As the sun rose, Éric Péron crossed the finish line of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe this Friday, November 13, at 10:04:09 AM (local time). He completed the race aboard his ORMA trimaran, French Touch - Oceania Hotels, in 12 days, 2 hours, 2 minutes, and 9 seconds—a performance that saw him consistently among the frontrunners, often sailing neck and neck with Damien Seguin, the winner in this category.
*Avant jury.
Éric Péron,
Finish time ( Pointe-à-Pitre) : 10 h 04 min 09 sec
Finish time (UTC) : 14 h 04 min 09 sec
Elapsed time : 12 j 2 h 2 min 9 sec
Distance sailed : 3903,39 milles
Delta to first : 17 h 39 min 35 sec
A Profile and Race Account
A versatile sailor with an eclectic track record, Éric Péron first made his mark in Olympic sailing before building a reputation as a competitive racer on the Figaro circuit, before winning the Tour de France à la Voile in 2012. He naturally transitioned to offshore racing, participating in events such as the Transat AG2R and the Volvo Ocean Race. In 2024, he took on the challenge of the Ultim class in the Arkéa Ultim Challenge-Brest. Fascinated by large multihulls, he decided—for this edition of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe—to track down an ORMA-class trimaran in Chicago, USA. A major, extensive restoration project ensued. "Where there’s a will, there’s a way!" the sailor declared. Within six months, the boat was ready and set off for Saint-Malo.
On Sunday, November 1st, Éric Péron set sail in the "Vintage Multi" category aboard a 60-foot ORMA trimaran, originally launched in 2002. As they cleared the English Channel, he joined the leading trio alongside Damien Seguin (Arkea Handicap International) and Francis Joyon (*Oceans*). Following the latter’s capsize—an event that briefly cast a shadow of fear over the multihull fleet—the race resumed in earnest. The skipper of French Touch - Oceania Hotels engaged in a fierce duel with the Guadeloupean skipper, at one point trailing by only 10 miles north of the Azores. However, after the final weather front passed, Damien Seguin managed to pull away. Nevertheless, Éric Péron finished in second place after an incredibly intense race. Four years after his debut in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe—where he placed 4th in the Ocean Fifty class—he secured his first-ever podium finish in this legendary transatlantic race.