SKIPPERS' REVELATION / PART 2. The dream of a first Rum!

Competing in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe is never a trivial matter; participating for the first time is a life-changing event. Entering the docks in Saint-Malo, the fervor of the starting village at the foot of the ramparts, the final lock before heading out to sea, the Pointe du Grouin, Cap Fréhel, the solo Atlantic Ocean, then the Basse-Terre buoy, and finally the festive atmosphere of the finish in Pointe-à-Pitre are all powerful markers of the most legendary of ocean sprints. Many rookies will discover the magic of the Rhum this year, this race that has always fueled their dreams of the open sea.

Experienced rookies

Tom Laperche (SVR-Lazartigue), Anthony Marchand (Actual Ultim 4), Violette Dorange (Initiatives Cœur), Corentin Horeau (MACSF), Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil – Air Caraïbes), Alexis Loison (REEL), Ian Lipinski (Crédit Mutuel), Guillaume Pirouelle (Sogestran), Pierre Leboucher, Axel Tréhin... these are just some of the sailors who have amassed an impressive number of victories in the biggest offshore races, round-the-world races, and transatlantic races, both solo and crewed. But they all share one significant commonality: they are all newcomers to the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe 2026. Despite their extensive track records, they will all experience that unique emotion of firsts, of their first Rhum.

Rum as a legacy

In 1986, Loïc Caradec disappeared at sea during the third edition of the Route du Rhum, which he was competing in at the helm of his 22.60-meter trimaran, Royale II. Forty years later, to honor his father's memory and out of his passion for racing, Tanguy Caradec will be at the starting line in Saint-Malo in the Vintage Mono category, aboard Eurvad. This first participation will undoubtedly have a special significance, one he will share with another rookie. Competing in the Ocean Fifty class at the helm of Edenred, Basile Bourgnon will also be sailing in his father's footsteps. The only two-time winner across all categories, Laurent triumphed in the Orma class in 1994 and 1998, definitively marking the history of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. In 2026, his son will be among those who can win in the small ocean trimaran category and write a new chapter in the family's maritime history. There is another family where the Route du Rhum is passed down as an inheritance. Titouan Pilliard (Use it Again for Youth – Vintage Mono) will be a perfect example, sharing the thirteenth edition with his father, Romain, who is entered in the Vintage Multi class.

Rum one day, rum forever

Today's rookies, tomorrow's stars, men and women, professionals and amateurs, young and old, many will realize their first Route du Rhum dream. While the call of the open sea is already being felt in the shipyards and on the docks, it will truly come alive in Saint-Malo, starting October 20, 2026, when the entire fleet of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe will be in the docks. Whatever the outcome upon arrival in Guadeloupe, whatever the Atlantic scenario, whatever the happy or less happy stories, it's a safe bet that all these newcomers will have only one desire: to return to the Route du Rhum one day, or always!

Find out about the skippers already announced