Thomson First IMOCA Across the Route du Rhum Line But Jury Decision Remains

16th November 2018

Thomson crossed the finish line at Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe at 08:10:58 local time (13:10:58CET) after 11 days, 23 hours 10 minutes and 58 seconds at sea Credit: Yvan Zedda

The British sailor Alex Thomson has today crossed the finish line of the four-yearly solo Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe transatlantic sailing race, as the first in the IMOCA Class.

However, following an incident last night in which Thomson ran aground in his all-black Hugo Boss boat on the north end of Grande Terre, the focus is on the race jury who will have to decide whether he should receive a time penalty for using his engine.

Thomson crossed the finish line at Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe at 08:10:58 local time (13:10:58CET) after 11 days, 23 hours 10 minutes and 58 seconds at sea.

His elapsed time for the 3,542-nautical mile course could be a new class record for IMOCAs if his finish is allowed to stand.

A total of 123 sailors started the race on November 4 off Saint Malo in Brittany. Thomson is the fourth sailor to finish it after the two ULTIME skippers, Francis Joyon and François Gabart, and the Multi50 class winner Armel Tripon.

Further updates will follow

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Published in La Route du Rhum Race, Offshore

Published in La Route du Rhum Race

Tagged under

Route du Rhum

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About The Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe

Created in 1978 by Michel Etevenon, La Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe is regarded as the queen of solo transatlantic races.

For 44 years, the race has joined Saint-Malo in Brittany to Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe. It musters the biggest fleet ocean racing fleet of all levels on the same starting line. This transatlantic course at a total distance of 3,542 miles has become legendary as its unique magic is all about the range of different classes and the mix of competitors.

Some of the best solo racers in the world of sailing, professionals and amateurs, meet every four years to taste "the magic of the Rhum".

On November 6 2022, this legendary race will set off once again, taking on the Atlantic whilst appealing to a broad mass of public fans and followers. They are offered the chance to dream, to escape and share the wonder with the solo racers who are all ready to go to sea and challenge the Autumn Atlantic.

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