The Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, which starts on Sunday from Saint-Malo, is set to see a record 138 boats spread across six classes, Ultim 32/23, IMOCA, Ocean Fifty, Class40, Rhum Multi, Rhum Mono. They will set off on Sunday, November 6 at 1:02 p.m local time on a course of 3,542 miles (6,500 km) to Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe.

Rarely has the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe had so many contenders for victory and podium positions. Here is a quick guide to the key contenders

Ultim 32/23

Veteran Francis Joyon is looking to defend his title on an Ultim which has won the race three times in succession but in light of the strength of the new flying, foiling Ultims, it seems unlikely Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is the logical favourite after dominating all the key races for the last three years. The Verdier design is highly optimised, and Volvo Ocean Race-winning skipper Charles Caudrelier knows his craft perfectly.

"The boat no longer has the advance that it had in 2018 but we continued to develop it and the new foils are a success. I'm confident." Says Caudrelier.

But there are three strong rivals in Armel Le Cléac'h (Maxi Banque Populaire XI) who capsized four years ago on his previous Ultim and had to be rescued. He has a very fast allrounder of a boat and it has shown great potential. And Le Cléac’h is keen to add the missing title to his CV. Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3) saw his last two Rhums severely compromised but his boat is a little off the pace compared to the newer ones, but he too is comfortable pressing a boat he, too, knows very well. And François Gabart came so close in 2018, being eclipsed in the final miles by Joyon who won by seven minutes after seven days of racing. Gabart might feel stressed as his daggerboard was damaged on the delivery to Saint Malo. But he is a wily, smart, fast competitor who wants to win and has a boat to deliver that victory.

Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3) Photo: Vincent Curutchet

Ocean Fifty: an open fleet

No one in Saint Malo wants to be considered favourite. It’s like the poison chalice. The smart money in France is on Brit Sam Goodchild and his well proven Leyton, “Of course I have the potential to win, I did everything to be here in the best possible condition, but I'm not the only one.” He says, “Armel (Tripon) won four years ago, Erwan (Le Roux) won in 2014 and he has a new boat that goes fast, Thibaut (Vauchel Camus) knows his boat by heart and he is not afraid, Sébastien (Rogues) won the Transat Jacques Vabre 2021 and it was he who set the pace for the Dhream cup, Eric (Péron) has a great boat of breeze and Quentin (Vlamynck) is the winner of the Pro Sailing Tour this year…” assesses Goodchild sagely.

Erwan Le Roux (Koesio) Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

IMOCA: 38 boats, three levels

There are seven new boats launched in 2022: Kevin Escoffier (Holcim - PRB), Maxime Sorel (V and B - Monbana - Mayenne), Jérémie Beyou (Charal), Boris Herrmann (Malizia – Seaexplorer), Sam Davies (Initiatives-Coeur), Yannick Bestaven (Maitre CoQ V) and Paul Meilhat (Biotherm). But though their boats have great potential most observers consider they are too young and unproven to be really pushed hard by their skippers for whom this race is mostly a learning mission.

“In my opinion, Charlie Dalin and Thomas Ruyant are in the best position with their super well proven very reliable IMOCAs. Especially Dalin who won everything this year and who even beat fully crewed boats (on the Azimut Challenge, editor's note). It's beautiful to see.” Says Germany’s Boris Herrmann, ”There is a risk that not all new boats will finish into Guadeloupe because of teething problems. I really don't want to be part of the battle but want to get there. The weather is not looking easy, it is going to be a real adventure.”
Jérérmie Beyou (Charal) and Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée) are tipped as potential podium finishers.

