Damien Seguin, winner in the Vintage Multi* !

*Avant jury.

Damien Seguin, his race in numbers:

Heure d’arrivée (à Pointe-à-Pitre) : 16 h 24 min 34 sec
Heure d’arrivée (UTC) : 20 h 24 min 34 sec
Temps de course : 11 j 8 h 22 min 34 sec
Distance parcourue : 3991, 57 milles
Vitesse moyenne (sur l’orthodromie) : 12,96 noeuds
Vitesse moyenne (en réel) : 14,65 noeuds

A Victory with a really timeless quality

It all began here on the docks of Pointe-à-Pitre where the young Damien Seguin would gaze in admiration at the winners of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe and the amazing hulls of their trimarans. Now, today, years later, aboard one of these legendary vessels, Arkéa - Handicap International Damien Seguin has etched his own name into the race’s roll of honor. A childhood dream, realized on his home patch in front of his own people.

Every element was in place to follow a Hollywood scrpt, an iconic boat, a sailor from Guadeloupe, and a wealth of offshore experience, the perfect combination to excel in this most legendary of solo transatlantic races.

Upon crossing the finish line this afternoon the skipper of the ORMA-class winning Arkéa - Handicap International achieved far more than a mere sporting feat; he secured a victory of legendary proportions, even managing to improve upon the times set by Mike Birch (14 days in 1990) and Loïck Peyron (13 days in 1998) aboard that very same boat.

Damien Seguin grew up in Guadeloupe, surrounded - every four years - by the electric atmosphere of the Route du Rhum—an "eternal dream machine" that helped shape his calling. With a prized autograph from Mike Birch and the memory of Florence Arthaud’s 1990 victory, witnessed when he was just ten years old, the young sailor began to imagine himself following in the footsteps of these great mariners. "This is the race that sparked my passion for sailing and offshore racing," he notes. "It played a crucial role in shaping my athletic career."

Born without a left hand, Damien has always rejected labels, steadily climbing the ranks through his own determination. In small-boat sailing, he built an impressive track record: five world championship titles in the 2.4mR class and four Paralympic Games appearances, from which he brought home three medals. Yet, the call of the open ocean grew ever stronger.

He ventured into the Figaro circuit, then the Class40 fleet, before joining the IMOCA class—where he became a key figure, consistently finishing in the top 10. He completed two Vendée Globes (7th in 2021, 15th in 2025), but during the latter, memories of multihull sailing resurfaced. Alongside his close friend also from Guadeloupe Thibaut Vauchel-Camus, he rediscovered the thrill of sailing on twin hulls during the 2025 Transat Café l’Or, prompting his decision to take on the discipline solo.

For his fifth Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe, Damien Seguin opted for both flair and a nod to history. In the south of France, he unearthed a dormant legend: Mike Birch’s former Fujicolor II—the very boat that had captured his imagination as a child in Pointe-à-Pitre. Following a monumental restoration, the boat was brought back to life while remaining true to its origins: no foils, just old-school sailing, in direct contact with the water.

A race in the classic style

On November 1st at 1:02 PM, as the mooring lines were cast off in Saint-Malo, the fascination with these legendary craft quickly gave way to the harsh realities of the Atlantic. From the very first miles, chaotic weather conditions set a grueling pace, filled with treacherous transitions—while the capsizing of Francis Joyon’s Océans served as a stark reminder of the brutal nature of these machines.

In the "Vintage Multi" category, a "race within the race" immediately took shape at the front of the fleet. Damien Seguin and Éric Péron (French Touch – Oceania Hôtels) are locked in a fierce duel, trading blow for blow amidst squalls and rough seas. Aboard Arkéa – Handicap International, Damien makes no secret of the intensity of the battle: "I’m well aware that I’m sailing an incredible machine—which is very enjoyable—but these boats are also incredibly stressful. I feel like I’m losing 'life points'!"

Always at home on the water, regardless of the conditions, the Guadeloupe native draws upon his mental fortitude and tactical intelligence to master his ORMA trimaran—even when contending with damage, such as a broken spinnaker pole. "You have to make the right decisions at the right moment; you realize you can’t afford any reckless moves. It’s perhaps one of the most demanding types of sailing." Showing respect for one’s "ancestors"—especially when they carry you across the water, as his trimaran does—was arguably the finest statement Damien Seguin could have made upon arriving first in his category on his own "butterfly-shaped" island.

