After 25 days of racing, 5 Rhum Mono are now still on their way to Guadeloupe and are expected to reach the finish line on Tuesday. ----- The race tracker and the event website.
After three weeks of racing, the Route du Rhum is slowly coming to an end. There are still some stragglers in the Class 40 and the Rhum Multi and Mono, the last Rhum still 1,000 miles short of the finish this morning. The race tracker. ----- After Oliver Heer SUI finished the race yesterday as the last Open 60, but managed to qualify for the Vendée Globe, a report of his adventurous journey has now been published.
Yesterday, Oliver Heer SUI also reached the finish in Pointe-à-Pitre, and thanks to his time bonus of 84 hours for the collision he suffered at the start, he even moved up two places in the overall ranking of the Open 60 and finished his first Route du Rhum in 32nd place. Herewith, he has thus fulfilled the qualification conditions for the Vendée Globe. At present, the last four Class 40, four Class Rhum Multi as well as the main fleet of the Rhum Mono are still underway. ----- The race tracker and the reports.
This evening, Oliver Heer SUI will be the 34th and last IMOCA to reach the finish on Guadeloupe, 180 miles away this morning UTC. The Swiss is also on his way in the service of science: in cooperation with the ETH Zurich and the Universities of Bern and Lausanne, he will carry a number of measuring instruments for the Swiss Polar Institute during his trips - the report. ----- Morgane Ursault FRA ('Médecins du Monde') arrived 31st and the first woman to finish in Class 40 this morning. ----- Former Vendée Globe participant (1996) Catherine Chaboud FRA terminated second in the Rhum Mono class yesterday - the report. ----- The race tracker and the reports.
Slowly, the Route du Rhum is coming to an end, also for Oliver Heer SUI, who made good progress in the Open 60 again yesterday and should cross the finish tomorrow, finishing his first qualifying regatta for the Vendée Globe participation successfully in time. Already on Friday, Jingkun Xu CHN ('China Dream-HAIKOU') arrived as 28th Open 60. The disabled Chinese, who is missing a hand, mastered the difficult race with flying colors and will also take part in the Vendée Globe in 2024 - the report. ----- Catherine Chaboud FRA will reach the finish line today in the Rhum Mono class. ----- The race tracker and the reports.
After 17 days, three Open 60s remain still in the race, including at the very end of the fleet Oliver Heer SUI in the race for the Vendee Globe qualifying limit. It's going well, as this morning, he was only 700 miles short - his reports. ----- Twenty-one of the 37 Class 40s remaining in the race have finished, with another group due to arrive today. ----- In the Rhum Multi class, Philippe Poupon FRA, who raced in the first edition of the Route du Rhum in 1976, follows today in 6th position . He is helming the trimaran of the then winner Florence Arthaud FRA. ----- In the Rhum Mono class, Catherine Chabaud FRA follows today in 2nd place behind winner Jean-Pierre Dick FRA. The rest of the fleet is still a while off. ----- The race tracker and the reports.
Pointe-à-Pitre was busy again yesterday: As last Ultime trimaran 'Use it again' with Romain Pillier FRA crossed the finish line. Roland Jourdain FRA, winner of the Rhum Multi, was given a time penalty yesterday (the engine seal was missing) and had to let pas Loîc Escoffier FRA, who was only just behind him in 2nd place. The Class 40 continues to be fiercely contested: Meanwhile, 14 of the 37 remaining participants have reached the finish line. Three Open 60 are still in the race, most of all Oliver Heer SUI, who is keeping his race against the time limit for a Vendée Globe qualification exciting. He still has 950 miles and 4 days to go, yesterday he again reached about 250 miles in 24 hours ! The race tracker and the reports.
