Created in 1978 by Michel Etevenon, La Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe is the queen of solo transatlantic races. For 44 years, it has linked Saint-Malo in Brittany to Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe, and brings together the largest fleet in ocean sailing on the same start line. Taking place over a total distance of 3,542 miles (6,562 kilometres), the race has become the most legendary of the singlehanded transatlantic yacht races, and its magic is ever-present through the diversity of classes and of the skippers. Great figures of sailing, both professional and amateur, come together every four years to taste "the magic of Rhum".
An open series and popular classes
From its first edition, which saw Mike Birch's little trimaran take an histroic victory of just 98 seconds against Michel Malinovsky's long cigar, the Route du Rhum has been shining its media spotlight on the solo sailors and their incredible boats. It is therefore not surprising that through the participation of a range of different boats, the race has become the most popluar, having witnessed huge architectural and technological advances in competitive sailing.
Great figures and amateur faces
Every four years, a diverse mixture of skippers gather to take on the challenge of the Rhum, with the race welcoming professional skippers and amateurs to the same start line. The fact that each skipper much came face-to-face with the ocean, and take on their own human adventure, puts everyone on the same footing. Here, some of the most incredible stories of ocean racng have been written.
Exceptional images
The exceptional human stories engage people across the world – from the exploits of Mike Birch, the first hero of the race, to those of Florence Arthaud who will forever be associated with the Atlantic, to the famed double of Laurent Bourgnon, and or even of Lionel Lemonchois who crossed the ocean in giant strides. The ‘magic of Rhum’ is shared through the images of the race, that capture the imaginations off those who follow.
HISTORICAL
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.
1st edition
The podium :
- Mike Birch (23 days, 6 hours, 59 minutes)
- Michel Malinovsky
- Philip S. Weld
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.
2nd edition
The podium :
- Marc Pajot (18 days, 1 hour, 38 minutes)
- Bruno Peyron
- Mike Birch
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 entred 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.
3rd edition
The podium :
-
Philippe Poupon (14 days, 15 hours, 57 minutes)
-
Bruno Peyron
-
Lionel Péan
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 St 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.
4th edition
The multihull podium :
- Florence Arthaud (14 days, 10 hours, 8 minutes)
- Philippe Poupon
- Laurent Bourgnon
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.
5th edition
The podium :
- Laurent Bourgnon (14 days, 6 hours, 28 minutes)
- Paul Vatine
- Yves Parlier (first monohull)
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 Jean-Yves 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 line-up 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.
6th edition
The multihull podium :
- Laurent Bourgnon (12 days, 8 hours, 41 minutes)
- Alain Gautier
- Franck Cammas
First monohull :
Thomas Coville (18 days, 7 hours, 53 minutes)
First monohull of 50-feet :
Ellen MacArthur (20 days, 11 hours, 44 minutes)
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.
7th edition
The Orma trimaran podium :
- Michel Desjoyeaux (13 days, 7 hours, 53 minutes)
- Marc Guillemot
- Lalou Roucayrol
The IMOCA monohull podium :
- Ellen MacArthur (13 days, 13 hours, 31 minutes)
- Mike Golding
- Joé Seeten
First monohull of 50-feet :
Franck-Yves Escoffier
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 St 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.
8th edition
The Orma trimaran podium :
- Lionel Lemonchois (7 days, 17 hours, 19 minutes)
- Pascal Bidégorry
- Thomas Coville
The IMOCA monohull podium :
- Roland Jourdain (12 days, 11 hours, 58 minutes)
- Jean Le Cam
- Jean-Pierre Dick
First Class40 :
Phil Sharp (18 days,10 hours, 21 minutes)
First monohull of 50-feet :
Franck-Yves Escoffier (11 days, 17 hours, 28 minutes)
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 St 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 the start in 2010, while almost two million people visited the race villages at St 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.
9th edition
Ultime podium :
- Franck Cammas (9 days, 3 hours, 14 minutes)
- Francis Joyon
- Thomas Coville
First IMOCA :
Roland Jourdain (13 days, 17 hours, 10 minutes)
First Multi50 :
Lionel Lemonchois (15 days, 4 hours, 50 minutes)
First Class40 :
Thomas Ruyant (17 days, 23 hours, 10 minutes)
First in the Rhum category :
Andrea Mura (19 days, 9 hours, 40 minutes)
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 St 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 St Malo and in Pointe-à-Pitre.
10th edition
Ultime podium :
- Loïck Peyron (7 days, 15 hours, 8 minutes)
- Yann Guichard
- Sébastien Josse
First IMOCA :
François Gabart (12 days, 4 hours, 38 minutes)
First Multi50 :
Erwan Le Roux (11 days, 5 hours, 13 minutes)
First Class40 :
Alex Pella (16 days, 17 hours, 47 minutes)
First in the Rhum category :
Anne Caseneuve (17 days, 7 hours, 06 minutes)
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.
2018
A spectacular finish - Gabart vs Joyon !
The 40th anniversary Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe proved to be a memorable edition, with big crowds turning out in Saint Malo to see the record fleet of 123 boats in six divisions start the 3,542-nautical mile race to Pointe-à-Pitre.
