41 Home port: Port-la-Forêt Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Having passed 40, Romain Attanasio is taking the start of his first Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe. The skipper of PURE–Famille Mary has gone from the Mini to IMOCA, via a stint of over 10 years on the Figaro Bénéteau circuit. In 2017 he completed his first Vendée Globe finishing in 15th place. Since then, he has set sail again on a new more high-performance 60-foot campaign, a Farr design that has notably passed through the hands of Loïck Peyron and Fabrice Amedeo.

SAM DAVIES INITIATIVES CŒUR

STÉPHANE LE DIRAISON

Lives: Trégunc, France Age: 44 Home port: Lorient Nationality: British Previous participations: 0 Introduced to the French through the Vendée Globe 2008, Sam Davies is attacking her first Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe and is keen to perform well and to “brave the ocean to save children,” a leitmotif of Mécénat-Chirurgie Cardiaque (Heart Surgery Sponsorship), which she is supporting with her partners. Davies hasn’t competed in a major single-handed race since 2012, and as such has taken on an extensive training programme to tame her VPLP-Verdier design, equipped with foils by her previous skipper, Jérémie Beyou.

VINCENT RIOU PRB

Lives: Boulogne-Billancourt, France Age: 42 Home port: Lorient Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 After a first Vendée Globe interrupted at the halfway mark (dismasting), Stéphane Le Diraison has relaunched another campaign, which will further anchor this talented sailor in the offshore racing landscape. He has worked particularly hard on the preparation of his second Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, heading offshore for repeated singlehanded sessions since the re-launch of his boat equipped with a new mast in early May. His target? A top-10 finish.

Lives: Loctudy, France Age: 46 Home port: Port-la-Forêt Nationality: French Previous participations: 3 For his fourth consecutive participation in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, Vincent Riou hopes to break with a certain curse that has accompanied him in the queen of transatlantic races with two retirements and one 5th place, the event hasn’t smiled on him so far. However, there’s no question of him giving up and so it is with renewed motivation and the same loyal partner, PRB, that the winner of the Vendée Globe 2004 is tackling this 2018 edition.

MANUEL COUSIN GROUPE SÉTIN

TIME FOR OCEAN

PURE – FAMILLE MARY

YANN ELIÈS UCAR-SAINT-MICHEL

YANNICK BESTAVEN

Lives: Auray, France Age: 44 Home port: Lorient Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 A complete all-rounder, able to excel on a one-design (triple winner of the Solitaire du Figaro) on one or several hulls (Transat Jacques Vabre wins in IMOCA and Multi50, plus two Jules Verne Trophy victories), Yann Eliès has only competed in the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe once before on a MOD70. This time, he’s setting sail on the same IMOCA that took him to victory in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2017 and he is one of the hot favourites who says he is, “in it to win it.”

Lives: La Rochelle, France Age: 45 Home port: La Rochelle Nationality: French Previous participations: 2 At 45, Yannick Bestaven boasts a solid track record, including victory in the Mini-Transat, and notably two victories in Class40 in the Transat Jacques Vabre in 2011 and 2015. An engineering graduate to whom we owe the development of hydro-generators on a number of race boats, he is now carving out a future in IMOCA with a project for a Vendée Globe that kicked off last summer. Hence the fairly short training time for the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe aboard Vincent Riou’s former PRB 3.

The Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe is the second stage of the IMOCA Globe Series 2018-21. The legendary solo transatlantic race is a major component of the championship which includes seven qualifying events for the Vendée Globe 2020-21. The IMOCA Globe Series winner will be crowned World Ocean Racing Champion.

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Photo credit: Alex Thomson Racing

THOMSON AIMS FOR FIRST IMOCA WIN IN ROUTE DU RHUM-DESTINATION GUADELOUPE Ed Gorman Alex Thomson has been around in professional solo ocean racing for many years, so it is hard to believe that he has not yet managed to compete in the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe, but now he is ready to do just that and he wants to win it.

The record-breaking British sailor, aged 44, who is based in Gosport in Portsmouth harbour and who finished in second place in the last Vendée Globe solo round-the-world race, has set records and made it to the podium on many occasions but has never won a solo IMOCA race. Could this 40th anniversary Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe transatlantic dash be his first victory? “For sure I will be giving it my all,” said the skipper of Hugo Boss during a break in his preparations, “but I will also be making sure I make it to the finish.” Thomson views the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe as a short speed test – albeit one of 3,500 nautical miles - and he says that brings its own challenges. “A round-theworld race for me is a marathon and this one is a sprint,” he said. “It’s only 10 days at sea and you almost don’t get into the rhythm of the whole thing in that time. It is harder in some ways because you never get going properly and its harder because you have to give more in the time you are racing – so it’s going to be a big challenge,” he added. Often the Route Du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe features a tough opening phase and then a downwind passage in the trade winds but Thomson says the routing is wide open. “That’s the sort of scenario you imagine when you look at the route – you imagine you are going to have to go through the storms and then get south into the trade winds, but actually if you run the historical routes, half of them go north of the rhumb line and half south, so it is not as straightforward as you might think.”

Thomson loves Saint-Malo and says he will relish being part of the biggest starting spectacle the race has ever seen. “I’ve watched the Route du Rhum many times from the comfort of my armchair,” he said. “I am really looking forward to the start with 123 boats and particularly it being from Saint-Malo, one of my favourite cities in the whole of France. That comes from the old years of doing RORC races – you know Cowes to Saint-Malo, have a nice dinner, a few drinks – and then sail back again. Obviously it’s the closest port to Portsmouth almost, so it’s pretty cool.” Having finished third and then second last time out in the Vendée Globe, the big focus for Thomson is the 2020 Vendée for which he has a new VPLP-designed boat currently being built by Jason Carrington and which will be launched in the early summer next year. Thomson says he will be very curious to see how some of the latest IMOCAs fare in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. “I will be watching Jérémie Beyou’s Charal and also Vincent Riou on PRB with its new foils. It’s a good chance to have a look at them because we won’t race against them now until August next year,” he said. No doubt he will be mulling over the design options he and his team are making with their new boat as he races westwards on his current Hugo Boss. “Yeah it’s good, I think,” he said summarising the progress of his new campaign for 2020. “You never really know – obviously now we can see Charal which is interesting, but we don’t really know what the other designers are going to do so we are just focusing on what we’ve got to do and trust ourselves to make the right choices.”

" I will be watching Jérémie Beyou’s Charal and also Vincent Riou on PRB with its new foils. It’s a good chance to have a look at them because we won’t race against them now until August next year" Thomson says he will be sad to let go of his current rocket-ship which achieved worldwide fame when filmed from a helicopter as she ploughed through the Southern Ocean chasing Armel Le Cléac’h’s Banque Populaire during the last Vendée Globe. “Yes the Route du Rhum is the last big race I am doing on this boat. She is a great boat and, genuinely, with the right foil package, I believe she could win the next Vendée so I look forward to racing against whoever owns her in the future,” he said. This race may be the last in the current Hugo Boss but it will be the first when Thomson carries the colours of his new technology partner, Nokia and Nokia Bell Labs – the communications firm’s research and innovation engine. “We’re very excited about having Nokia on board and having a technical partner that is going to help us with the technology that will improve performance – it’s an amazing step forward for us and we are really looking forward to working with them,” said Thomson. Good luck Alex and see you in Pointe-à-Pitre…

CLASS40

The Class40 monohull racing yacht has been one of the most successful new boats of recent years. It was introduced in 2005 with the objective of offering a cost-effective boat that would allow mainly amateur skippers to take part in offshore ocean races on a limited budget. In the years since then it has taken off with more than 150 boats now on the water sailed by owners from all over Europe and America and, increasingly, by professional skippers. The all-fibreglass Class40 is not a one-design but is governed by a box rule that lays down the limits for length, beam and draft. It also stipulates a fixed keel and imposes limits on features like mast height, the number of sails to be carried and water-ballast.

ANDREA FANTINI

ANTOINE CARPENTIER

ARNT BRUHNS ISKAREEN

Lives: Ferrara, Italy Age: 35 Home port: La Spezia Nationality: Italian Previous participations: 0 Andrea Fantini has a lot of sailing experience, including the Transat Jacques Vabre and sailing around the world for two years with Giovanni Soldini aboard the VOR70 Maserati in race and record mode. The Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe is a dream come true and instead of viewing it as the end of something, he sees it as the beginning of a whole new chapter and has a pool of partners supporting him on this adventure.

Lives: Auray, France Age: 43 Home port: La Trinité-sur-Mer Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Antoine Carpentier has already ticked off a number of major races in crewed or double-handed format on a multitude of different boats and has crewed for the likes of Erwan Le Roux, Yann Eliès, Daniel Souben and Halvard Mabire. The sailor from Brittany’s Morbihan department and a professional skipper since 2004, has decided to attempt the adventure in solo format, particularly after his victory in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2017 in Class40 with Maxime Sorel.