Yesterday, the decision in Class 40 was made in Point-à-Pitre: Yoann Richomme FRA ('Paprec Arkea') reached the finish line with a big lead already yesterday in the late afternoon. Shortly before midnight, Ambrogio Beccaria ITA ('Allagrande Pirelli') decided the duel for second place in his favor. Corentin Douget FRA ('Queginer Innoveo') followed 2 hours later in 3rd place. This morning at 7 am, Simon Koster SUI ('Banque du Léman') crossed the finish line in 4th place. ----- Meanwhile, 25 Open 60 have reached the finish. Alan Roura SUI ('Hublot') remained in 21st place, 50 hours behind, followed this morning by Boris Herrmann GER ('Malizia') in 25th, who finished his test sail in safety mode. Next up is Guirec Soudée FRA ('Freelance.com'), who already crossed the Atlantic in a rowing boat this year! Drama in the Class Rhum Multi: the leading Gilles Buekenhout BEL capsized with his trimaran, but could already be rescued by a cargo ship. ----- The race tracker and the reports.
Justine Mettraux SUI was very satisfied with her 7th place, only 20 hours behind winner Thomas Ruyant FRA. In her first big single-handed race on an Open 60, she was able to keep up with the best until shortly before the end and became best woman and best non-French. ----- The report.
After 12 days and 13 hours, Justine Mettraux SUI on her 'TeamWork' reached the finish of the Route du Rhum in Guadeloupe yesterday in 7th place. The report. She is thus the best non-French and first of the 6 women, doing excellently: Isabelle Joschke FRA ('MASCF') and Pipe Hare GBR ('Medallia)' will finish today in 9th and 11th place respectively. Alan Roura SUI ('Hublot'), expected to finish tomorrow, is still 21st. ----- The Class 40 fleet still has about two days to go. Yoann Richomme FRA ('Paprec Arkea') was still 427 miles short of the finish this morning, with Corentin Douget FRA ('Queginer Innoveo') and Ambrogio Beccaria ITA ('Alagrande Pirelli') following around 100 miles behind in 2nd and 3rd place. Simon Koster SUI is now 66 miles behind a podium place in 4th. ----- The race tracker and the reports.
Shortly after 8h CET Thomas Ruyant FRA ('LinkedOut') reached the finish in Point-à-Pitre as the winner of the Open 60. So he remains the king of the Atlantic! In 2009 he won the Mini-Transat, in 2010 the Route du Rhum in Class 40, in 2018 the Transat AG2R of the Figaro and last year the Transat Jacques Vabre with his 'LinkedOut' - his Palmarès. Only about an hour behind is Charlie Dalin FRA ('Apivia'). Jérémy Béyou FRA (Charal) and Kevin Escoffier FRA (Holcim-PRB) follow only a few hours later. For 5th place, there is a duel between Paul Meilhat FRA ('Biotherm') and Maxime Sorel FRA ('VNB') who is one mile behind. Justine Mettraux SUI ('TeamWork') has secured her 7th place. She was 227 miles short this morning. Alan Roura SUI is unchanged in 21st place, Boris Herrmann GER, who is using the Route du Rhum exclusively as a test race, has reported problems with his foils. He will not use them until the finish - his video report. ----- The Class 40 is still 650 miles short of the finish. Yoann Richomme FRA continues to lead confidently with now 118 miles ahead. Corentin Douget FRA displaced Ambrogio Beccaria ITA from 2nd place. Simon Koster SUI ('Banque du Léman') is 45 miles behind the podium in 4th place this morning. ----- The race tracker and the reports.
With 50 miles to go, Erwan Le Roux FRA (Koesio) and 28-year-old Quentin Vlamynck (Arema) are having a close duel at the top of the Ocean Fifty trimarans this morning, the gap is just 5 miles. Also today, Armel Le Cléac'h FRA with his 'Banque Populaire' will arrive at the finish line as 7th Ultime trimaran, after his damage he started 5 days late. The tension in the Open 60 is on: Thomas Ruyant FRA (LinkedOut) is leading this morning with 17 miles ahead of Charlie Dalin FRA (Apivia), Jérémy Béyou FRA (Charal) is 50 miles behind in 3rd. Justine Mettraux SUI (TeamWork) still holds 7th position. In Class 40 Yoann Richomme FRA (Paprec-Arkea) has extended his lead to 117 miles. Ambrogio Beccaria ITA (Allagrande Pirelli) follows in 2nd, 5 miles behind is Corentin Douget FRA (Queguiner-Innoveo) in 3rd. 20 miles behind Douget, Simon Koster SUI (Banque du Léman) remains close in 4th. The race tracker and the reports.