13 hours ago

4 min read

His is a triumph with a whiff of legend to it, one that Damien Seguin could reflect on when he crossed the finish line of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe this Thursday, November 12, at 4:24:34 PM (local time). He completes the race aboard his ORMA trimaran, Arkéa Handicap International, in 11 days, 8 hours, 22 minutes, and 34 seconds. He even manages to improve upon the times previously set in this race—on this very same boat—by Mike Birch (14 days in 1990) and Loïck Peyron (13 days in 1998).

*Avant jury.

Damien Seguin, his race in numbers:

Heure d’arrivée (à Pointe-à-Pitre) : 16 h 24 min 34 sec
Heure d’arrivée (UTC) : 20 h 24 min 34 sec
Temps de course : 11 j 8 h 22 min 34 sec
Distance parcourue : 3991, 57 milles
Vitesse moyenne (sur l’orthodromie) : 12,96 noeuds
Vitesse moyenne (en réel) : 14,65 noeuds

A Victory with a really timeless quality

It all began here on the docks of Pointe-à-Pitre where the young Damien Seguin would gaze in admiration at the winners of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe and the amazing hulls of their trimarans. Now, today, years later, aboard one of these legendary vessels, Arkéa - Handicap International Damien Seguin has etched his own name into the race’s roll of honor. A childhood dream, realized on his home patch in front of his own people.

Every element was in place to follow a Hollywood scrpt, an iconic boat, a sailor from Guadeloupe, and a wealth of offshore experience, the perfect combination to excel in this most legendary of solo transatlantic races.

Upon crossing the finish line this afternoon the skipper of the ORMA-class winning Arkéa - Handicap International achieved far more than a mere sporting feat; he secured a victory of legendary proportions, even managing to improve upon the times set by Mike Birch (14 days in 1990) and Loïck Peyron (13 days in 1998) aboard that very same boat.

Damien Seguin grew up in Guadeloupe, surrounded - every four years - by the electric atmosphere of the Route du Rhum—an "eternal dream machine" that helped shape his calling. With a prized autograph from Mike Birch and the memory of Florence Arthaud’s 1990 victory, witnessed when he was just ten years old, the young sailor began to imagine himself following in the footsteps of these great mariners. "This is the race that sparked my passion for sailing and offshore racing," he notes. "It played a crucial role in shaping my athletic career."

Born without a left hand, Damien has always rejected labels, steadily climbing the ranks through his own determination. In small-boat sailing, he built an impressive track record: five world championship titles in the 2.4mR class and four Paralympic Games appearances, from which he brought home three medals. Yet, the call of the open ocean grew ever stronger.

He ventured into the Figaro circuit, then the Class40 fleet, before joining the IMOCA class—where he became a key figure, consistently finishing in the top 10. He completed two Vendée Globes (7th in 2021, 15th in 2025), but during the latter, memories of multihull sailing resurfaced. Alongside his close friend also from Guadeloupe Thibaut Vauchel-Camus, he rediscovered the thrill of sailing on twin hulls during the 2025 Transat Café l’Or, prompting his decision to take on the discipline solo.

For his fifth Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe, Damien Seguin opted for both flair and a nod to history. In the south of France, he unearthed a dormant legend: Mike Birch’s former Fujicolor II—the very boat that had captured his imagination as a child in Pointe-à-Pitre. Following a monumental restoration, the boat was brought back to life while remaining true to its origins: no foils, just old-school sailing, in direct contact with the water.

A race in the classic style

On November 1st at 1:02 PM, as the mooring lines were cast off in Saint-Malo, the fascination with these legendary craft quickly gave way to the harsh realities of the Atlantic. From the very first miles, chaotic weather conditions set a grueling pace, filled with treacherous transitions—while the capsizing of Francis Joyon’s Océans served as a stark reminder of the brutal nature of these machines.

In the "Vintage Multi" category, a "race within the race" immediately took shape at the front of the fleet. Damien Seguin and Éric Péron (French Touch – Oceania Hôtels) are locked in a fierce duel, trading blow for blow amidst squalls and rough seas. Aboard Arkéa – Handicap International, Damien makes no secret of the intensity of the battle: "I’m well aware that I’m sailing an incredible machine—which is very enjoyable—but these boats are also incredibly stressful. I feel like I’m losing 'life points'!"

Always at home on the water, regardless of the conditions, the Guadeloupe native draws upon his mental fortitude and tactical intelligence to master his ORMA trimaran—even when contending with damage, such as a broken spinnaker pole. "You have to make the right decisions at the right moment; you realize you can’t afford any reckless moves. It’s perhaps one of the most demanding types of sailing." Showing respect for one’s "ancestors"—especially when they carry you across the water, as his trimaran does—was arguably the finest statement Damien Seguin could have made upon arriving first in his category on his own "butterfly-shaped" island.