Lives: Hamburg, Germany Age: 49 Home port: Hamburg Nationality: German Previous participations: 0 Despite being virtually unknown on the Class40 circuit, Arnt Bruhns is an experienced skipper, with achievements including nine participations in various transatlantic races and a circumnavigation in the Whitbread Round the World Race 1989-1999. The German sailor chose the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe as the perfect challenge and has always been fascinated by the French offshore racing circuit. He aims to rank well in the amateur class and potentially catch a few of the professionals too.

ARTHUR GASCOIN

ARTHUR HUBERT

ARTHUR LE VAILLANT

Lives: Paris, France Age: 33 Home port: Lorient Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Graduating from Supélec, a school of engineering and obtaining two Master’s degrees from the University of Paris Dauphine, Arthur Gascoin has a sound mind as well as being an offshore racing enthusiast thanks to time spent at his family stronghold in Sainte-Marine. His greatest offshore experience to date is the Newport Bermuda Race but he is well-prepared and is hoping to do well in the Vintage ranking, with his boat the JPK which was launched in 2009.

Lives: Saint-Malo, France Age: 28 Home port: Saint-Malo Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 A mechanical engineer who was winner of the 2018 selection rounds for the Mer Entreprendre’s Espoir project, Arthur has an array of sailing experience including finishing 8th in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2015. Arthur later joined the BE Racing design office before taking on the role of project manager in the construction of the Class 40 (a TIZH40 designed by Guillaume Verdier) on which he will now sail in the race.

Lives: La Rochelle, France Age: 30 Home port: La Rochelle Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Arthur Le Vaillant loves adventures and challenges which is why he is on the startline of this legendary race. Despite only launching his boat, the Mach40.3 in July, he is familiar with the controls having competed on AINA Enfance en Avenir several times before alongside Aymeric Chappellier. After finishing second in the last edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre, the skipper from Leyton, France hopes to carve out a neat wake and inspire lots of people.

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AYMERIC CHAPELLIER

BERTRAND DELESNE

CARL CHIPOTEL PEP’ GWADELOUP!

Lives: La Rochelle, France Age: 38 Home port: La Rochelle Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Second in the last Transat Jacques Vabre, Aymeric clearly has his sights on victory in this Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe. The skipper from La Rochelle has racked up a great deal of time on the water on all types of craft (Mini 6.50, A40, K39, A13, NMD54) and in every race format. He will be flying the flag of the AINA Enfance et Avenir association, which aims to assist the destitute children of Madagascar with rebuilding their lives.

Lives: Port-Louis, France Age: 41 Home port: Lorient Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 The sailor from Val d’Oise to the north of Paris is a top-level athlete, with 10 transatlantic races to his credit along with a mass of victories and podiums including French Offshore Racing champion titles in 2010 and French runner-up in 2013, as well as a record for the greatest distance covered in race format in 24-hours aboard a Mini 6.50 (305 miles). He has amassed four years’ experience aboard his Mach40 which should make him a strong contender for the podium.

Lives: Sainte-Anne, Guadeloupe Age: 43 Home port: Pointe-à-Pitre Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 After finishing the Mini-Transat in 2015, Carl Chipotel didn’t imagine that he would one day take the start of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe but when a Class40 became available, the fireman and head of Les Abymes rescue centre took the opportunity. With limited training time due to work, the Guadeloupian hopes to use the event as a way to develop the prestige of his sport and make watersports more readily accessible to the general public, whilst showcasing local expertise.

CÉDRIC DE KERVENOAEL

CLAIRE PRUVOT

DONALD ALEXANDER

Lives: Paris, France Age: 55 Home port: La Rochelle Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 A lawyer in Paris, Cédric has a busy professional life, but his marine CV is well-lined nonetheless with an RORC champion title and a Corinthian (amateur) world champion title in the Melges 24 amongst many more. Wanting a change, the Parisian signed up for the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe and bought a Class40 (an LNM40 built in 2007) which has taken six years to fix up, with his aim being to finish first in the Vintage category.

Lives: Ver-sur-Mer, France Age: 41 Home port: Ouistreham Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 With two World Champion titles in match-racing, an Olympic preparation and four seasons of the Figaro Bénéteau circuit, Claire has gained a wealth of offshore racing experience. In 2014 she suffered a mild stroke but after getting her confidence back in double-handed and crewed races, Claire is hoping to finish in the top-15 in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe 2018.

Lives: USA Age: 60 Home port: Durban (South Africa) Nationality: South African Previous participations: 0 A South African real estate investor living in the United States, Donald Alexander will be making his debut in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. He began sailing at the age of three, including representing his country in the Laser world championships before he digressed to windsurfing and then kitesurfing. After 15 years in boardsports, he has returned to his first love and is very excited about the prospect of participating in the race.

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Lives: Capesterre de Marie Galante, Guadeloupe Age: 51 Home port: Saint-Louis de Marie Galante Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 Previously winning the Rallye des Iles du Soleil (Canaries-Marie Galante) in a Pogo 12.5 and having raced in Class40 several times, Dominque is entering the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe for another consecutive race and armed with the support of the Région Guadeloupe, he will be flying the flag for his island, Marie Galante. The physiotherapist realises it will be hard to make it to the top-20 with his 2009 Akilaria but for him it will all be about enjoying every moment.

Lives: Saint-Malo, France Age: 55 Home port: Saint-Malo Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 A manager of a telecommunications company, Emmanuel splits his life between Saint-Malo and Kinshasa in the Congo. Despite only getting the chance to do one race a year, Emmanuel already has one Mini Transat (1989), one Transquadra (2011-2012) and one Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe (2014) to his credit. The skipper of Teranga, a Pogo S3 launched in 2013, aims to beat his last result (20th) but realises that the standard of the fleet in this 11th edition is high.

Lives: Plouharnel, France Age: 46 Home port: La Trinité-sur-Mer Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 For Emmanuel, participating in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe is a childhood dream. He has always raced at the highest level, whether it be on a sports catamaran or on large multihulls like Primagaz, Rexona, Brossard or Foncia, but knew he had to have a go at this race. The sailor has taken on the Pogo 40S2 on which Damien Grimont finished 5th in the Rhum 2010 and is aiming for the middle of the leaderboard.

FLORIAN GUÉGUEN

FRANÇOIS LASSORT

FRANZ BOUVET YODA

Lives: Cancale, France Age: 26 Home port: Caen Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Taking the helm of Marc Lepesqueux’ Sabrosa 40 MK2, Florian hopes to enjoy the race, whilst using it as a springboard for the 40ft circuit and to promote the actions of the France Parkinson’s association in the hope of changing the way we look at the disease. The youngster from Cancale has competed in the Transatlantic ORMA 60 and the Arme Race, and currently works for an association as skipper of one of France’s most prestigious traditional fishing boats, the ‘bisquine’ La Cancalaise.

Lives: Poitiers, France Age: 51 Home port: Les Sables d’Olonne Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Francois first tried dinghy sailing on SaintYrieix lake, trying Laser, Moth Europe and the 420 (of which he was crowned regional champion). His job as a jeweller took him away from racing until 2015 when he returned to compete in the Transat Québec-Saint-Malo. Later teaming up with Christophe Souchaud and competing in a series of races, his teammate convinced him to enter the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe with his two objectives being to finish and to win the Vintage category.

Lives: Auribeau, France Age: 58 Home port: Caen Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 After several years in the world of stunt flying, Franz Bouvet got back into sailing in early 2016, purchasing a Class40. Previously racing in single-handed, double-handed and crewed events, it was only when Franz discovered the Class40 that he started to think about the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe. Despite limited training time, the civil engineer from southern France has regularly made it into the top-10 in competitions and aims to finish in the top-20 of this race.

ÉQUIPE VOILE PARKINSON

BIJOUTERIES LASSORT-TONTON LOUIS

JACK TRIGGER CONCISE 8

HALVARD MABIRE

HIROSHI KITADA KIHO

Lives: Barneville-Carteret Age: 61 Home port: Cherbourg Nationality: French Previous participations: 3 Making his Route du Rhum comeback in 2014 after a 20-year absence, Halvard Mabire will take the start of the legendary transatlantic race for the 4th time. The sailor boasts 5 Whitbread campaigns, 7 Solitaire du Figaros, a series of records and fifty or so transatlantic races to his credit. He is also recognised for his skills in naval architecture and construction as well as project management and is taking part in the race as a personal project and to be join a fabulous fleet.

Lives: Aomori, Japan Age: 54 Home port: Lorient Nationality: Japanese Previous participations: 0 Hiroshi first discovered sailing when looking for a little wooden boat to put in his swimming pool. It was then that he properly discovered the sport and has since taken part in races such as the Rolex Fastnet Race and the Transat bakerly. After watching a Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe race start in Saint-Malo, the Japanese company director set about having a Pogo S3 built which he named Kiho, formed by the initials of his wife and daughter and signifying “precious sails” in Japanese.