Now having reached the trade winds, the race progresses quickly towards the finish, and the gaps are increasing. ----- Thomas Ruyant FRA ('LinkedOut') is now leading the Open 60, and Charlie Dalin FRA ('Apivia') is second, 15 miles behind. Kevin Escoffier ('Holcim-PRB') is already 80 miles back in 3rd. Justine Mettraux SUI ('TeamWork') has lost some distance but is still safe in 7th place with a 165-mile backlog. Alan Roura SUI ('Hublot') follows in 21st place 708 miles behind. ----- In Class 40, Yoann Richomme FRA ('Paprec-Arkena') was able to pull further away. Ambrogio Beccaria ITA ('Allagrande Pirelli') in 2nd place is already 91 miles back. Simon Koster SUI ('Banque du Léman') is now 4th, 114 miles behind. ----- The race tracker and the reports.
Meanwhile, 5 of the 8 Ultime trimarans have reached the finish on Guadeloupe. ----- Last year's winner Francis Joyon FRA ('IDEC') had the upper hand in the duel for fourth place with a 2-hour lead over Yves Le Blevec FRA ('Actual'). ----- After 8 days at the top, Charlie Dalin FRA ('Apivia') had to give up the lead to Thomas Ruyant FRA ('LinkedOut') tonight, but the gap is just 4 miles. Justine Mettraux SUI ('TeamWork') continues to hold onto the lead group and is now 7th, 154 miles behind. ----- In Class 40, Xavier Macaire FRA ('Groupe SNEF') dropped back from the lead group after a repair stop - he suffered a water ingress after cracks in the hull - the report. Yoan Richomme FRA ('Paprec-Arkea') clearly remains on top with a 55-mile lead. Simon Koster SUI moved up to 4th place, just 4 miles behind 2nd place. -----The race tracker and the reports.
While the trimarans are already thundering towards the finish line at high speeds in the trade winds (arriving Thursday night), the IMOCA Open 60 fleet still has to cross the flat high-pressure wedge of the Azores. ----- The leaders - Charlie Dalin FRA ('Apivia') is 90 miles ahead of Jérémy Beyou FRA ('Charal') - have already been slowed to 9kn. Justine Mettraux SUI sought fresher winds yesterday with a tack to the northwest.... and found them. This morning she is by far the fastest in the fleet at 18kn. Her gap of 135 miles (still 7th) is rapidly shrinking at the moment! Alan Roura SUI is still 18th, Oliver Heer SUI resumed racing yesterday after his repair stop. ----- Class 40 also has yet to find a way through the Azores high. Yoann Richomme FRA ('Paprec Arkea') continues to lead, now 14 miles ahead of Corentin Douget FRA ('Queguiner-Innoveo'), with Simon Koster SUI ('Banque du Léman') holding on in 5th, 40 miles behind. ----- The race tracker and the reports.
Yesterday again, some more had to abandon the race. The sinking of Fabrice Amedeo FRA ('Nexans - Art & Fenêtres') was exceptional: A leak in his ballast tank flooded the onboard electronics, and a fire broke out spreading rapidly. Fabrice Amedeo had to take refuge in the life raft, and shortly after, his Open-60 sank! Meanwhile, he was picked up by a cargo ship. ----- The report.