Jérémy Beyou (Charal) - Photo: Eloi Stichelbaut

Class40: Open season

There are 55 Class40s and the podium has never been so open. There are ten possible winners "But there are so many outsiders around that anything is possible. It's a pity that betting is not allowed," points out Halvard Mabire, the president of the class. There are now no fewer than 30 scows in the fleet. “Two-thirds of the very many new boats are sailed by very, very talented skippers,” confirms Antoine Carpentier (Redman). Last edition’s winner Yoann Richomme (Paprec - Arkea), stresses that "the parameters that have to be taken into account are so numerous that there is no magic formula to decide who the top contenders might be.”

A double winner of the La Solitaire du Figaro, Richomme is in pole position to defend his title but has a bunch of ex-Figarists armed with great boats that he will have to contend with. Among them Xavier Macaire (Groupe SNEF) and Corentin Douguet (Queguiner-Innoveo). There are also 23 sailors who cut their teeth in the Mini650, including Ian Lipinski (Credit Mutuel), Luke Berry (Lamotte – Creation Module), Ambrogio Beccaria (ALLAGRANDE PIRELLI), Axel Trehin (Project Rescue Ocean), Amélie Grassi (La Boulangère Bio).

Mono Rum: Jean-Pierre Dick is the favourite

All eyes will be on Jean-Pierre Dick and his Verdier design (Notre Mediterranean - City of Nice). After four Vendée Globes, two victories in the Barcelona World Race, four in the Transat Jacques Vabre in IMOCA, the Niçois returns here with big ambitions on a race that is missing from his CV.

Jean-Pierre Dick (Notre Méditerrannée - Ville de Nice) Photo: Copurchic

Rum Multi: An historic re-match between the legends

With his famous old Orma 60, Philippe Poupon (Flo) has, on paper, the best of the Rhum Multi fleet. But for this former winner, the primary objective is "to get to the end and tell a great story."
“Of course, I am not the only one to aim for victory,” confirms Marc Guillemot (METAROM MG5). Quite a few skippers arrive with similar boats in this mix, including four Multi50s (Interaction, Trilogik - Dys de Cœur, Rayon Vert, Ille et Vilaine Cap vers inclusion) should be among the front runners.

With no fewer than 55 entries, Class40 is the biggest fleet of the 12th Route du Rhum Destination Guadeloupe. And within this big, competitive fleet, there are a group of brand new, latest generation boats from renowned designers sailed by some of the best, up-and-coming stars of the future and established former Figaro racers. Most keen observers consider that there are a dozen skippers and boats with the potential to win the division. For sure, this will be a hard-fought, close race of high-intensity right to the finish line.

Class40s, as a fleet, have grown on each edition. In 2006 25 boats took part in a contest which included renowned British offshore racer Phil Sharp who won Class40 ahead of French Figarist ace Gildas Morvan. And the class has continued to serve as something of a proving ground leading into the IMOCA fleet. In 2014 it was Thomas Ruyant who triumphed ahead of Nicolas Troussel – both going on to compete on the last Vendée Globe – whilst 2018’s Class40 winner Yoann Richomme has a brand new IMOCA in build for the next Vendée Globe and indeed returns to defend his title with a new boat.

The Class40 rules are simple as well as rigorous, which continues to keep budgets but still leaves designers ample freedom to express their ideas. "The class has found the right balance in terms of budget to be able to compete on circuit races on the circuit but also the most prestigious oceanic races such as the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe", highlights Corentin Douguet (Queguiner - Innoveo).

Corentin Douguet (Queguiner - Innoveo)

In 2018, on the last edition, 52 Class40s took the start. This year, there will be three more. The defending champion Richomme (Paprec Arkéa), is out to defend the class title with a new Lombard design which he launched last June. He said last summer, "The sensations are particularly great aboard these boats; these are monohulls are sea kindly, and the sailing techniques are quite similar to the IMOCA”.

Several favourites

Richomme with his Paprec Arkéa has been reminded just how hotly contested each circuit race is. In May, during the CIC Normandy Channel Race, the first 10 were finished within eight hours. At the Dhream Cup this summer, the top 13 crossed the line in the space of four hours. "These are very good sailors armed with very good boats: all those who have done well on the circuit - and there are many of them - are pretty much the favorites on the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe", Douguet continues.

Ian Lipinski (Crédit Mutuel) Photo: Breschi

Douguet, winner of the the 1000 Milles des Sables last April, expects to be in the mix but alongside he and Richomme are Ian Lipinski (Crédit Mutuel), winner of the 2019 Transat Jacques-Vabre and the CIC Normandy Channel Race this year, Xavier Macaire (Groupe SNEF, winner of the Dhream Cup ), Amélie Grassi (La Boulangère Bio), Luke Berry (Lamotte Module Création), Axel Trehin (Project Rescue Ocean), Simon Koster (Banque du Leman) and Ambrogio Beccaria (Allagrande Pirelli).

Ambrogio Beccaria (Allagrande Pirelli) Photo: Martina Orsini

St Malo skippers and a Guadeloupean are also on the starting line.

Koster and Ambrogio, Swiss and Italian, are not the only ones coming from outside of France. There is also the Australian Rupert Henry (Eora), the Americans Greg Leonard (Kite) and Alex Mehran (Polka Dot), South African Donald Alexander (Conscious Planet) returns, the Croatian world cup and Olympic ski champion Ivica Kostelic (ACI), the Belgian Jonas Gerkens (Volvo) and the Italians Alberto Bona (IBSA) and Andrea Fornaro (In Fluence). Eyes will also be on Guadeloupean Keni Piperol (Captain Alternance) who is trained by Lalou Roucayrol.

Guadeloupean Keni Piperol (Captain Alternance) Photo: Vincent Olivaud

There are nine Class 40 skippers from Saint-Malo skippers who will set off " from home": Luc Berry (Lamotte Module Création), Baptiste Hulin (Rennes • Saint-Malo / Parenthèses de Vies), Emmanuel Hamez (Viranga), Maxime Cauwe (Wisper), Florian Gueguen (Dopamine Sailing Team), Geoffrey Mataczynksi (Fortissimo), Jules Bonnier (Nestenn – Entrepreneurs for the Planet), Morgane Ursault-Poupon (Médecins du monde) and Hervé Thomas (Bleu Blanc).

Ivica Kostleci

They said :

Amélie Grassi (La Boulangère Bio): “ When I started the project, I did not expect there to be so many participants. It shows how accessible the class is with attractive projects, great sailors and powerful boats. It's a crazy group that promises this to be a very high level edition. I have the impression of doing the Solitaire du Figaro but on the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe ocean course. Personally, I train in order to be able to win. And I will do everything to be thorough from start to finish! »

Keni Piperol (Captain Alternance : “ I have been waiting to do this Route de Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe for a long time. I've been preparing for it for 6 years and I'm proud to be one of the exceptional sailors going to do this race. There is bound to be a particular emotion at the idea of returning home, to feel the fervor and energy of Guadeloupeans. I left Guadeloupe to progress and grow, I can't wait to show the progress I have made. The objective is above all to have fun, to be as comfortable as possible at sea and to give everything to have no regrets. If I succeed, I'm sure the result will follow behind! Being 55 on the starting line, there is necessarily a little pressure: we know that this will be the class where there will be the most fight. »

Corentin Douguet (Queguiner – Innoveo): “ We have all been preparing for this legendary race for months. The class is doing very well, it is probably the best entry point on the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadleoupe with a reasonable budgets. If there had been even more places, there would be even more of us! I think there are more than ten skippers who can be on the podium. The preparation has allowed everyone to raise their level and it promises an intense fight on the water. With the management of the boat, the equipment and the strategic choices to be made, everything is conducive to major developments. All the way to the Saintes channel and the finish line, anything can happen! ”

Top Irish offshore sailor Damian Foxall, now sailing with team Groupama in the next Volvo Ocean Race is on this weeks podcast from the VOR team. He's talking about the Route de Rhum. Find him HERE