2022: The results of an exceptional edition!

The 12th edition of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe lived up to all its promises, writing one of the most unforgettable chapters in the history of ocean racing and French sport last fall. On the sea front, the event was undoubtedly one of superlatives. From Saint-Malo to Guadeloupe, the six competing categories engaged in a knife-edge battle and set the clocks racing with unprecedented crossing times. On land, the results were just as exciting and synonymous with a resounding popular success. In terms of media coverage, the most famous solo transatlantic race did not miss its target audience. These record figures illustrate the exceptional success of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe 2022. An undeniable success made possible thanks to the commitment and unwavering support of all public and private partners.

The record-breaking edition

138 sailors at the start - an absolute record for a transatlantic competition - 103 at the finish. 6 categories of boats, 6 winners (Charles Caudrelier - Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, in Ultim 32/23, Erwan Le Roux - Koesio, in Ocean Fifty, Thomas Ruyant - LinkedOut, in IMOCA, Yoann Richomme - Paprec Arkéa, in Class40, Loïc Escoffier - Lodigroup, in Rhum Multi then Jean-Pierre Dick - Notre Méditerranée - Ville de Nice, in Rhum Mono) who have put their names in one of the most legendary solo races. A reference time passed under the symbolic barrier of 7 days ( 6 days 19 hours 47 minutes and 25 seconds) between Saint-Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre for the winner Charles Caudrelier.

Exceptional, it wasn't just at sea! The event had a media impact: nearly 2 million viewers on November 9 despite a start postponed by 3 days for the very first time in the history of the race, around 1,100 accredited journalists , 5 million unique visitors to the official website and 167,000 downloads of the official application, for a total of 266 million euros in media coverage anchoring the event in the category of the most followed French sporting events... These figures, which are worth more than a long speech, bear witness in themselves to the enthusiasm shown by the general public for the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe and the undeniable success of this 12th edition.

A popular and regional festival in Saint-Malo

With 1.5 million visitors to the Saint-Malo region over the thirteen days the village was open, the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe once again united and won over a consistently strong audience, making the event one of the largest French sporting events of 2022. Welcoming as many people as possible was at the heart of the work carried out by the City of Saint-Malo and OC Sport Pen Duick, the organizer. Increasing the village's surface area from 50,000 to 70,000 m2, a comprehensive overhaul of the ergonomics and circulation in the spaces, and the creation of new points of interest, including the Rocabey area with the CIC - Le Télégramme Ferris Wheel, made it possible to achieve this objective. The staging of the legendary passages through the Saint-Malo locks, a major new feature, offered the public unforgettable moments in the stands or in front of the giant screens installed on either side of the Naye lock with, for the first time, the entry of the Ultim 32/23 into the Saint-Malo docks. Another new feature welcomed by all was the parades which gave visitors the opportunity to see the competitors moving in front of Saint-Malo.

All of these elements confirmed once again the magic of the event and its very special anchoring around the ramparts of Saint-Malo.

The Guadeloupe Region, the essential partner of “Rhum”

For 4 years and the 2018 edition, all Guadeloupeans have been eagerly awaiting the return of the race, the fastest boats and also the 7 local skippers. Three official villages, at the Memorial ACTe, in Basse-Terre and at the Marina du Bas du Fort, and a labeled village in Sainte-Anne, allowed 305,000 visitors to enjoy the arrival of the boats for 3 weeks and until the closure of the line, on December 7, 2022. Two award ceremonies organized by the Guadeloupe Region, in front of several thousand people, also came to salute the exploits of the sailors in a Caribbean atmosphere. This 12th edition also made it possible to create links between the sailors of the Rhum and the local nautical societies on the occasion of the Trophées des Saintoises in Sainte-Anne, Basse-Terre and Deshaies, which allowed the discovery of traditional boats, a strong and symbolic moment.

Download the infographic - summary 📊

Partners at work

They worked tirelessly to make the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe a success: thank you to our partners, without whom this event would not have met with the success it had and deserved! This tremendous collective adventure is driven by the commitment and support of all our partners. To the Guadeloupe Region - Exclusive Major Partner, to its main partners - Saint Malo, the Brittany Region and the CIC, to the historical partners and to the newcomers, we extend our sincere thanks. For this 2022 edition, 52 public and private partners have committed to the organizer in order to offer the public and sailors the most beautiful edition of the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe. We would like to salute the 400 volunteers of the SNBSM (Société Nautique de la Baie de Saint-Malo) for their commitment. We also thank the people involved in the Port of Saint-Malo - owned by the Brittany Region, the race's Main Partner - who made it possible to accommodate the 138 sailors and their boats.

The social commitment of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe

Aware that events like La Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe must, in the future, pave the way for more virtuous gatherings, OC Sport Pen Duick and the race's stakeholders wanted to lay the foundations for a sustainable trajectory for this 2022 edition. To achieve this, the organizer has surrounded itself with stakeholders working for a better future. The collaboration with Surfrider Foundation Europe, a partner NGO, with whom numerous awareness-raising actions have been set up, is one example: a 150m2 stand in the village in Saint-Malo, a day of conferences, a stand in Guadeloupe... This responsible commitment is part of a long-term vision and the areas of expertise of these committed partners will provide concrete solutions to progress on the path to a more virtuous Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe.

Tribute to Alex and François

It is impossible to talk about the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe 2022 without thinking about Alex Picot and François Naveilhan, who died in the tragic accident that occurred upon arrival in Guadeloupe. We would like to honor with emotion and respect the memory of Alex and François, both collaborators of OC Sport Pen Duick.🕊