With the exception of the 'Rhum Mono' class, the fleet has passed the transition zone between the fronts and is now sailing with fresh westerly winds towards Guadeloupe. The rough conditions also took their toll yesterday: Thibault Camus-Vauchel FRA, leading in the Ocean 50 trimarans, capsized in the cross waves of the new front - the report. With Louis Burton FRA ('Bureau Vallée'), one of the favorites in the Open 60 suffered a mast break. There were further dismastings in Class 40, plus various repair stops, including Olympic skiing champion Ivica Kostelic CRO, whose autopilot is defective. ----- The top duo of the Ultime trimarans is still close together: Charles Caudrelier FRA ('Edmond de Rothschild') is leading 25 miles ahead of François Gabart FRA ('SVR Lazartigue') and also Thomas Coville FRA ('Sodebo') 92 miles behind remains in the race for the top. ----- In the Open 60, Charlie Dalin impressively lives up to his role as a favorite: He is now 65 miles ahead of Jérémy Beyou FRA ('Charal'). Only 30 miles behind Beyou, Justine Mettraux SUI ('TeamWork') - see her onboard-video - has moved up to 7th place. Alan Roura SUI ('Hublot') advanced to 18th place. ----- No changes at the top of Class 40: Corentin Douget FRA still leads 6 miles ahead of Xavier Macaire FRA. Simon Koster SUI ('Banque du Léman') follows 25 miles behind in 9th place. ----- The race tracker with all other classifications and the reports.
The weather remains challenging ! After the last front, there is a flat intermediate zone to cross. The Ultime trimarans are almost through, Charles Caudrelier FRA (Edmond de Rothschild) is still leading, but with only 4 miles ahead of François Gabart FRA (SVR Lazartigue). As the only Open 60 so far, Charlie Dalin (Apivia) has reached the flat intermediate zone, his lead has dropped accordingly to 42 miles. Kevin Escoffier FRA (PRB) and Jérémy Beyou FRA (Charal) are the first pursuers. With 73 miles behind, Justine Mettraux SUI has moved up to 9th place, 8 miles ahead of Isabelle Joschke FRA (11th place). Alan Roura SUI (Hublot) follows in 26th place, 140 miles behind - here is his report. Oliver Heer SUI is on his way back to Port La-Foret to repair the damage after the collision. But he is determined to finish the race, also to earn qualifying miles for a Vendée Globe entry - the Facebook page with video. The Class 40 fleet continues to sail close together and will reach the flat zone during the afternoon. Corentin Douget FRA is still leading, Simon Koster SUI (Banque du Léman) is in 10th place, 14 miles behind. The race-tracker and the reports.
After moderate conditions, the fleet reached another front this morning. More retirements have been reported yesterday and tonight: Armel Le Cléac'h FRA had to turn around with his Ultime trimaran 'Banque Populaire' after breaking the centerboard - the report. Damien Séguin FRA collided with a freighter tonight and suffered mast breakage - the report. ----- The fleet of the Ultime has already passed Cape Finisterre at the north-western tip of Spain and is still led by Charles Caudrelier FRA and his 'Edmond de Rothschild'. However, he is threatened with a time penalty of 4 hours for starting early, against which his team has lodged a protest. The GPS data should provide information, and today the jury will decide. Behind Caudrelier, François Gabart FRA ('SVR-Lartigue') has moved up to rank 2 with a 26-mile gap. ----- In the large IMOCA Open 60 fleet, Louis Duc FRA was the only one to choose a westerly course and thus continues to hold the lead. However, this morning he is in the middle of the storm front. Charlie Dalin FRA ('Apivia') follows 9 miles behind in 2nd place. Surprising 3rd is Giurrec Soudée FRA: the adventurer completed his second Atlantic crossing in a rowing boat this summer and wants to be part of the Vendée Gloe in two years. It is his first race with the IMOCAs! Justine Mettraux SUI (TeamWork) moved up to 15th place and is the best-classified woman. Isabelle Joschke FRA and Samantha Davis GBR follow a few miles behind. ----- The Class 40 fleet remains tightly bunched with the top 20 sailing within 20 miles of each other. Alex Mehran FRA is leading, and Simon Koster SUI ('Banque du Léman') follows 9 miles behind in 11th place. ----- The race viewer and the reports.