Lives: Esher, UK Age: 24 Home port: Southampton Nationality: British Previous participations: 0 The young Briton stumbled upon sailing aged six at an open day at a local sailing club. Starting out in a sports dinghy and then match racing, it was upon graduating from Oxford University that he switched things up a gear, joining Team Concise. He progressed rapidly in Class40 and MOD70 and hopes to finish in the top-five whilst also showing that even people with type 1 diabetes can take part in extreme sporting challenges.

JACQUES VALENTE

JEAN-BAPTISTE DARAMY

JEAN GALFIONE

Lives: Evian-les-Bains, France Age: 57 Home port: Lorient Nationality: Swiss Previous participations: 0 The Swiss sailor took an unexpected break from sailing during the Mini Transat 2007 when his renal system shut down during his stopover in Madeira. The following year, he received a kidney from a compatible live donor, his best friend, and has been focused on his dreams ever since. In 2014 he set sail in the wake of the 10th Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe as an unofficial entry. With it being the 10th anniversary of his transplant, he has entered officially for this edition of the race.

CHOCOLATS PARIES-CORIOLIS COMPOSITES Lives: Biarritz, France Age: 37 Home port: Saint-Jean-de-Luz Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Since the 1990 edition of the race, JeanBaptiste has always dreamt of one day taking part in the race. Armed with a masters in composite materials, he initially worked as a technical director within Team Sopra during the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe in 2006. But after competing in two Mini Transats in 2011 and 2015, he purchased Stéphane Le Diraison’s Pogo 40S2 in order to compete in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe 2018, aiming to finish in the top-15.

Lives: Ploneour Lanvern, France Age: 47 Home port: Port-la-Forêt Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 Boasting an Olympic title and a sixmetre jump (the first Frenchman to clear this height), Jean Galfione has racked up an extraordinary track record in the pole vault as part of the French athletics team. Turning his hand to sailing at the age of 35, he has already managed to make a name for himself and, after completing the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe four years ago, he dreams of finishing in the top-10 on his second attempt.

DESTINATION EVIAN

SERENIS CONSULTING

JEAN-LUC SCHOCH

JEAN-MARIE LOIRAT KLAXOON

JONAS GERCKENS VOLVO

Lives: Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France Age: 52 Home port: La Rochelle Nationality: France Previous participations: 0 Jean-Luc is promoting the values of the scout movement whilst participating in offshore races, along with his two friends who two years ago chose to launch into the Class40 adventure. He believes the values of the race are similar to scouting and hopes to set an example for youngsters. Already completing one transatlantic race in the Québec-Saint-Malo in 2016, he hopes to finish in the middle of the table, sail a clean race and avoid any major pitfalls aboard his Akilaria RC2.

Lives: Saint-Quay-Portrieux, France Age: 45 Home port: Saint-Quay-Portrieux Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 A former top-level triathlete, competing in the World Cup in short and long-distance races, Jean-Marie Loirat nevertheless comes from a seafaring family. Initially racing around the cans before competing in coastal races and cross-Channel races in double then single-handed format, JeanMarie eventually signed up to the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. In 2016 he purchased the Exocet aboard which Alan Roura competed in the last edition of the race and has given it a major overhaul and looks forward to going all out.

Lives: Pluvigner, France Age: 38 Home port: Liège/Lorient Nationality: Belgian Previous participations: 0 Jonas discovered his passion for offshore racing when his parents settled in SaintMalo. The skipper from Liège relocated to France to practice and has earned several podium finishes in the Mini 6.50 and won the runner-up prize in the French Singlehanded Offshore Racing Championship, which led to him being awarded Sailor of the Year in Belgium twice (2013 and 2017). After giving his boat, a Mach40 skippered by Paul Hignard in 2014, a complete overhaul, he hopes to be an interesting outsider.

JOHN NIEWENHOUS LOOSE FISH

KITO DE PAVANT MADE IN MIDI

LOÏC FÉQUET TIBCO

Lives: Sag Harbor, USA Age: 60 Home port: Portsmouth, New Hampshire Nationality: American Previous participations: 0 John has clocked up many miles in the US on a variety of craft but it was during the Bermuda One-Two that the American skipper got the singlehanded bug. A few years later and the professional pilot is taking part in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe with Loose Fish, an Akilaria RC3 built in 2013 for Conrad Humphreys. He has prepared for the race the best he can between work, doing as much single-handed and short-handed sailing as possible.

Lives: Montferrier-sur-Lez, France Age: 57 Home port: Port-Camargue Nationality: French Previous participations: 2 Kito has an impressive sailing CV, with more than three participations in the Vendée Globe, one victory in the Transat AG2R and in the famous Solitaire du Figaro and podium finishes in the Transat Jacques Vabre as well as the last edition of the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe in Class40. His boat, Made in Midi, has had a major overhaul to help ensure he can get up amongst the best players and battle it out with them on the course.

Lives: Saint-Lunaire, France Age: 44 Home port: Saint-Malo Nationality: French Previous participations: 2 Having competed at the highest level on a sports catamaran, Loïc Féquet switched his focus to offshore racing in 2009 by joining the Multi50 class. He finished 3rd in the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe 2010 and then 2nd in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2011. After devoting his time to getting Louis Burton’s boat ready for the Vendée Globe 2016-17, his sights are now set on finishing in the top-10 in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe 2018 aboard his boat Tibico.

ESPRIT SCOUT

LOÏC LE DOYEN

SAINT-CAST-LEGUILDO-TERREEXOTIQUE Lives: Tredrez Locquemeau, France Age: 52 Home port: Saint-Cast-Le Guildo Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Starting out with windsurfing, Loïc Le Doyen then learnt the ropes in sailing and has had a go on pretty much every craft. Following a last-minute withdrawal, he will now be taking to the start of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe aboard the Jumbo 40 he prepared for Thibault Derville for this race in 2006. The current owner of the yacht asked Loïc if he wanted to be his replacement, given that he is familiar with the boat. The French sailor hopes to beat the record for this boat set in 2006.

LOUIS DUC CARAC Lives: Carteret, France Age: 35 Home port: Cherbourg Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 Louis Duc has to be one of the most experienced sailors in the Class40 division. Indeed, he’s played an integral part in the circuit for the past 11 years. Since his last (and first) participation four years ago saw him having to retire from the race, he has focused on doing a good job in this edition of the race. He has racked up lots of training aboard his Lift40 with the hope that he has a chance of taking the win.

MAXIME CAUWE

MAXIME SOREL V AND B

Lives: Meudon, France Age: 34 Home port: Saint-Malo Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Having been passionate about sailing from an early age, Maxime always promised that he would take part in a legendary major race. The administrative and financial director received support from the AZEO, the IT company where he works and has since been going to and fro between Paris and Saint-Malo to get in as much training as possible. Aboard Tyker40 Evolution 2, the French sailor hopes to finish in the top half of the fleet.

Lives: Cancale, France Age: 32 Home port: Le Légué Saint-Brieuc Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 A favourite in the Class40 category, especially after his Transat Jacques Vabre win alongside Antoine Carpentier, which included a 24-hour distance record in Class40, Maxime is focused on creating a winning project. After winning the Vintage category in the last edition of the race, the French skipper launched his new Mach40.3 in 2015 thanks to the support of partner V and B. The skipper, who put his career on hold in July 2017 to focus on preparations, also hopes to raise awareness of cystic fibrosis.

AZEO-#ON EST LARGE

LUKE BERRY

LAMOTTE-MODULE CRÉATION Lives: Nantes, France Age: 32 Home port: Saint-Malo Nationality: French - British Previous participations: 0 Previously competing at the highest level in windsurfing, Luke turned his attention to offshore racing in 2012, securing a podium finish in nearly every event he participated in over a three-year period, including a secondplace finish in the prototype class of the Mini Transat in 2015. With the support of Groupe Lamotte and Module Création, the sailor from Saint-Malo has opted for a Mach40.3 boat, with the aim to finish in the top-five of his class.

MICHAEL HENNESSY DRAGON Lives: Mystic, USA Age: 52 Home port: Mystic Nationality: American Previous participations: 0 Despite working as Head of Operational Risk for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Michael gets out on the water as much as possible and is vice-chairman and the class association representative for Class40 in the States. He has ticked off five participations in The Atlantic Cup although this will be his first single-handed transatlantic passage. His CC40, an Owen Clarke Design launched in 2008, has recently undergone a meticulous refit and Michael hopes to sail an honourable race to the finish.

MIKAEL RYKING

MIRANDA MERRON

MORGANE URSAULT-POUPON

Lives: Stockholm, Sweden Age: 47 Home port: Stockholm Nationality: Swedish Previous participations: 0 The Swedish sailor started off in sports dinghys and Optimists. He has since participated in the Round Gotland Race, races in the Baltic Sea and crossed the Atlantic seven times, including one BermudaPlymouth record. Feeling like it wasn’t challenging him anymore, he has now set his sights on the Route du RhumDestination Gaudeloupe which he thinks is one of the most spectacular races on the planet.

