Wicklow offshore sailor Pamela Lee faces a formidable challenge in the Class40 fleet at the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe, with 49 solo skippers preparing to start off Saint-Malo on Sunday, 1st November.
Lee, sailing EmpowHer, is preparing to become the first Irish skipper to compete in the race. The Class40 division is the largest in the 2026 event, bringing together established favourites, experienced challengers and newcomers with widely differing ambitions and budgets.
Two French sailors stand out on recent form: Corentin Douguet (SNSM, Faites un don!) and Guillaume Pirouelle (Sogestran – Seafrigo). But with more than 3,500 nautical miles to Pointe-à-Pitre, the outcome is far from certain.
Front Runner – Guillaume Pirouelle is among the leading favourites in the 49-boat Class40 fleet, having twice tasted victory this season as he prepares for the 3,500-mile solo Atlantic challenge. Photo: Water and Technology Factory
Douguet and Pirouelle Set the Pace
Douguet won three races in 2025 before finishing second in the TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR behind Pirouelle and co-skipper Cédric Château. Douguet has added another victory this season, while Pirouelle has won twice in recent months.
“We’ve put in the work, built a fantastic boat, and it’s well-prepared. Now, the expectation is for us to deliver,” said Douguet, third in the 2022 Route du Rhum and a veteran of three solo Atlantic crossings.
Pirouelle, who has also sailed aboard Sodebo Ultim 3, recognises the importance of managing his effort over a much longer period than his Figaro races.
“Back in the Figaro class, you can push things to the absolute limit for five or six days. Here, I’ll need to pace myself. Managing fatigue and maintaining a clear head will be just as important as looking after the equipment.”
Challengers Ready to Disrupt the Favourites
The chasing group includes Fabien Delahaye, Axel Tréhin, Luca Rosetti, Ian Lipinski, William Mathelin-Moreaux, Quentin Le Nabour, Thimoté Polet, Pierre Leboucher, Milan Koláček, Pep Costa, Mikael Mergui, Achille Nebout and Alexis Thomas, the recently crowned French Elite Offshore Racing Champion.
Alexis Loison (Groupe RÉEL), winner of the 2025 Solitaire du Figaro, has already won the 40’ Malouine – La Trinquette in his new Lift V3, launched in July. He describes himself as one of the contenders capable of upsetting the leading pair.
“There are, in fact, two sailors who have won just about everything over the last two years. Behind them, there’s a whole pack of troublemakers—and I count myself among them. I enjoy shaking up the established order!”
Loison brings 19 years of Figaro experience to his first solo transatlantic race. “The Route du Rhum is a sprint—but a sprint that lasts for fifteen days. You have to find the right balance, sail cleanly, and avoid making mistakes by trying to go too fast.”
Former French Olympian Pierre Leboucher (Institut Imagine) believes the weather and the demands of solo sailing could reduce the latest boats' advantage.
“The new Lift V3 models have a real advantage. But the weather could well reshuffle the deck. And when sailing solo, it’s difficult to push your boat to 100% at all times; there’s a greater risk of breakage or making mistakes.”
Chasing Pack – With Douguet and Pirouelle setting the pace, a formidable group of Class40 challengers is ready to exploit any opening in the race to Guadeloupe. Photo: Pierre Bouras
Route Choices Could Decide the Race
With no mandatory waypoints on the Atlantic course, the skippers can take markedly different routes as they navigate weather fronts and search for favourable wind. The opening five days could be particularly influential.
“Conditions over the first five days might favour some boats over others. And since strategic choices can vary so widely in this race, the range of possibilities is, in reality, vast,” said Leboucher.
Douguet summed up the uncertainty: “In a transatlantic race, the only thing you can be sure of is that you can't be sure of anything!”
Pirouelle is equally cautious about setting a fixed target. “A podium finish would obviously be great. I even think I’m capable of taking the win, but I don’t want to put that kind of pressure on myself. Above all, I need to sail well and take care of myself.”
Older Class40s Have Their Own Contest
Ten of the entries are older-generation, pointed-bow Class40s rather than the latest round-bowed scows. Among the skippers to watch are Loïc Féquet (Funae) and Belgian sailor Djemila Tassin (Djemila Sailing-Belgium Ocean Racing).
Fine Margins – Solo sail handling, fatigue management and tactical decisions could prove decisive in a Route du Rhum where the latest Class40 designs face stiff competition across the Atlantic. Photo: Pierrick Contin
Féquet bought his boat in January and spent much of the year refitting rather than training. “I preferred to do things properly from the outset rather than have to redo them three times. Today, the boat is ready and so am I.”
He is determined to compete beyond the older-design group. “The idea is to try and beat a few scows along the way too!”
For many in this fleet, simply reaching the start and completing the crossing will be significant achievements. As Féquet put it: “The first reward is making it to the start line. The second is reaching the other side.”
Irish Interest in the Largest Fleet
Lee's historic Irish campaign adds a home interest to the competition. Her Dún Laoghaire send-off followed months of preparations for the solo crossing.
The Route du Rhum race village has already opened in Saint-Malo, with organisers reporting 115 skippers across the event's divisions. Irish international sailing judge Gordon Davies will also serve on the International Jury.
The fleet is scheduled to start on Sunday, 1 November, bound for Guadeloupe.