The start of the Route du Rhum took place yesterday at 2 pm in a 15kn westerly wind. There were numerous early starts, including Yoann Richomme FRA, a favorite in Class 40. Sam Goodchild GBR, favorite in the Ocean 50 trimarans, retired shortly before the start with head and arm injuries after a winch lever blocked and 'snapped back' - the report. Oliver Heer SUI also had to turn back after a collision with Kojiro Shiraishi JPN, both plan to resume racing after repairs. ----- The Ultime Trimarans have already passed the western tip of Brittany, with Charles Caudrelier FRA ('Edmond de Rothschild') leading with 33 miles ahead of Thomas Coville FRA ('Sodebo'). The last winner Francis Joyon FRA ('IDEC') is already 143 miles behind in 6th place, but he is the only one who has started an attack close to the French coast in the Bay of Biscay. One can be curious! ----- The Open 60s have also rounded Brittany. Louis Duc FRA ('Lantana Environment') was the only one to round the restricted zone in the north and thus sailed to the (theoretical) top! Most of the favorites are on a southerly course along the coast (as Joyon in the Ultimes), with Charlie Dalin FRA ('Apivia') ranked 32. Justine Mettraux SUI ('TeamWork'), ranked 31st, is in this same group.----- Class 40 is sailing along the north coast of Brittany this morning. The closely packed fleet is led by Corentin Douget FRA. 1.1 miles behind is Matthieu Perraut FRA, Ian Lipinski POL is third, 1.3 miles behind. Simon Koster SUI follows in 11th, 3.3 miles behind. The race tracker and the report from the start.
Today at 14.15h the starting signal for the Route de Rhum is given in St,Malo. With 13-15 knots of wind, ideal conditions for the exit from the English Channel. The preview. From 13.25h CET the live broadcast will run, the 138 solo skippers will start simultaneously on one line ! The event-website.
Switzerland will start with three IMOCAs, and Simon Koster SUI and his 'Banque du Léman' are among the favorites for the Class 40. Yesterday, Alex Thompson GBR paid a prominent visit to Alan Roura SUI, who took over the former 'Hugo Boss' from Thompson, and newcomer Oliver Heer SUI, who worked for Thompson as a boat captain for many years. Justine Mettraux SUI also welcomed the race committee's decision to postpone.
The strong storm front with winds of up to 55kn and 7-meter waves prompted the race committee yesterday to postpone the start of the Route du Rhum scheduled for today. Tonight it will be announced when. It is expected that the start will be on Wednesday after the passage of a second storm front. The report.
In St.Malo, preparations for the Route du Rhum are in full swing and the wind forecasts for the first race days are known: It will be rough ! A low pressure area will bring several rain fronts with wind peaks of 55kn and 6-metre waves during the night from Sunday to Monday ! The report. A little less wet is the participation at the virtual Route du Rhum, also here the participation is huge !
On Sunday, the Route du Rhum, the classic single-handed transatlantic regatta, will start in St. Malo FRA, where one million spectators are expected on Sunday: the most public sporting event of the whole year! A record-breaking fleet of 138 solo skippers will be at the start. ----- 38 IMOCA Open 60s, including 8 new constructions, are taking part. The favorite is Charlie Dalin FRA with his 'Apivia', who has won everything in the last two years. Switzerland is represented by three Open 60s: Justine Mettraux SUI should be able to keep up with her 'Teamwork' and Alan Roura SUI also has a competitive Open 60 (ex-'Hugo Boss') with his 'Hublot'. For Oliver Heer SUI it is his first big Atlantic race. The IMOCA preview. ----- In the Ultime trimaran class, last year's winner Francis Joyon FRA ('IDEC'), Charles Caudrelier FRA ('Banque de Rothschild'), Armel Le Cléac'h FRA ('Banque populaire'), Thomas Coville FRA ('Sodebo') and François Gabart FRA ('SAR Lazartigue') will meet The preview Ultime. ----- Among the 55 Class 40, Simon Koster SUI ('Banque du Léman') is one of the favorites. Joining for the first time participating as a solo skipper is 4-time Olympic ski medalist Ivica Kostelic CRO. The preview Class 40. ----- All entry lists and the preview.