Lives: Hamble, UK Age: 49 Home port: Cherbourg Nationality: British Previous participations: 2 Having competed in the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe twice already in IMOCA, Miranda is now taking to Class40 with the view to do as well as she can. Miranda has a solid background in offshore racing, including the Volvo Ocean Race, four Transat Jacques Vabres, a Round Britain and Ireland record set in 2009, as well as three single-handed transatlantic races and believes there is something magical about the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe.

Lives: Névez, France Age: 32 Home port: Saint-Malo Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Morgane was born the year her father, Philippe, won the Route du Rhum. Entering for herself, she sees the race as a big adventure and a prelude to others. Despite never having raced before and taking her first steps in the Class40, she has amassed over 50,000 miles around the world, rounded Cape Horn a dozen times and taken tourists sailing in the Antarctic. For now, she is going to leave the deep south behind and make the most of her new challenge.

NICOLAS JOSSIER MANORGA

NICOLAS TROUSSEL CORUM

Lives: Granville, France Age: 42 Home port: Granville/Cherbourg Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Previously racing in the Tour de France à la Voile and the Solitaire du Figaro, Nicolas took a break from sailing in 2015 after being diagnosed with lymphoma. Three years later, after a long round of treatment, the cancer has been beaten and he is ready to race in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. He will be flying the flag for Manorga company whilst promoting powerful messages from France Lymphome Espoir association and the French Diabetics Federation, and of course chasing down the competition.

Lives: Fouesnant, France Age: 44 Home port: Lorient Nationality: French Previous participations: 2 The Solitaire du Figaro (2006, 2008), the Transat AG2R (2004 with Armel Le Cleac’h) and the Transat BPE (2007): Nicolas Troussel has virtually won it all on the Figaro Bénéteau circuit, alongside having a strong track record in crewed races too. After a second place in the 2010 edition of the race (and a retirement in the next due to injury), logically he’s after the top spot this year, aboard his Mach40. He flies the flag of Corum, the French leader in real estate investment solutions.

OLIVIER CARDIN

TAL ANTA

CAMPAGNE DE FRANCE

UP SAILING

RÉGION NORMANDIE Lives: Caen, France Age: 48 Home port: Cherbourg Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Having regularly raced in the Tour de France à la Voile and various match racing events, Olivier took a break from racing and work in 2011 in exchange for a sailing adventure with his family. Upon his return, he went on to skipper the winning boat in the Clipper Round the World Race and has now turned to the Route du Rhum-Destination Gaudeloupe. With the support of the Normandy region, the French sailor hopes to secure a top-10 spot with his boat, the Pogo40S3.

OLIVIER MAGRE PALANAD II

OLIVIER ROUSSEY

PHIL SHARP

Lives: Ville-la-Grand, France Age: 52 Home port: La Trinité-sur-Mer Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Olivier has always done a lot of racing including Tour de France à la Voile, EDHEC Cruiser Race, Nantes-Lisbon and Fastnet Race. The Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe has always been on his to-do list, with his dream now coming true aboard his boat, the Akilaria built in 2007. As a director of one of the Leclerc group’s mass marketing centres, who divides his time between France and Belgium, Olivier has limited time to train but is looking forward to the personal challenge.

Lives: Val-de-Briey, France Age: 59 Home port: Caen Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 Olivier took part in the 2014 edition of the race but experienced problems, including having to take a pit-stop in Lisbon and then becoming becalmed for three days in a high-pressure zone. In the 2018 edition he hopes for fewer glitches aboard his Akilaria RC3. The amateur sailor, chartered accountant and auditor based in Meurthe-et-Moselle, far from the coast, recognises he hasn’t had the best training preparation but not all mountaineers have a Mont Blanc near their home.

Lives: La Rochelle, France Age: 37 Home port: Jersey Nationality: British Previous participations: 1 Winner of the first Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe open to Class40s in 2006, Phil is back to compete in the race with the aim of pulling off the double. Over the past three years, he’s been consistently finishing on the podium in all the races he has participated in, whether it be in single-handed, double-handed or crewed configuration. Whilst recognising that the level of the class has greatly evolved, Phil has been preparing well in La Rochelle aboard his Mach40.

ROBIN MARAIS MA CHANCE À MOI

RODOLPHE SEPHO RÊVE DE LARGE

Lives: Lyon, France Age: 32 Home port: La Rochelle Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 After several years of Laser sailing, including numerous participations in Tour de France à la Voile, Robin went on to take up the role of préparateur on some prestigious circuits. The sailor from Lyon then had opportunity to race in the Mini Transat 6.50 in 2013 and The Transat bakerly in 2016, finishing fifth in the latter. The next logical step was the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe where Robin hopes to finish in the top-15 in his prototype Kiwi40.

Lives: Le Lamentin, Guadeloupe Age: 32 Home port: Pointe-à-Pitre Nationality: France Previous participations: 1 Finishing in 26th place in the last edition of the race, Rodolphe is re-enlisting this year with the aim to do better than last time. The Guadeloupian skipper exchanged his old Pogo40 for an FS40 and joined the Pôle Vendée Course au Large sail training group in Les Sables d’Olonne. The teacher, who has linked his project to the work of the National Nutrition and Health programme “Plézi bougé, Plézi mange,” hopes to raise awareness of single-handed sailing to youngsters through educational activities.

ROMAIN ROSSI

OBPORTUS-GRAS SAVOYE

IMERYS CLEAN ENERGY

FONDATION DIGESTSCIENCE Lives: Lille, France Age: 37 Home port: Dunkerque Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 A new face on the Class40 circuit, Romain has been preparing this project for the past three years, despite a busy schedule. Qualifying for his first single-handed transatlantic race in July, the skipper from northern France has been optimising his Akilaria RC3 throughout the season’s races. He has the support of Souffle du Nord and will also be sailing to raise awareness of Foundation DigestScience – an organisation working in the field of medical research and Crohn’s disease.

SAM GOODCHILD

SÉBASTIEN DESQUESSES

SÉBASTIEN MARSSET

Lives: Falmouth, UK/Lorient, France Age: 28 Home port: Poole Nationality: British Previous participations: 0 Sam has amassed a wealth of sailing experience, whether as part of the demanding Figaro Bénéteau circuit, within the Artemis Offshore Academy or racing on a variety of boats including IMOCAs, MOD70s and the Maxi Trimaran Spindrift 2. He recently posted a thundering comeback to single-handed sailing, finishing 2nd in the 1000 Milles des Sables. With the backing of Peter Harding, owner of his Mach40, Sam looks forward to going all in with no regrets.

KERSIA-LE GUÉVEL-SPIRIT OF SAINT-MALO Lives: Saint-Malo Age: 47 Home port: Saint-Malo Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Sébastien started sailing when he was very young as his father was a sailing instructor. Having participated in numerous races and regattas including Spi Ouest France and the Round the Island Race, it wasn’t until he competed in the Newport Bermuda Race that he decided to realise a childhood dream and do the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. Despite never doing a transatlantic before, he has completed many delivery trips and sailed for 10 days single-handed.

Lives: Lorient, France Age: 33 Home port: Lorient Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Sébastien Marsset has a substantial track record, with a Mini Transat, two Volvo Ocean Races and a round the world in a maxi-trimaran as part of the Jules Verne Trophy. The Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe has long been on his to-do list, choosing the 40th anniversary for his debut. His boat, the Sabrosa40 MK2 has since had an overhaul with the view to improve the hydrodynamics and control of the boat, to save weight and hopefully help him finish in the top-five.

WILLIAM MATHELIN–MOREAUX

YOANN RICHOMME

Lives: Lorient Age: 24 Home port: Lorient Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 William has racked up some great experience in double-handed and crewed configuration in IRC. As the youngest competitor in Class40, he is setting sail on his first single-handed event and first transatlantic, hoping to learn as much as he can. Surrounded by a great partner and team, William launched his boat, a Pogo 40S2 in 2011 and since graduating as an architect in January has been able to devote all his time to the preparation.

Lives: Larmor-Plage, France Age: 35 Home port: Lorient Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 After the past seven seasons on the demanding Figaro Bénéteau circuit culminating with two French Elite Offshore Racing Champion titles and victory in the famous Solitaire du Figaro, Yoann has got single-handed sailing nailed. The trained naval architect launched his boat, a Lift40, in late June with the intention of winning the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe 2018. Beyond that, he also intends to line up for the start of the Vendée Globe 2020.

NARCOS : MEXICO

BEÏJAFLORE

CAMPINGS TOHAPI

OBJECTIF VENDÉE GLOBE 2020

rhum MONO

For the first time in the 40-year history of the Route du Rhum the amateur “Rhum” class is divided for this edition into monohull and multihull categories. In the monohull division boats are typically from 40-60ft in length and range in age from yachts built in the 1970s to modern designs built in the last five years. Several of the Rhum monohulls have completed the race before or have been skippered in other professional solo ocean races like the Vendee Globe. They include Bob Escoffier’s Kriter V Socomore Quéguiner, which finished the first Route du Rhum in 1978 in second place.

