Created in 1978 by Michel Etevenon, The Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe
is the queen of single-handed transatlantic races. It connects Saint-Malo to Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe. On the starting line, 138 sailors, great figures in sailing, professionals and amateurs. And for this new edition, it is a participation record.
What is the route?
The starting line is located off the Pointe du Groin, north of Cancale. The skippers pass in front of Cap Fréhel where the public is always numerous. It is the only mark on the 3,544 mile course (just over 5,700 km) before Guadeloupe to be left to port.
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Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe
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Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe
Which boats are involved?
There are six guest classes for this adventure:
The Ultims
They are giants of the seas of more than 30 meters. They are eight. four years later the duel narrowly won by Francis Joyon
(IDEC) in front of François Gabart, the game promises to be particularly open between the contenders for the final victory.
Armel Le Cléac’h, four years after capsizing, is once again one of the favorites in the event. Among the other skippers also entered in this category, Yves Le Blevec (Actual Ultim 3), Thomas Coville, the skipper of Sodebo who is preparing to compete in the legendary transatlantic for the 7th time, Arthur Le Vaillant, aboard the ex -Actual renamed Mieux, Romain Pilliard (Use it Again! By Extia), Charles Caudrelier (48) will compete in his first solo transatlantic aboard the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild.
Class40, 55 engaged
Those are 40-foot (12.18 m) monohulls. This is the most represented class on this 12th edition of La Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe 2022. Between the new boats, the renowned architects and the talented skippers who have joined, more than a dozen competitors are the favourites.
And all of them promise a high-intensity race. Four years ago, it was Yoann Richomme who won. He decided to put his title back into play.
The IMOCA Class
The IMOCA Class brings together 60-foot (18.28m) ocean-going monohulls. On this 12th edition of the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe, Those are 37 sailors of the class who are engaged
, i.e. 15 sailors more than in 2018! It’s these bboats taking part in the Vendée Globe. They are considered experimental machines. The Class bears witness to more than 30 years of technological innovations: keels, sail plans, cockpits, coachroof, and more recently the arrival of foils, which constantly stimulate the creativity of architects and sailors.
Ocean Fifty, the new dimension
They are very manoeuvrable, aesthetic multihulls 15.24m long and 15.24m wide. Eight skippers take part in the adventure. Four years ago, three sailors arrived in the space of a day: Armel Tripon (1st, skipper of Les P’tits Doudous), the 2014 winner Erwan Le Roux (2nd, current Koesio) and Thibaut Vauchel-Camus (3rd, Solidarity in platoon – ARSEP). These three skippers will once again be on the starting line
and will do everything to repeat the exploit.
Rum Multi, Rum Mono
The 30 skippers of the Rhum Mono and Rhum Multi categories, on the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe 2022, are about to set off on a journey of nearly three weeks across the Atlantic. Within these two categories where the battle for victory promises to be particularly hotly contested, they are thus reconnecting with the DNA of the most iconic of offshore races and its first edition which had marked history.
The category of Mono Rum is reserved for monohulls of a length greater than or equal to 39 feet (11.88 m) and cannot enter any other class. There is a motley fleet of historic ships and prototypes. At Mono Rum
, the public will be able to admire legendary boats such as Arnaud Pennarun’s Pen Duick III, Kriter VIII (Wilfrid Clerton, Cap au Cap Location) or the famous Red Cigar by Catherine Chabaud (Fomatives ESI Business Schoof for Ocean As Common). Among the faces familiar to offshore racing enthusiasts, Jean-Pierre Dick will also be on board his JP54 renamed ‘Notre Méditerranée – Ville de Nice’.
The Rum Multi category
gather all boats with two or three hulls of a length less than or equal to 64 feet (19.50 m) and cannot enter another class of the race.
How long will the crossing to Guadeloupe be?
the departure will therefore be given Sunday, November 6 at 1:02 p.m., which will allow a live broadcast on the television news. Only the weather conditions can oblige the organizer to postpone the departure or bring it forward (by 24 hours maximum and with 48 hours notice). The skippers are only entitled to one stopover for technical reasons on the course, once past the tip of Brittany. The first Ultims could cross the finish line less than seven days lateror from Sunday November 13. For the Imoca and the Ocean Fifty, we will have to wait about four to five more days, the Class40s should arrive around November 22. Of course, all this is related to weather conditions. The only certainty is that, to be classified, it will be necessary to have reached Guadeloupe in less than four weeks, the line closing on December 4 at 1 p.m. Universal Time at the latest.
All the boats will be in the basins of Saint-Malo
A novelty in this edition, unlike 2018, all the boats will be in the basins of Saint-Malo, including the Ultims trimarans. The boats must be in St Malo on Monday October 24 at 7:00 p.m. at the latest, except for the Ultims and Ocean Fifty trimarans for which it will be the 25th, and for the Imoca the 26th.
In front of the ramparts of the City of Saint-Malo, each class will have a dedicated day to paradein order to discover the entire fleet, each with a scripted entry to Saint-Malo.
Opening of the village on October 25
The official race village will officially open its doors on October 25 in Saint-Malo. The 70,000 m² bringing together 300 exhibitors arranged around the Vauban basin will be open to the public (there were 1.3 million four years ago) until the day of departure, November 6.