Thursday night saw the closest and most exciting finish yet on this Route du Rhum Destination Guadeloupe. Thousands were glued to the tracker, refreshing it as often as possible but of course that did not tell even half of the story of sweat and tears that went on aboard the three IMOCAs At the Tête-à-l’Anglais waypoint, the order was: Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil-Air Caraïbes), Davy Beaudart (Bureau Vallée), and Maxime Sorel (Vaincre la Mucoviscidose). After the final passge of Basse Terre which was raced with the intensity of a short course Olympic dinghy race, at the finish it was Maxime Sorel (5th), Sébastien Simon (6th), and Davy Beaudart (7th)—all separated by just 2 minutes and 16 seconds! And after more than 11 days of racing just five seconds – a bowsprit – separated Simon and Beaudart!
Once again we have been reminded of how this final stretch from the north of the island to the finish line can be a nightmare – in the truest sense of the word because it is after dark that the winds are most capricious.
Guirec Soudée (Liamm, Ultim) discovered this a few days ago, when he was left stranded for over twelve hours due to a complete lack of wind. A little later, Corentin Horeau (MACSF, IMOCA) found himself in the lead northwest of the island, only to be overtaken by his friend Basile Bourgnon (Edenred, OceanFifty). Of course Basile and "Coco"—both winners in their respective categories—are good friends and not direct rivals, so they simply spent the time teasing each other.
And then this Thursday morning, Élodie Bonafous (Association Petits Princes-Quéguiner) held a comfortable lead as she approached the island. But that 60-mile cushion shrank to just 1.5 miles with Sam Goodchild in pursuit, before Élodie ultimately secured the upper hand.
But then as Thursday afternoon moved towards dusk and darkness, the race for fifth place got hotter and hotter. Move and counter move, looking for the best angles and the best breeze. And at the finish line it was Max Sorel who stole fifth from under the nose of Seb Simon. Sorel, the solo sailor who was first to be knocked out of the last Vendée Globe with damage, who nearly didn’t make it to the start but only got there with last minute crowd funding just pipping Les Sables d’Olonne’s golden boy who was third on the last Vendée Globe and who is racing his brand new Verdier designed boat. Both had tears in their eyes. Only 2 minutes and 11 seconds separated Sorel and Simon (6th)—with the sailor from the Vendée region finishing just five seconds ahead of the skipper of Bureau Vallée!
After the battle, each reflected on the final hours of the race, Max spoke like a seasoned veteran, noting that Sébastien Simon and Davy Beaudart were essentially "rookies" when it came to navigating the passage around the island.
no regrets
Simon insisted he had "no regrets," highlighting the great potential shown by his new IMOCA. Davy Beaudart, best pal and former co-skipper of Louis Burton, beaming, couldn't have asked for a better outcome for his first Route du Rhum. A little later, bringing the evening to a fine close, Francesca Clapcich crossed the line (8th). The skipper of 11th Hour who finished after exactly 11 days and 11 hours of racing (a fitting coincidence)—thus wrapped up her first season of solo IMOCA sailing. Having placed 5th in the Vendée Arctique and 2nd in The Ocean Race Atlantic, the Italian-American sailor secured the IMOCA Globe Series title, which brings together the class's top skippers each year.
Maxime Sorel (Vaincre la Mucoviscidose, 5th):
"Everything came down to the Canal des Saintes. Sébastien and Davy—they’re both rookies. I’m not even sure they’ve ever sailed through the Canal des Saintes before. At that particular point, the wind shifts by 15 degrees." Depending on the wind, you might choose to sail along the coast—even when it feels like you’re heading straight for it and won’t make it through. The others tacked twice; I didn’t tack at all. Ultimately, that’s where the race was decided. I also made a slightly different sail choice, opting for smaller sails. My maneuvers took longer, but I was faster in a straight line. Plus, I kept a large headsail up! »
Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil – Air Caraïbes, 6th place):
« Even though the race didn’t go as I had imagined, I felt the need to fight right to the end. I’m fortunate to have this magnificent boat, and to be able to rely on the hard work of my entire team, as well as the commitment of my partners and the Dubreuil family. I was determined to give it my all and put on a strong performance. I was able to see the boat’s true potential—especially in very harsh conditions, with winds reaching 45 knots—and managed to climb from 17th to 5th place! The finish didn’t play out the way I would have liked, but that’s what makes for a great sporting story. Naturally, there’s a bit of frustration, but to finish here with this boat—having launched it just three months ago—is quite an achievement. Generally, I feel better and more at ease when I’m sailing on my own, away from the pack. But rounding the island—which is stunning—proved a bit tricky. I saw Davy and Maxime closing in behind me. Perhaps I was just too tired, but I fought until the very end. I made the final maneuvers so I wouldn’t have any regrets—giving it my all and refusing to give up. But what a magnificent race it was!”
Davy Beaudart (Bureau Vallée, 7th place):
"It was a very intense day. When I crossed the line, I took thirty seconds to reflect, and everything came rushing back at once. And then I started to cry—and I’m someone who never cries! This was a race I’d wanted to do for so long a dream I had when I was 10 years old. And right now, I’m completely exhausted: I’ve been in the indoor gym area for 24 hours, and I must have sweated out 20 liters—it’s all over the boat. Everything happened so fast; six months ago, I wasn’t even supposed to be here. But I’ve clearly pulled it off! Going around the island is fun, but it’s grueling. I tried to do it all, but I was absolutely wiped out—every part of me!"