ANDREA MURA

BOB ESCOFFIER

CHRISTOPHE SOUCHAUD

Lives: Cagliari, Sardinia Age: 54 Home port: Italian Nationality: Cagliari Previous participations: 2 Winner of the 2010 edition and then second in the 2014 edition in the Rhum class, Andrea Mura is back for more this year and inevitably he has big ambitions. He still campaigns on the Open 50 on which he made his single-handed debut eight years ago, albeit with many improvements including streamlining her weight and equipping her with high performance sails. He is looking forward to showing what the boat is made of in what he considers the most exciting event in the world of sailing.

Lives: Saint-Malo, France Age: 69 Home port: Saint-Malo Nationality: French Previous participations: 4 Having lived in Saint-Malo for 33 years, Bob has a deep-seated affection for the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe and is preparing to start the race for the fifth time. Bob, who is the most senior competitor in the race, will be setting sail aboard Kriter V, the large and legendary blue cigar which, during the first edition of the Rhum in 1978, was pipped at the post by Mike Birch’s small yellow trimaran, of which several sisterships are also participating in the race.

Lives: Île d’Aix, France Age: 53 Home port: La Rochelle Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 Christope has many years of sailing experience, whether that is singlehanded and crewed delivery trips or a transatlantic race with the likes of Bob Escoffier, who he will now be up against in the Rhum class. The sailor will be flying the flag of Cap Handi, an association for the handicapped and ablebodied enabling them to practise offshore sailing, hence the boat, a First 40.7, is entirely fitted out for this purpose.

DOMINIQUE DUBOIS GHEO

ÉRIC BELLION

ÉRIC JAIL

Lives: Vannes, France Age: 58 Home port: La Trinité-sur-Mer Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Boss of the Multiplast yard in Vannes, south-west Brittany, which builds a number of the largest racing multihulls, including Edmond de Rothschild, Sodebo Ultim’ and Groupama 3, Dominique Dubois has chosen to attack the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe for himself. The amateur sailor is preparing to make a childhood dream come true by lining up for the start aboard his 57ft prototype boat built in 1999 – which he believes is light and fairly quick for her age.

Lives: Concarneau, France Age: 42 Home port: Concarneau Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 For Eric, the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe has a powerful history and he believes it is a transatlantic like no other. Setting sailor aboard a classic schooner measuring 21 metres, he hopes to inspire others to take a leap into the unknown. Despite this being his first Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, Eric has a variety of race experience including a seventh place in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2017 in IMOCA and a ninth place finish in the Vendee Globe 2016-17.

Lives: Céret, France Age: 57 Home port: Rosas, Spain Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 Eric suffered a rough time in the last edition of the race when he ran aground on the Iles des Saintes archipelago, just a stone’s throw away from Pointe-à-Pitre, which he had been set to reach hours later. The physiotherapist-come-osteopath has unfinished business and will be setting sail again on the same Open 50. He will also be flying the flag for Longitude 181, dedicated to the protection of the oceans as well as Méthode OGE, an association geared around personal development.

VENTO DI SARDEGNA

KRITER V SOCOMORE QUÉGUINER

COMMEUNSEULHOMME

RHUM SOLIDAIRE CAP HANDI

LONGITUDE 181/MÉTHODE OGE

JEAN-LUC BIZIEN JAGLIN

JEAN-MARIE PATIER

LAURENT JUBERT

Lives: Saint-Malo, France Age: 59 Home port: Saint-Malo Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 After two double-handed Transquadra races, Jean-Luc Bizien Jaglin has this time set himself the challenge of crossing the Atlantic single-handed. The French sailor has also competed in two Fastnet Races and won the Barquera double-handed with Nils Boyer. His main aim is to be proud of his performance at the finish of the race in his Opium 39, and he won’t be taking the foot off the pedal.

Lives: Bécon-les-Granits, France Age: 52 Home port: La Trinité-sur-Mer Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Particularly enamoured by the start of the first edition of the Route du Rhum, which he’d gone to Saint-Malo to witness in his childhood, JeanMarie Patier went on to monitor the following editions with a real passion. The director of a secondary education group has decided to take the plunge this year and has opted to do up an historic boat: The Red Cigar, which he has a particular affection for.

Lives: Tours, France Age: 43 Home port: Lorient Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Laurent Jubert is a physiotherapist, a specialist in tobacco addiction and a health promotion expert who is taking part in the race with the aim to promote the ‘Souffle court’ (short breath) project. He is keen to raise awareness and publicise primary, secondary and tertiary preventive respiratory action. Despite cruising from an early age, this is his first race and he feels well supported to be able to pull it off.

LUC COQUELIN

NICOLAS MAGNAN

NILS BOYER

Lives: Saint-François, Guadeloupe Age: 60 Home port: Pointe-à-Pitre Nationality: French Previous participations: 5 Hitting the start line for the fifth time this year, Luc hopes to fight for the podium like in previous editions. In 2014 however, just three hours after the start, a dive boat ploughed into him and smashed the bowsprit, leaving him in a damaged boat which finished 12th. He will be hoping for better luck this race in his trusty Open 50. He is flying the flag for his sailing school in Pointeà-Pitre where he has been training up yachtsmen and women.

Lives: Marseille, France Age: 57 Home port: Marseille Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 The Magnans have been racing for several generations and inevitably it was on a boat (a wooden yacht from 1904) that Nicolas took his first steps and then put in his first tacks. He has a wealth of crewed experience, including three Atlantic crossings, a Tour d’Europe and a Sydney-Hobart Race but this is his first single-handed race. He bought a 45ft 1992 Gilles Vaton-designed boat, made in aluminium which he has completely re-fitted over the past winter.

Lives: Saint-Malo, France Age: 24 Home port: Saint-Malo Nationality:France Previous participations:1 At just 12 years of age, Nils Boyer had completed his first Channel crossing and has amassed over 70 crossings to date. At 20-years-old he took to the start of his first Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe, although he was forced to retire due to structural damage to his boat two days into the race. For this edition, he has pulled out all the stops to make sure he makes it to the other side aboard his Open 50.

TRANSPORTS GROUSSARD

ROTARY/LA MER POUR TOUS

FORMATIVES NETWORK

1RHUM4YOU

L’ESPACE DU SOUFFLE

LE CHOIX FUNÉRAIRE

OLIVIER LEROUX

SÉBASTIEN DESTREMEAU

SIDNEY GAVIGNET CAFÉ JOYEUX

Lives: Cagnes-sur-Mer, France Age: 59 Home port: Golfe Juan Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 After coming along to support and cheer Éric Jail, a competitor in the Rhum class in 2014, Olivier Leroux promptly decided to participate in the race. He invested in a RM70, sailed it for two years before a design fault in his keel attachment system saw the boat sink during a race qualifier in May. Despite this, he has since acquired a Pogo 12.50 and is ready for the start of the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe.

Lives: Toulon, France Age: 54 Home port: Toulon Nationality: Franco-Australian Previous participations: 0 Sébastien Destremeau has a strong track record, including an Olympic preparation, five America’s Cup campaigns, a victory in the Sydney-Hobart and a participation in the Volvo Ocean Race. His fame soared in the last edition of the Vendée Globe, with a crazy 124-day adventure for the skipper-journalist. He is now focused on the new sporting challenge of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, with performance being the number one priority.

Lives: Paris, France Age: 49 Home port: Dinard Nationality: French Previous participations: 2 In the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe 2010, Sidney was forced to retire due to structural damage. He returned in 2014 to finish fifth and this time he wants to write another story. The sailor has three Volvo Ocean Race campaigns to his credit alongside a post as skipper of Team Oman Sail, and will be taking to this race as an ambassador for Joyeux, a company that operates to give people with cognitive disability their dignity back by providing them with a job in an ordinary environment.

ART IMMOBILISER CONSTRUCTION

ALCATRAZ IT FACEOCEAN

WILFRID CLERTON

CAP AU CAP LOCATION-SOS VILLAGES D’ENFANTS Lives: Lauzières, France Age: 47 Home port: La Rochelle Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 Armed with three Olympic preparations in Laser, Soling then Star, Wilfrid Clerton is a born competitor so he naturally has his eyes on the prize. In the last edition of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, the loss of his autopilot caused a real handicap at the end of the race, seeing him slip from second to fourth place. The skipper is sporting the colours of the SOS Villages d’Enfants association and hopes for success all round.

WILLY BISSAINTE C LA GUADELOUPE

Lives: Baie Mahault Age: 48 Home port: Pointe-à-Pitre Nationality: French Previous participations: 2 Having competed in two previous editions of the race, Willy is now entering the race with the view to win. The first time he felt he was there to discover the race, the second to progress and this time it is all about hunting down the first place. He has done two transatlantic passages aboard his Open 50 launched in 2002, which he has worked hard on to ensure it has all the equipment it needs, and he is leaving as little as possible to chance.

rhum multi

The Rhum multihull division is made up of catamarans and trimarans that range in size from 39-59ft and are sailed by skippers who are almost all amateurs. The fleet includes sisterships of the first winner of the Route du Rhum in 1978, Mike Birch’s Olympus. One of those sisterships – now named Happy - is being sailed by the French solo sailing star and current Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe outright record-holder, Loïck Peyron. Peyron says of his choice of boat: “Though this Rhum will be no picnic, it will obviously be a homage to all the pioneers and those naval architects, thanks to whom we are here now.”

