Immediately next to the harbor on the walkway you will find a double row of bronze plaques bearing all the names and handprints of the winners of this yacht race. Sometimes the plaques are also signed.
"The Route du Rhum is a non-stop solo sailing race across the Atlantic that is sailed every four years. The race was first held in 1978 and is one of the most demanding solo competitions.
The Route du Rhum is originally the French counterpart of the British Observer Single Handed Trans Atlantic Race. The race traditionally starts off the coast of Saint-Malo in France next to the Pointe du Grouin headland, and ends in Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe. The total length is 3540 nautical miles (approximately 6500 kilometers), although the final distance covered differs per participant. The start will take place in November; This will be shifted depending on the presence of autumn storms.
The competition is sailed in various classes. The fastest class consists of 60-foot trimarans. Since the first edition, sailing times have been reduced every edition due to material improvements, better weather forecasts and navigation systems. In 2006, the winning time was only a third of that in 1978.
The participants of the Route du Rhum mainly come from France, where the competition enjoys great popularity. The French-Swiss skipper Laurent Bourgnon was the only one who managed to win the race twice (in 1994 and 1998). In 1990, a woman won the Route du Rhum for the first time. Frenchwoman Florence Arthaud set the fastest time by crossing the finish line after just 14 days and 10 hours on her trimaran. The well-known British sea sailor Ellen MacArthur won the 50-foot yacht class in the Route du Rhum in 1998 and the IMOCA 60 class in 2002.
Winners
Shown are the winners of the trimaran class who always set the fastest time.
Edition Contestants Winner Hunting Time
1978 38 Flag of Canada Mike Birch Olympus Photo 23 days, 6 hours and 59 minutes
1982 52 Flag of France Marc Pajot Eleven Aquitaine 18 days, 1 hour and 38 minutes
1986 33 Flag of France Philippe Poupon Fleury Michon 14 days, 15 hours and 57 minutes
1990 31 Flag of France Florence Arthaud Pierre 1er 14 days, 10 hours and 8 minutes
1994 24 Flag of France / Flag of Switzerland Laurent Bourgnon Primagaz 14 days, 6 hours and 28 minutes
1998 35 Flag of France / Flag of Switzerland Laurent Bourgnon Primagaz 12 days, 8 hours and 41 minutes
2002 58 Flag of France Michel Desjoyeaux Géant 13 days, 7 hours and 53 minutes
2006 74 Flag of France Lionel Lemonchois Gitana 11 7 days, 17 hours and 19 minutes
2010 87 Flag of France Franck Cammas Groupama III 8 days, 3 hours and 14 minutes
2014 91 Flag of France Loïck Peyron Banque Populaire VII 7 days, 15 hours and 8 minutes
2018 123 Flag of France Francis Joyon IDEC Sport 7 days, 14 hours and 21 minutes"
(
visit link)
"Creation of the Route du Rhum
In response to the English who decided to limit the size of the boats participating in the English Transat, leaving many French skippers out in the cold, the advertising executive Michel Etevenon decided to launch his own race: the Route du Rhum . This "freedom transatlantic race" is open to everyone: professionals and amateurs, monohulls and multihulls, and above all, it does not impose any regulatory size on the boats. Thus was born the Route du Rhum .
The start was given on November 5, 1978 and brought together 38 solo sailors, whose ambition was to reach Pointe-Ã -Pitre, in Guadeloupe, on the other side of the Atlantic as quickly as possible. This first edition brings together the biggest names in ocean racing at the moment: Mike Birch, Alain Colas, Florence Arthaud, Michel Malinovsky, Olivier de Kersauson and Philippe Pouponâeuros¦
98 seconds apart
While all eyes are on the two giants of the race : Kriter V led by Michel Malinovsky and Manureva led by Alain Colas, it is however the smallest boat in the race that will make the legend of the race. Olympus-Photo is an 11 m trimaran led by Mike Birch a 45 year old Canadian skipper. He made a name for himself two years ago in the English Transat, taking second place behind Eric Tabarly.
After 23 days at sea, victory seems to be promised to Michel Malinovsky on his big 21 m monohull. And he believes in it like crazy! But it was an incredible showdown in the Caribbean waters, Mike Birch appeared from nowhere on his small yellow trimaran and stole the victory by 98 seconds??
At the end of 23 days 6 hours 59 minutes and 35 seconds at sea, canadian Mike Birch wins the first edition of the Route du Rhum only 98 seconds ahead of the big blue cigar. Even today, this gap remains the smallest between a winner and his runner-up, all classes combined, in the history of the solo transatlantic race."
(
visit link)