After last night’s champagne sprays and tears of joy from winner Basile Bourgnon (Edenred) have dried, three more Ocean Fifty trimarans celebrated their arrival in Pointe-à-Pitre this Wednesday morning. Having successfully completed this Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe, before discussing the competition or even the final standings the skippers all shared their enthusiasm and satisfaction with an exceptional race.
Naturally the warmest welcome today was for the Guadeloupe native Thibaut Vauchel-Camus (Solidaires en Peloton by Delanchy, 2nd), there was the beaming smile of Pierre Quiroga (Wewise, 3rd), and the sheer happiness of young newcomer to the class Léonard Legrand (Sodebo Fifty, 4th) defined the atmosphere on the docks of Pointe-à-Pitre this morning.
Thibaut Vauchel-Camus: A man at peace after running along a tightrope
The local favourite made a point of arriving in front of the MACTe museum under full sail, bringing energy to the docks before addressing his loved ones—speaking with simple, sincere words, without any unnecessary fanfare. Having grown up in Guadeloupe—and having been unable to reach Pointe-à-Pitre four years ago—he was simply proud. Proud to stand on the podium, certainly, but above all proud to have brought his trimaran to the finish line in perfect condition, following an intense, high-speed race—the kind he loves most. And on top of that he was proud to dedicate this superb second-place finish to his boat captain and friend, the late Laurent Gourmelon, who passed away this year and was never far from his thoughts in the cockpit of Solidaires en Peloton by Delanchy.
His immediate reaction: “This second-place finish isn’t frustrating at all—it’s just great to be back at the finish line. And I wasn’t alone in this; I had Laurent, my boat captain, who made sure everything was ready for me every single time. He ensured I had the perfect boat to set off with peace of mind and really push for a top performance. So, it’s certainly not a disappointment. As for the race itself, there’s a saying: if you aren’t afraid, you could be in real trouble. That little bit of tension—that extra spice—is what keeps you on the edge of your seat. We encountered some truly frightening, intense moments. Sometimes, looking at the data on the displays, I’d wonder, ‘Did I really just see that?’ I’d look again, and it was just unbelievable.”
Third Pierre Quiroga , nice to be in at a “decent hour”
Happy to have arrived at a “decent hour” and to have watched the sun rise over Guadeloupe, the skipper of Wewise reflects on his first Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe—recalling the technical struggles and the constant need to push beyond his limits just to keep the boat upright and stay in the hunt. He savors the achievement all the more having now finished “the finest challenge” a racer could ever take on. “Thrilled” to have arrived neck-and-neck with Thibaut Vauchel-Camus, he is proud to stand on the high level podium—his third in the Atlantic in the Ocean Fifty class. His immediate reaction: "I have a little star watching over me"
"Just reaching the finish line is a victory in itself, given how grueling the race was—it’s incredible to have made it. Seeing the landscape of Basse-Terre this morning at sunrise, I tried to reflect on everything we’ve been through since leaving Saint-Malo. I feel like I have a little star watching over me, ensuring that every time I cross a finish line, it’s under beautiful, sunny skies and greeted by such welcoming people. I was mostly in defensive mode, trying to protect my position against a very competitive boat, skillfully sailed by Léo (Legrand, Sodebo Fifty). And when Thibaut and I found ourselves just 4 miles apart this morning, I learned that he had a penalty. It got me excited—I started imagining all sorts of scenarios—but in the end, it’s only right that he keeps his superb second-place finish, which he earned with both boldness and talent."
Léonard Legrand: A Striking Debut
It was a high-caliber performance: in his first transatlantic race in the Ocean Fifty class, Léonard Legrand finished just off the podium. The skipper of Sodebo Fifty completed this edition of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe in 10 days, 1 hour, and 54 minutes—finishing 8 hours and 44 minutes behind the leader, Basile Bourgnon (Edenred). This caps a golden year for the 32-year-old skipper, who was part of Thomas Coville’s crew when they won the Jules Verne Trophy last January.
His immediate reaction:
"I found myself wondering if it’s always like this, or if it was just because it was my first time! The race was truly atypical, given the northern route, and I was cold almost the entire way—especially since the boat didn’t offer much protection. But what impressed me most was how the Ocean Fifty skippers looked out for one another. Everyone was sending messages to each other; I found that..."