ALAIN DELHUMEAU RAYON VERT

BERTRAND DE BROC

CHARLIE CAPELLE

Lives: Treffiagat, France Age: 58 Home port: Corbières Nationality: French Previous participations: 3 Bertrand de Broc is an experienced sailor, though that’s certainly an understatement. To his credit he has three participations in the Vendée Globe, two Tour de France à la Voile victories, two places in the top-5 in the famous Solitaire du Figaro as well as a podium in the Transat AG2R. This year he is taking part in his fourth Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. This time he hopes to make Pointe-à-Pitre and score a podium finish.

Lives: Lanester, France Age: 63 Home port: La Trinité-sur-Mer Nationality: French Previous participations: 4 From the series of five A’Capella boats built from 1978 by Charlie Capelle and Mike Birch, no fewer than three are taking to the startline. The small yellow trimaran really made her mark in the race with the memorable victory of Birch in 1978 at the helm of Olympus. Aboard his trimaran, Charlie is lining up for the 5th time. His steed remains highperformance, and even though a win will be out of reach for the boat builder, he remains an informed competitor.

CHRISTIAN GUYADER

CHRISTOPHE BOGRAND

DAVID DUCOSSON

Lives: Quimper, France Age: 58 Home port: Bénodet Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 In 1982, when he saw Marc Pajot sailing past the Cap Fréhel headland in pole position on his catamaran Elf Aquitaine shortly after the start of the Route du Rhum, Christian Guyader promised himself that he would participate in the event one day, he too on two hulls. Thirty-six years on, here he is. The sailor from the Finistère region, who has won renown in IRC, Open 7.50s, Dragons and multihulls, is really taking the plunge.

Lives: Ploerdut, France Age: 55 Home port: Morlaix Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Christophe Bogrand is concerned about his environment and that’s precisely why he’s chosen to purchase the former CGA Assurances built for Yves Gallot Lavallée with a view to the Route du Rhum 1982 (he completed the event in 13th position). The former top level windsurfer has completed a circumnavigation with his family, but admits he hasn’t competed for a long time. His aim? “In this endurance sport, there is an adage that says: to finish is to win. My sentiments exactly.”

Lives: Le Gosier, Guadeloupe Age: 46 Home port: Arradon Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Over recent years David Ducosson has worked behind the scenes as a préparateur. Today, at 46, he has the opportunity to take the spotlight. The West Indian was offered the trimaran with which Anne Caseneuve won the last edition in the Rhum category, in part because he participated in her construction and also because he regularly sailed aboard her. With a thorough understanding of his machine, he is aiming for the podium.

Lives: Vaux-sur-Mer, France Age: 64 Home port: Royan Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 In 2014, Alain Delhumeau’s boat suffered a dismasting off Ushant, just days after the start of his first Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe. As a result, this year he is setting sail “more motivated than ever,” having also promised his wife, who is currently in remission from her cancer, that he’ll go all the way with his project. Having competed in the Multi50 category, this year he’ll be in the Rhum, focused on having fun and sharing that with his family.

PAMPERO EVASION

GUYADER GASTRONOMIE

STEREC AILE BLEUE

ACAPELLA - SOREAL - PROLUDIC

CASENEUVE MAXI CATAMARAN

ÉRIC GAMIN LILADHOC

ERWAN THIBOUMERY

ÉTIENNE HOCHEDÉ PIR2

Lives: Bègles Age: 52 Home port: Canet-en-Roussillon Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Though he’d always spent time on the water, it wasn’t until 2011 that Éric Gamin really embraced his passion for the sea selling his business to tour the Atlantic with his family for a whole year. He acquired an Outremer 49 for the occasion and today it’s at the helm of this same boat, aboard which he has already racked up over 18,000 miles, that he’s lining up for the start of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, which he describes as “the holy grail.”

Lives: Saint-Briac-sur-Mer, France Age: 50 Home port: Saint-Malo Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 The idea of competing in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe formed in Erwan Thiboumery’s mind three years ago before it took concrete form in the autumn of 2017. The race will be his 18th Atlantic crossing after a number of years’ experience in Class40, Multi50 and in Maxi-yachts. Although his 50-foot catamaran suffered a dismasting back in April, she has now been equipped with a new, lighter spar which Thiboumery hopes will help him to a top-10 finish.

Lives: Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe Age: 62 Home port: Fécamp Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 Étienne Hochedé could not have imagined the extent to which this race would change his life after he lined up in 2014. After a 5th place finish in the Multi50, the garage owner promised himself he would do it again. He has since retired and chosen to move to… Pointe-à-Pitre! He has incredible experience including eight transatlantics and no fewer than 100,000 miles on the clock – as well as a boat he knows like the back of his hand. A racing trimaran she is now ranked as a Bateau d’Intérêt Patrimonial (Boat of Cultural Interest).

FRANCK SAINTE-MARIE

FRANÇOIS CORRE

Lives: Cancale, France Age: 36 Home port: Cancale Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Franck Sainte- Marie relishes everything that is out of the ordinary, as is evidenced by his numerous activities, that include piloting helicopters, motorcycling, paragliding, paramotoring, and showjumping. The business manager has a real lust for adventure and is jumping in at the deep end with offshore racing by tackling the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. Until now he has done little racing and for this challenge he bought the 50-foot trimaran Branec IV two years ago.

Lives: Cancale, France Age: 36 Home port: Cancale Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 François Corre decided to compete in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe in July when Friends&Lovers, one of the A’Capella sisterships to the boat with which Mike Birch won the first edition of the race, ended up with no skipper. He knows the boat well having sailed her for nearly 20 years. He was also one of her préparateurs during the last two editions of the event. He is hoping that 2018, already coloured by the birth of his daughter, continues to be a great year.

FABRICE PAYEN TEAM VENT DEBOUT Lives: Saint-Malo, France Age: 49 Home port: Saint-Malo Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Captain in the Merchant Navy and professional skipper, Fabrice Payen’s life changed four years ago following a motorbike accident resulting in the amputation of his right leg. From then on, he set out to realise his dream to line-up for the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. He will be promoting Premiers de Cordée, which offers an introduction to sport for hospitalised children, and APF France Handicap association, which supports and defends the rights of those with a handicap.

GOLD.FR POUR BIONIRIA

BRANEC IV

FRIENDS&LOVERS

GÉRALD BIBOT ZED 7

GILDAS BRETON BO CARRÉ

GILLES BUEKENHOUT JESS

Lives: Lasne, Belgium Age: 58 Home port: Lanzarote Nationality: Belgian Previous participations: 0 Though he’s not (yet) very well known by the general public, sailors are very familiar with Gérald Bibot. An informed amateur, in 2010 he put his passion at the heart of his work by founding the Great Circle-Squid marine weather company, which today collaborates with the most renowned teams and the biggest offshore races. Now the time has come to compete in the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe. The Belgian will race his ZED7, which he finished off himself and hopes of a top-5 finish.

Lives: Loctudy, France Age: 55 Home port: Loctudy Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Having spent many years competing at the highest level on the Formula 28 trimaran circuit, Gildas Breton then devoted his time to the creation of the Polaris company, which has become an expert in the field of Omega 3 lipids, one of biotechnology’s success stories. Having sold the company two years ago, he is now realising a dream of competing in the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe. Although he may not know the race, his 40ft trimaran does, having completed the course with Pierre Antoine during the 2006 edition.

Lives: Pornichet, France Age: 56 Home port: Pornichet Nationality: Belgium Previous participations: 2 Gilles Buekenhout is back for another piece of the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe after retiring in 2014 due to the loss of a rudder. He will compete on a 40ft multihull acquired last year. Designed by Benoit Cabaret, John Levell and Martin Fischer, who are notably responsible for the Flying Phantom, the VOR Groupama 4, and worked on Team France’s AC45, the boat has a “bit of oomph” and Gilles hopes to beat his time of 19 days from the 2010 edition.

JEAN-FRANÇOIS LILTI

JEAN-PIERRE BALMES RITUAL

LOÏCK PEYRON HAPPY

Lives: Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, France Age: 56 Home port: Caen Nationality: British Previous participations: 2 After a first participation in 2010 in Multi50, Jean-François Lilti is making his race comeback at the helm of the same boat. Construction of the 50ft multihull began in his garden before being completed at the Grand Large Composites yard. He will be flying the flag of Ecole Diagonale, whose educational plan puts the student back at the centre of all concerns, and the Citoyens du Monde (Citizens of the World) association, which is defending an ocean charter.

