Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild), 48, has been leading the 12th edition of the Route du Rhum since the cannon shot in Saint-Malo, but François Gabart (SVR Lazartigue), holder of the solo round the world record (42 d 4 p.m.), is still on his heels before the perilous tour of Guadeloupe.
The advantage is currently in Caudrelier, at the helm of the most proven multihull designed to fly in the Ultim class (maxi-trimaran 32 m long and 23 m wide). ), Caudrelier was 954 miles from the finish (1,766 km).
thriller
The two sailors are now in the trade winds, these winds which serve as a highway for the skippers of the Route du Rhum to sail safely to Guadeloupe. And the gap is tight enough that nothing is decided yet.
“I’m happy, I’m ahead. Even if I manage to keep it until Guadeloupe, the risk is to fall into a wind hole (…) The gap is still small for the tour of Guadeloupe”, detailed Caudrelier.
For his part, Gabart knows more than anyone that arriving on the island of Guadeloupe is tricky. In the 2018 edition, he was in the lead with a comfortable lead over veteran Francis Joyon (Idec Sport). But in the absence of wind, and with a damaged boat, he was finally overtaken and crossed the finish line seven minutes behind Joyon, after seven days of racing…
easy dalin
In third position, Thomas Coville (Sodebo) is at 191 nautical miles (353 km) and is also sailing in the trade winds at more than 30 knots (55 km/h).
In the flagship category of the famous Vendée Globe, the Imoca (18m monohulls), Normand Charlie Dalin (Apivia) continues to lead the fleet ahead of Jérémie Beyou (Charal) and Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut).
Monday was also marked by a fire on board Fabrice Amedeo’s Imoca (Nexans – Art & Windows) after damage. The 44-year-old sailor was forced to abandon his boat, which sank off the Portuguese coast, and was rescued. The first Imoca to cross the line is expected this weekend.