SKIPPER REVEAL / Part 1
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Six former winners in search of Rum!
Since its creation in 1978, the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe has undoubtedly been the race that skippers dream of adding to their list of achievements. More than just a sporting event, it is as much a technical challenge as it is a human adventure. This is undeniably what makes it exceptional, what gives substance to the dreams of so many sailors. It is also why several of its former winners will return to compete in the 2026 edition. On Sunday, November 1st, six sailors who have already written their names into a victorious chapter of the most prestigious solo transatlantic race will return with the same desire, the same passion. Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild), Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3), Francis Joyon (Pour les Océans), Roland Jourdain (We Explore), Thomas Ruyant (TR Racing), and Armel Tripon (Les P'tits Doudous) are preparing to declare their love for the Route du Rhum once again. Roland Jourdain and Francis Joyon in Vintage Multi for another dose of Rum
It's 2006, and from Saint-Malo to Pointe-à-Pitre, 74 skippers set sail for the eighth edition of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. While the first competitor to reach the butterfly-shaped island is Lionel Lemonchois aboard an Orma trimaran (Gitana 11), in the IMOCA class, it's Roland Jourdain (Sill and Veolia) who emerges victorious after an epic duel with Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux), ultimately winning by a mere 28 minutes. Four years later, in 2010, he achieves a double victory in the IMOCA class at the helm of Veolia Environnement. In 2022, the skipper, deeply committed to responsible and environmental practices, narrowly missed out on the overall victory in the Rhum Multi class after a lead weight broke. This year, 20 years after his first victory, one of the most accomplished offshore racers returns in the Vintage Multi category, at the helm of his eco-designed catamaran, for the love of the open sea and Rum!
In the Vintage Multi category, another skipper will make a strong impression in terms of race history. At 70 years young, with seven Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe races under his belt, Francis Joyon made his mark on the 2018 edition by edging out François Gabart (Macif) at the very last moment, in a finish contested in incredibly light winds and with unbearable suspense. Eight years later, the sailor from Morbihan, renowned for his taciturn nature and his ability to single-handedly prepare his boat, makes his grand return to Saint-Malo, at the helm of an Orma trimaran on which he won the Transat English Channel Race in 2000 (now the Transat CIC). A historic duo for a generous helping of rum!
Charles Caudrelier and Thomas Coville, solo ULTIM
He is the defending champion, the one who in 2022 set a new record with style and flair at the helm of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, sailing from Saint-Malo to Pointe-à-Pitre in 6 days, 19 hours, and 47 minutes. In 2026, Charles Caudrelier will be among the most anticipated athletes in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, not only because he has since won a solo round-the-world race in the ARKEA Ultim Challenge-Brest , but also because his boat, the latest addition to the ULTIM Class, is already attracting all eyes. Revolutionary, sleek, and dreamlike, the Maxi trimaran, the eighteenth in the Gitana line, launched at the beginning of the year, could mark a turning point in offshore racing and in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, which will be his first transatlantic race, his first major event.
In the ULTIM class, Charles won't be the only former winner. Stepping in at the last minute for Yves Parlier at the helm of Aquitaine Innovations, Thomas Coville won the 1998 edition in the IMOCA class, showcasing his talent throughout the race's twenty-year history. A few years and several participations later, the skipper of Sodedo Ultim 3 will be at the starting line in Saint-Malo with legitimate ambitions, fresh from his new status as the fastest crewed man around the world after winning the Jules Verne Trophy earlier this year.
Armel Tripon and Thomas Ruyant, former winners, for a grand first
Finally, it is in the IMOCA class that we will find the two other former winners of a Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe race. Winner in the Multi 50 class in 2018, the 40th anniversary edition, Armel Tripon will be at the helm of P'tits Doudous, a monohull built from repurposed carbon fiber, for his first solo transatlantic race. A duo whose potential will be worth watching.
The same will be true for Thomas Ruyant in this 18.28-meter monohull category. Winner in 2022 in the IMOCA class, the Dunkirk native will make his return between Saint-Malo and Guadeloupe at the helm of a brand-new boat which may lack a little fine-tuning time but which we know will be very well sailed regardless.