Lives: La Grande Motte, France Age: 59 Home port: La Grande Motte Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Jean-Pierre Balmes is a (very) informed amateur. For his 20th birthday he competed in the Solitaire du Figaro, for his 30th the Mini Transat, and now for his 60th, the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. His work involves supporting owners and fine-tuning boats from the Outremer Yachting yard, and so naturally, he’s chosen to take part on an Outremer 4X catamaran. He will support the RIRE (the laugh association) in Montpellier, whose mission is to bring a sense of wellness to hospitalised children and their families.

Lives: Le Pouliguen, France Age: 59 Home port: Le Pouliguen Nationality: French Previous participations: 7 Loïck Peyron’s exceptional track record is the epitome of versatility. Vendée Globe, Jules Verne Trophy, Barcelona Word Race, OSTAR, America’s Cup to name but a few. With regards to the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, he holds the race record (7 days 15 hours 08 minutes and 32 seconds) set aboard Banque Populaire VII. Now, he’s back aboard Happy, sistership to the winner of the first edition of the race back in 1978. He will set sail in the traditional way as homage to the pioneers of our sport.

ÉCOLE DIAGONALE POUR CITOYENS DU MONDE

PIERRE ANTOINE OLMIX

PIERRICK TOLLEMER RESADIA

YANN MARILLEY

Lives: Amiens, France Age: 56 Home port: Lorient Nationality: France Previous participations: 3 Trained as a geologist, director of research at France’s National Scientific Research Centre (CNRS) and an experienced skipper, Pierre Antoine is taking part in the Route du RhumDestination Guadeloupe for the fourth time. He notably won the 2006 edition in Class 3 Multi, but had to abandon his last attempt after a violent lightning bolt struck the boat. He will once again line up aboard his 50ft trimaran in the colours of Olmix, a wooden boat built in 1991 by Bruno Louit.

Lives: Rennes, France Age: 56 Home port: Locmiquélic Nationality: French Previous participations: 1 Having raced for a number of years at the highest international level in the Tornado and F18, Pierrick Tollemer bought an offshore trimaran with a few friends. From then on, offshore adventure was on the cards and in 2014, he lined up for the start of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe and now the business man is back for more on the same boat. He set himself the objective of covering 4,700 miles this season, before the race start with the goal to be competitive amongst the fleet.

Lives: Saint Philibert, France Age: 58 Home port: La Trinité-sur-Mer Nationality: French Previous participations: 0 Having raced at the highest level on a multitude of craft, then working as Team Manager for Yvan Bourgnon, Alain Gautier and for the Gitana stable, Yann Marilley today heads France’s third largest dry dock. He’s also been focusing on the construction of an Outremer 5X Racing yacht, devised and designed with the VPLP firm and his friend, the late Jean Maurel. The boat is a concentration of the duos multihull experience. A competitor through and through, he is out to win his class.

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26/09/2

WINNING IN THE TOUGHEST CONDITIONS Ed Gorman looks back at Dame Ellen MacArthur’s emphatic win in a classic Route du Rhum of 2002

The Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe is a French race and unsurprisingly its winner’s roster is dominated by some of the greatest French solo sailors of the modern era. But occasionally skippers from further afield have appeared on the role of honour, not least Great Britain’s Dame Ellen MacArthur who produced a resounding victory on her Open 60 Kingfisher in the seventh edition of the race in 2002. This was one of the toughest and most destructive races in the Route du Rhum’s history when a succession of gales in the Bay of Biscay and the North Atlantic produced boat-breaking conditions that caused havoc in the fleet. After the first week only 41 of the 58 starters were still racing and many of the multihulls had either capsized, broken up or their skippers had been forced to throttle back to avoid damage. In the Open 60 fleet the battle at the front of the race quickly came down to three skippers – MacArthur on Kingfisher, the boat on which she had finished in second place in the Vendée Globe solo round-the-world race a year earlier, her fellow Briton Mike Golding on Ecover and France’s Roland Jourdain on Sill. The weather was appalling and it soon took its toll on Jourdain who had to head to Madeira for repairs after damaging his sails in big seas and gusts of over 70 knots. “Really? Oh no! Poor Bilou,” exclaimed MacArthur on her satellite phone referring to Jourdain by his nickname, on hearing that the Frenchman had had to divert.

That left the 26-year-old Englishwoman from rural Derbyshire and Golding fighting it out as they gradually eased away from the worst of the weather into strong downwind conditions which also placed big stresses on sails and skippers. But Golding had never beaten MacArthur and she wasn’t going to let him get past her this time either. The Kingfisher skipper who became the greatest female solo sailor of all time – either winning or coming second in every professional race she entered – pushed her boat hard but managed to avoid breaking it, just as she had during the Vendée Globe when she came so close to beating Michel Desjoyeaux. It was not all plain sailing though with MacArthur having to scale her mast to replace a spinnaker halyard. She also had to contend with a software glitch that corrupted the operation of the starboard auto-pilot, leaving her with just the port pilot in operation. In the strong downwind conditions of the second half of the race this remaining pilot struggled to cope, forcing MacArthur to spend hours at the tiller. As had previously been the case, MacArthur was battling as much with herself as with her rivals and the sea conditions. “The ultra-competitiveness is still her weak point,” remarked Mark Turner, her manager and founding partner at Offshore Challenges, as she neared the finish. “She doesn’t know how to relax and she ends up not sleeping because she is always worried that someone – in this case Mike (Golding) – is taking miles off her.” But Golding couldn’t get near Kingfisher and he started to slip back with both of

his spinnakers out of action. MacArthur arrived in glorious isolation off the palmfringed beaches of Pointe-à-Pitre where scores of mainly French journalists were ready to laud a remarkable performance that saw her set a new monohull record of 13 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes. She had won the 16-strong class and become the first monohull skipper in the history of the race to reach the finish before any of the multihulls (though she was aided in this by the fact that the multihulls set sail a day later than the monohulls). On shore there were thousands of ordinary people waiting who had been inspired by this English woman of diminutive stature who had swept her male rivals away. As she took her first steps on land they applauded as one and chanted her name as the music and drums beat out the rhythm of victory and fireworks lit up the Caribbean night sky. Despite the horrendous conditions in the early stages, she had loved the race – her last in a monohull as her career with Offshore Challenges moved on towards round-the-world record breaking in big multihulls. “I learnt a lot about myself in the Vendée, but every time you sail you learn new things,” MacArthur said on the night of her victory. “I’ve sailed a lot in Kingfisher and I’ve learnt a lot about how to sail her and what she is capable of.” Turner and MacArthur set up Offshore Challenges in 1998 to manage MacArthur’s sailing projects. Little did the duo know that the company would evolve over the years to become OC Sport in 2012, adding the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe to it’s portfolio through it’s French subsidiary OC Sport Pen Duick.

THE SEA INSPIRES US TO TAKE ON THE CHALLENGE

A journey by sea is always an adventure. Each year we take 2.5 million passengers on a voyage of discovery to the fabulous destinations of the European West. Driven by innovation and respect for the sea, we are the maritime leader of the Atlantic Arc, paving the way for a new take on sea travel. A journey that blends comfort, safety and a respect for the precious marine environment – all infused with the excellence of French know-how. It’s a mission and rich story we gladly share with our partners and the regions we serve. So it’s with this sense of pride that we also partner the greatest solo transatlantic mission: the Route Du Rhum Destination Guadeloupe.

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24/0

OFFICIAL TIMEKEEPER

Fine French Watchmaking Tradition since 1948

Founded in 1948 in Besançon (Doubs) by Henry Louis Belmont, Yema aims to design ,create, make and produce high quality watches specifically designed for four main fields: diving, automobiles, space conquest and the sailing world.

In 1966, the first Yema Yachtingraf is launched, a watch especially designed for the sailing world. In 2002, Yema first partnered at the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe by sponsoring Mike Birch’s boat” Tir groupe- Montres Yema’.

Today Yema renews its partnership with the legendary solo transatlantic race, Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe 2018, by becoming the official timekeeper. To mark its 70th anniversary and this new partnership, the watch company Yema releases 4 new Yachtingraf models with the Route du Rhum Destination Guadeloupe 40th anniversary emblem stamped on the casebook to identify them as special editions.

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1978

THE TRANSAT OF LIBERTY As its creator, Michel Etévenon, intended, the first Route du Rhum was the transat of freedom: monohulls and multihulls were mixed without class divisions and without size restrictions. Professionals and amateurs competed under the same rules and all outside aids to navigation were allowed on an open course.

What to remember from 1978: • The first transatlantic to overthrow conventional wisdom. • Thirty-eight competitors started the race, barely a quarter of them on racing boats. • Olivier de Kersauson, Philippe Poupon, Florence Arthaud and Bruno Peyron were among those who set sail. • French skipper Alain Colas was lost at sea. • Olympus Photo, the small yellow trimaran sailed by Mike Birch, won by just 98 seconds from Kriter skippered by Michel Malinovski, after 23 days of racing.

