Route du Rhum: New or tried and tested – what’s the key to success in the solo transatlantic race?

Since the start of the week, the 115 competitors taking part in the 13th edition of the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe have been gathered in Saint-Malo. Their countdown clock is now ticking louder every day. The most important preparations have been completed. In each the six classes Based on this year’s sailing results, a pecking order has emerged. The unknown quantities amongst the favourites are those challengers competing in the first solo race with their new boats. Take Boris Herrmann, for example, with his new “Malizia 4”.

Route du Rhum: growing confidence versus a fresh start

Some – such as Boris Herrmann and his crew in the Ocean Race Atlantic – have already competed in their first regattas. Others have so far ‘only’ subjected their new boats – such as Charles Cuadrelier with “Gitana 18” in the Ultim class – to intensive testing. The Route du Rhum now marks the first solo race. At the other end of the spectrum are men and women such as Sam Goodchild in the IMOCA class, who have been sailing their successful boats at the very highest level for some time and can go into the race with a great deal of confidence in both their boats and themselves.

A closer look at two of the six classes – Ultims and Imocas – reveals where the solo sailors stand. In the largest class, the Ultim giants, the technical teams have recently been working hard to ensure maximum reliability of their maxi-trimarans for the solo transatlantic race. Technical modifications have been made to all eight boats.

Anthony Marchand’s “Actual Ultim 3” has been fitted with a new mast, whilst Armel Le Cléac’h’s “Maxi Banque Populaire XI” has been fitted with a new centreboard. Thomas Coville’s “Sodebo Ultim 3” has been fitted with a set of new foils. New foils and a new rudder were also installed on the “SVR-Lazartigue” (Tom Laperche). However, during a training session in mid-September, the starboard foil on the “SVR-Lazartigue” was damaged in a collision. The team was forced to refit the previous foil.

​New collision-avoidance sonar system for the Route du Rhum

Tom Laperche remarked matter-of-factly: “I’d rather put up with this bit of bad luck before the Route du Rhum.” The Frenchman remained confident: “It has absolutely no impact on performance. If anything, it just proves our ability to carry out a quick replacement and remain competitive.” He proved his point a few days later when, as in the previous year, he won the “24 Heures Ultim”. He was followed by Armel Le Cléac’h, Anthony Marchand and Thomas Coville.

Tom Laperche is also unveiling a world first: as part of a collaboration between Kresk Dévelopment, Thales and MerConcept, the “SVR – Lazartigue” has been fitted with sonar to prevent collisions with marine mammals. Several million euros have been invested in the development of this system. According to the initiators, the technology makes it possible to “detect marine mammals and other unidentified objects in real time and completely autonomously”. However, the initiators state that the technology is still at the trial stage. Initial tests have, however, yielded promising results.

The most frequently asked question in the premier class, however, is: how will Charles Cuadrelier’s new “Maxi Edmond de Rothschild” (“Gitana 18”) perform, as it prepares for its first race since being launched in February? The Gitana giant is one of the main topics of conversation ahead of the start of the Route du Rhum on 1 November at 1.02 pm. There have not yet been any regatta trials in direct competition with the rival boats during the first eight months or so.

"It’s still a gamble and a huge challenge, as no one has ever managed to develop a boat like this in such a short space of time." Charles Caudrelier

The skipper of the “Gitana 18”, who had won the last Route du Rhum in 2022 aboard “Gitana 17”, went into a little more detail about the conditions under which he is competing this time round. Caudrelier said: “In the last edition, I said that I might be the weak link. Now it’s the other way round – I have the experience, but the boat still lacks nautical miles.”

The Imoca scenario for the Route du Rhum

Ahead of the upcoming Route du Rhum, this statement could just as easily have come from Boris Herrmann or even Sébastien Simon, who finished third in the Vendée Globe. A total of 22 IMOCA solo sailors are preparing for the challenges of the 3,452 nautical miles from Saint-Malo to Point-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe. Once again, Sam Goodchild is tipped as the favourite aboard “Macif”, the boat which the late Charlie Dalin had steered so brilliantly to victory in the Vendée Globe.

Even in Goodchild’s hands, it has remained the top boat in the IMOCA class. The British sailor, who lives in France, has not finished a race lower than third place since taking over. He says: “I’m proud to be considered the favourite, but I also know that it doesn’t mean anything. “There’s still a race to be sailed. As we all know, a lot can happen between the start and the finish line.”

Also competing in the Route du Rhum in the IMOCA class with tried-and-tested boats are Ambrogio Beccaria (“Allagrande Mapei”), the Italian-American Francesca Clapcich on Boris Herrmann’s former “Malizia 3” under its new name ‘11th Hour Racing’, and Élodie Bonafous on the ‘Association Petits Princes – Quéguiner’, built in 2025. Beccaria had won the Vendée Arctique, Clapcich with Will Harris a strong second place in the Transat Café L’Or fought for.

First solo for Boris Herrmann’s new production, farewell gala for Beyou

​Jérémie Beyou is another skipper to keep an eye on. Having completed five Vendée Globe races round the world, the Breton sailor is contesting his final race under the banner of his long-standing sponsor Charal, in a tried-and-tested IMOCA whose bow has been completely redesigned as part of an unprecedented refit project.

"Sam may be a nose ahead of the others, but with an open route, numerous strategic options, many variables and a great deal of uncertainty, the Route du Rhum remains completely up for grabs." Jérémie Beyou

So what will the IMOCA skippers be capable of with their new boats? How much performance can they extract from their IMOCAs, which were only launched this year? The newest IMOCA in this 13th Route du Rhum will Sébastien Simon, who came third in the Vendée Globe will enter the race with its Verdier foiler “Groupe Dubreuil – Air Caraïbes”, which was launched as recently as August and built by Carrington Boats.

"Our boat is pretty radical. We’ve tried to design something a bit like an aeroplane, so that we can steer the boat with a sidestick – just like in an Airbus A350." Sébastien Simon

Almost as new is Boris Herrmann’s “Malizia 4”, which was released last month in the Ocean Race Atlantic has already put in a strong performance despite a collision and damage to the foil. Herrmann calls her “a fabulous boat, even though she’s already made me cry”. The six-time round-the-world sailor has just explained that “every time I go sailing with her, I feel more at ease with her and like her even more”.

“She’s got great potential. But to get the most out of her, I need to get to know this boat even better. She’s got the potential, but you really have to sail her well.” Boris Herrmann

Boris Herrmann’s assessment just under four months after the launch: “Sailing this boat solo is perhaps a bit tougher than with ‘Malizia 3’. But for crewed races, it’s such a pleasure.” Herrmann is now facing his first solo challenge with “Malizia 4”. He is convinced: “We owe it to the boat to take her out on the race. The Route du Rhum only takes place every four years. This is her first year. I believe she really deserves to sail the Route du Rhum in her first year.”

"It’s brand new and built for racing. We’ve got to take it out there." Boris Herrmann

The existing Rhum records give an indication of how quickly we might find out who will come out on top in the classes: the tried-and-tested boats, or perhaps the new ones?

Decisions can be made that quickly

In 2022, Charles Caudrelier set the Ultim course record of 6 days, 19 hours, 47 minutes and 25 seconds aboard “Gitana 17”. The IMOCA record is held, of all people, by Thomas Ruyant, who won the race four years ago aboard “LinkedOut” in 11 days, 17 hours, 36 minutes and 25 seconds. Ruyant is the unlucky one in this edition, as he has to stay ashore without a new IMOCA rocket due to a lack of sponsors. The search for his successor begins on 1 November.

What makes the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe so special – the trailer: