Ihe record was expected, the figures are now confirmed. The Route du rhum, a solo transatlantic rallying Saint-Malo (Ille-et-Vilaine) to Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe) every four years, will break the record for participation in an offshore race. According to information from France Info and the Telegram, the organizers have validated the registration of 138 competitors in 6 major classes: 120 boats are already registered, 18 invitations will be added. The 12and edition of the Route du rhum, created in 1978, will therefore beat the participation record, which was 125 during the 1976 English Transat.
The Route du rhum, whose 2018 edition brought together 123 boats and celebrated the victory of Francis Joyon in a legendary duel with François Gabart, brings together six classes of sailboats. The following will take the start: 6 Ultim (32 m maxi-trimarans), 8 Ocean Fifty (15 m trimarans) and 12 Rhum Multi (2 or 3 hulls and from 12 to 18 m, amateur boats) in multihulls; 25 Imoca (18 m, Vendée Globe boats), 55 Class 40 (12 m, amateurs and pros) and 12 Rhum Mono (more or equal to 12 m, often old). The 18 invitations should mainly concern the Imoca and Rhum Multi.
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Hervé Favre, boss of OC Sport Pen Duick, organizer of the race, explains to the Telegram : “We suspected that we were going to have to push the walls to get more boats, we made a big effort by taking 138 boats. This is in particular a real challenge for the port of Saint-Malo, which promises to be full to bursting. “By bringing the Ultimes inside, it takes us linear meters which means that we use all the available space in the pools. So it’s full,” says Hervé Favre.
Registered, will François Gabard leave?
Uncertainty still hovers around the participation of François Gabart in the premier category, the Ultim. His boat, SVR Lazartigue, judged not to comply with the safety rules, is unanimously against him within the category and should, in the current state of things, not be able to take part in the race. But his registration has been taken into account, the skipper having until October 6 to bring his documents in accordance with the organization. “Today, the notice of race does not provide for being a member of a class at the time of registration, it provides for registration with a deadline for providing the documents”, specifies Hervé Favre in an interview with Telegram consecrated the candidacy of the record holder of the solo crossing.
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“François Gabart is registered, he has paid for his registration, his file is complete, he has until October 6 to provide us with his measurement certificate, so there was no reason for us not to accept him. ” The organization, witness rather than player in the battle between the skipper and the owners of the Ultim category, wishes ” to do everything ” so that François Gabart can participate, ” but our dearest wish is that he in compliance with the established rules,” says Hervé Favre.