1982

MORE THAN 50 BOATS AT THE START Fifty-two sailors registered for the second edition including a group of professional sailors to enliven the history books of offshore racing. This time the boats were again admitted without size limitations and all were equipped with Argos beacons. It was now much easier to follow the progress of the skippers and to detect when things went wrong or their boats were damaged.

What to remember from 1982: • Great multihulls made their appearance with Eugène Riguidel’s 27-metre William Saurin or Elf Aquitaine sailed by Marc Pajot. Three boats measured more than 20 metres. • Marc Pajot managed to win, 10 hours ahead of Bruno Peyron on Jaz, despite serious damage to his boat. • There were 19 retirements including Ian Johnston on his trimaran Rennie (capsized), Jean-Yves Terlain on Gauthier III (dismasted), Eric Tabarly on Paul Ricard and Daniel Gillard on BAI Britanny Ferries.

1986

A YEAR OF HEAVY WEATHER Thirty-three skippers took the start of this edition. The best skippers were still taking part even if the number of participants was down compared to 1982. The size of the boats continued to grow with 13 boats entered measuring more than 23 metres. Never had offshore racing brought such a group of giants together. The trend was resolutely towards catamarans with no less than 13 in the fleet, against nine trimarans some of which were equipped with the latest appendage - foils. The depressions followed one another in the Atlantic making it a tough journey westwards.

What to remember from 1986: • The big multihulls marked this vintage with no less than 13 boats over 23 metres in class 1. • Royal, a 26-metre maxi catamaran, capsized in a storm and Loïc Caradec was lost at sea. • With a 48-hour lead, Philippe Poupon (Fleury Michon VIII) crossed the finish line to win. His foiling trimaran did wonders on the southern route and he dedicated his victory to the memory of his friend Caradec.

1990

THE FIRST FEMALE WINNER The fourth edition marked a year of change. The trimarans had definitively imposed themselves on the race but a limitation of 60ft was now imposed, ruling out entries from Bruno Peyron, Francis Joyon and Hervé Laurent. Thirty-one competitors set sail from Saint-Malo, among them sailors on new boats like Florence Arthaud (Pierre 1er), Mike Birch (Fujichrome), Laurent Bourgnon (RMO) or Philippe Poupon (Fleury Michon IX). Bourgnon passed the buoy off Cape Frehel in the lead but in Pointe-à-Pitre, it was Florence Arthaud who entered the legend of Rhum by becoming the first woman to win. What to remember from 1990: • A limitation on the size of boats of 60ft was imposed. • The trimarans dominated with new boats made from carbon. • Florence Arthaud on Pierre 1er sailed a remarkable race to win. • The runner-up was Philippe Poupon with the new kid in the block, Laurent Bourgnon, third.

1994

A BREATHTAKING PODIUM They were only 24 sailors taking the start of the fifth edition. But this time the fleet was split between a multihull class and a monohull class for the first time, with 12 skippers setting sail in each category. Although many race fans still had memories of Florence Arthaud in their minds, she did not defend her title. But her boat took part having been bought by the American adventurer and billionaire, Steve Fossett, under the name of Lakota. The intensity of competition was still off the limits.

What to remember from 1994: • Cherbourg Technologies skippered by Halvard Mabire lost its keel and turned over. Mabire was recovered after 10 hours – his boat sank 10 days later. • In addition to the sailors fighting on the water, the quality of the routers working for them on land was better than ever with Richard Silvani advising Laurent Bourgnon and JeanYves Bernot and Louis Bodin working for Paul Vatine. • The new generation of water-ballasted 60ft monohulls showed incredible potential. While they may be not have been on par with trimarans, they coped with the elements more easily and could afford to hold more canvas than before. • It proved to be an incredible podium as behind the two leading trimarans - Laurent Bourgnon on Primagaz and Paul Vatine on Region Haute-Normandie - followed the first two monohulls: Cacolac of Aquitaine skippered by Yves Parlier and Alain Gautier’s Baggage Superior.

1998

A GROWING LINEUP FOR THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY TRANSATLANTIC

Nineteen multihulls and 18 monohulls set sail on this edition: a strong birthday turnout for the twentieth year of the Route du Rhum. In six editions, the race had become a classic and a must for all professional sailors. The Atlantic was once again transformed into a veritable chessboard on which the world’s leading soloists played out their options: Francis Joyon, Paul Vatine, Loick Peyron, Laurent Bourgnon, Alain Gautier, Marc Guillemot and Franck Cammas were all involved. On arrival in Guadeloupe, Laurent Bourgnon was the first in the history of the race to achieve a second consecutive victory. What to remember from 1998: • Yves Parlier, who was seriously injured during a fall while paragliding, entrusts his 60ft Aquitaine Innovations to Thomas Coville. The latter wins the monohull class, routed by Yves Parlier himself. A great sailor is born. • Four sailors contested the finish in view of Guadeloupe: Laurent Bourgnon, Alain Gautier, Marc Guillemot and Franck Cammas. The winner was the one who made the least mistakes according to Alain Gautier. Laurent Bourgnon achieved his second consecutive victory in the Route du Rhum. • The victory of Primagaz, was also an endorsement for the preparation and racing methods of Bourgnon whose boat was reliable in every way and was routed by Richard Silvani and Bob Rice.

2002

THE YEAR OF RECORDS With 58 competitors at the start, 2002 was a record year, in terms of participation but unfortunately also in terms of abandonment, because while 28 boats finished, only three out of 18 arrived in the Caribbean in the queen class of 60ft multihulls. Another historic first was the finish of two monohulls ahead of all the multihulls - a result of the departure of the monohulls one day before the multihulls, and the widespread damage to the multihulls in a storm off La Coruna.

What to remember from 2002: • The seventh edition was marked by the passage of a very deep depression that caused havoc with the ORMA multihulls. Michel Desjoyeaux (Giant), Marc Guillemot (Biscuits La Trinitaine) and Lalou Roucayrol (Banque Populaire) were the only three to finish of the 18 starters. • This edition celebrated the resounding victory of Britain’s Ellen MacArthur in the IMOCA monohull class and that of Michel Desjoyeaux in his ORMA trimaran.

2006

A GREAT VINTAGE

The eighth episode of this famous solo transatlantic race will remain marked by the breathtaking sprint of Lionel Lemonchois, winner of the queen category of 60ft multihulls aboard Gitana 11. Sailing from Saint-Malo to Pointe-à-Pitre in just 7 days, 17 hours and 19 minutes, the Norman pulverised the old record by Laurent Bourgnon by more than four days, with an average speed of 19.11 knots. The other outstanding feature was the epic duel between Roland Jourdain (Sill et Veolia) and Jean Le Cam (VM Materials), which produced a thrilling finish. After 3,543 miles, only 28 minutes separated them, allowing Jourdain to enter the legend of Rum. What to remember from 2006: • Seventy-four skippers lined up at the start, a milestone in the history of the race. Sixty-two boats made it to Guadeloupe, including 61 classified, making it a great sporting success. • 1.2 million visitors gathered on the docks in Saint-Malo during the 10 days preceding the start. • For the first time, the monohulls of Class40 were admitted and immediately formed the biggest category with 25 entred.

2010

THE RETURN OF THE GIANTS

Eighty-five solo skippers took to the start in 2010, while almost two million people visited the race villages at Saint-Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre - the 2010-vintage Rum established itself as a record-breaker. On the water, the return of the great multihulls did not disappoint. The winner aboard his 31.50-metre trimaran, Franck Cammas, skipper of Groupama 3, entered the legend of the race but he did not beat the record, taking nine days, three hours, 14 minutes and 47 seconds to cross the Atlantic. Francis Joyon (Idec) and Thomas Coville (Sodebo) completed the podium. What to remember from 2010: • Nine Ultimes, nine IMOCAs, 12 Multi-50s, 11 "Rhum" class yachts and 44 Class40s made for a total of 85 competitors at the start. • Two million visitors had greeted the sailors at the race villages. • Franck Cammas entered the winner’s circle of the Queen of Transatlantic races and celebrated in his own way the return of the giants of ocean racing to this event.

2014

THE EDITION OF ALL THE SUPERLATIVES For its 10th edition in 2014, the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe broke all records with 91 boats together on the startline off Saint-Malo. The race witnessed a magnificent victory by Loïck Peyron, who set a new reference time, completing the 3,542-mile course in an incredible seven days, 15 hours, eight minutes and 32 seconds. On the media front the output was phenomenal with unprecedented coverage. This included more than 67 hours of television coverage, over 44 hours of radio coverage, over 5,500 news articles, over 900 accredited journalists and more than 12,000 web-based stories about the race. Finally, more than 2,200,000 people came to enjoy the race villages in SaintMalo and in Pointe-à-Pitre. What to remember from 2014: • Eight Ultimes, nine IMOCAs, 11 Mutli-50s, 20 "Rhum" class yachts and 43 Class40s entred the race, making a total of 91 competitors. • 2.2 million people visited the race villages. • Loïck Peyron achieved the feat of winning in record time after deciding at the last minute to skipper the Ultime trimaran, Banque Populaire.

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