The 115-boat Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe fleet is preparing for a fast start from Saint-Malo on Sunday afternoon, with an unusual Atlantic weather pattern expected to send competitors north of the Azores rather than towards the traditional trade winds.
The solo transatlantic race gets underway at 13:02 French time (12:02 UTC), with favourable conditions for the departure but a complicated weather picture developing further west. Among those setting out is Ireland's Pamela Lee, who received a send-off in Saint-Malo on Sunday morning before her Class40 crossing aboard EmpowHer.
Northern Route and Fast Opening Days
High pressure centred over northern Ireland has helped bring unexpectedly pleasant conditions to Saint-Malo, where crowds gathered for the final dock-out ceremonies. Current weather routing favours a west-northwesterly course, potentially taking the fleet towards Irish latitudes before heading across the Atlantic north of the Azores.
Atlantic Weather Puzzle – Météo Consult's forecast for Tuesday, 3 November, shows the complex wind patterns facing the Route du Rhum fleet, with a northern Atlantic route favoured as the traditional trade winds remain disrupted
The fastest Ultim multihulls could make their first gybe south of the Fastnet on Sunday night, while winds are forecast to strengthen to 20 knots, gusting 25–30 knots, by Monday. The opening stages could produce exceptionally fast passages across the Ultim, IMOCA, Ocean Fifty and Class40 fleets.
IMOCA Skippers Prepare for Tactical Battle
Among the 22 IMOCA entries, early downwind conditions could favour Jérémie Beyou aboard Charal and Ambrogio Beccaria aboard Allagrande Mapei. Germany's Boris Herrmann, preparing for his first solo race aboard the new Malizia 4, described the route as interesting, while Sam Goodchild (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) expects numerous weather transitions to make the crossing particularly intense.
Francesca Clapcich (11th Hour Racing) anticipates a fierce battle as competitors balance maximum boat speed with tactical decisions and fatigue.
Uncertain Finish in Guadeloupe
Sunday's downwind start, the first for the Route du Rhum since 2010, will see competitors head towards Cap Fréhel, approximately 16 nautical miles from the line. The giant Ultims may need two gybes to clear the cape, with speeds potentially reaching 30 knots.
Further west, a developing low-pressure system near the Azores and disrupted trade winds could make the second half of the race considerably more complicated. The approach to Guadeloupe looks particularly uncertain, with light winds potentially slowing the Ultims after their rapid opening passage.
Latest routing projections suggest the first boats may not reach Pointe-à-Pitre until Sunday, 8 November, at the earliest. Further race information is available from the official Route du Rhum website.