Huge numbers around the world followed the solo transatlantic race on the internet and on social media, enthralled by the suspense of close finishes, unexpected drama, twists and turns, and record-breaking passages in four of the six divisions.
A record number of people visited the race village with more 1.35 million visitors, a 50% increase on 2014, during the 12 days before the start in Saint Malo, which ended with the mythical passage through the locks for the skippers before the start.
The arrival of the Ultims was enthralling, with Francis Joyan and François Gabart duelling until the finish, before Joyon won by a few hundred meters and just seven minutes and eight seconds.
After dominating the IMOCA class race, meanwhile, leading by over 200 miles British IMOCA racer Alex Thomson slept through his alarms and struck the rocks as he approached the north of Guadeloupe, just 60 miles from the finish. He went on to cross the finish line first, but a penalty of 24 hours for using his engine saw victory go to Paul Meilhat.
11th edition
Ultim podium :
- Francis Joyon (7 days, 14 hours, 21 minutes)
- François Gabart
- Thomas Coville
First IMOCA :
Paul Meilhat (12 days, 11 hours, 23 minutes)
First Multi50 :
Armel Tripon (11 days, 7 hours, 32 minutes)
First Class40 :
Yoann Richomme (16 days 3 hours, 22 minutes)
First in the Rhum Multi category :
Pierre Antoine (15 days 1 hour, 15 minutes)
First in the Mono Rum category :
Sidney Gavignet (16 days 11 hours,18 minutes)
What to remember from 2018 :
An anniversary year that broke all participation records: 123 sailors entered.
The architects Marc Van Pethegem and Vincent Lauriot-Prévost (VPLP) saw their eighth consecutive success with their multihull designs. Following the triumph of Florence Arthaud in 1990, they created the plans of all the subsequent winners of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. And for the third time in a row, the maxi trimaran that was skippered by Franck Cammas in 2010, Loïck Peyron in 2014 was victorious at the finish – this time with Francis Joyon.
2022
A 12th edition faithful to the initial promise
The 12th edition of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe promised to be sensational. It was even more sensational. And for good reason, with 138 competitors at the start - the largest and most beautiful line-up ever gathered on an ocean race - it is certainly one of the most beautiful chapters in the history of the most mythical of solo transatlantic races that has just been written. "This 2022 edition was going to be the one with all the records and it has kept all its promises. The naval battle has been confirmed at the forefront, and at all levels. The race has lived up to its reputation, with tough and testing conditions that have opened up the racing game at the highest level", said Joseph Bizard, General Manager of OC Sport Pen Duick, who can only be pleased with the show offered on the water and also with the vitality of the different classes and categories of boats, which confirms the unique character of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe.
An event with an exceptional character
The race is a major event in ocean racing and this 12th edition has been even more outstanding than the previous ones in each of its attributes. In the opinion of all, sailors, owners, partners and public, it has been special and has, in a way, marked a kind of change, like a ratchet effect, becoming a race of excellence in all classes and categories. "Crossing the North Atlantic in November is certainly not a trivial exercise (as a reminder: of the 138 solo sailors at the start, 103 managed to reach Pointe-à-Pitre). It is a difficult exercise which justifies the exceptional character of the race, and makes it so exciting", added the General Manager of OC Sport Pen Duick. In fact, the magic has worked in a big way. A satisfaction for the organizers whose will was to make the event a time of gathering between the sailors and the general public.
An event to bring people together
In Saint-Malo, the 70,000 m² village was designed to showcase the entire fleet. A lot of work has also been done on the ergonomics, to make it easy and comfortable to access. This made it possible to welcome an extremely large number of visitors and to offer special events, such as parades and lock crossings. At the same time, integrating sustainable development issues into the event gave even more meaning to the various actions carried out, and played the role of an impact platform and sounding board to inform, raise awareness and promote the major environmental issues related to the ocean. "The bricks we have laid open up great perspectives for the construction of future editions".
A successful "opera"
Although it is still a little too early to draw a real quantitative assessment, a first trend is emerging and, good news, it confirms the interest of ocean racing as such. "It is a discipline that appeals, captivates and enthralls. We have seen its remarkable power of attraction through the different channels we have set up to follow the race. This 12th edition of the Route du Rhum -Destination Guadeloupe was, without a doubt, a great celebration of the sea and the boats", assured the representative of OC Sport Pen Duick. In fact, this 2022 edition is in line with the initial promise made by Michel Etevenon who, for the record, stated that his "intention was not to make a race but to stage an "opera".
12th edition
Ultim 32/23 podium :
- Charles Caudrelier (6 days, 19 hours, 47 minutes)
- François Gabart
- Thomas Coville
First Ocean Fifty :
Erwan Le Roux (10 days, 21 hours, 35 minutes)
First IMOCA :
Thomas Ruyant (11 days, 17 hours, 36 minutes)
First Class40 :
Yoann Richomme (14 days, 3 hours, 8 minutes)
First in the Rhum Multi category :
Loic Escoffier (16 days, 6 hours, 37 minutes)
First in the Mono Rum category :
Jean-Pierre Dick (16 days, 5 hours, 57 minutes)