🏁 Flash arrival: Philippe Poupon, 7th in La Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe in Rhum Multi

Crossing the finish line of the 12th edition of La Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe this Monday morning at 04:18:37 local time (08:18:37 Paris time), Philippe Poupon (Flo) finished 7th in Rhum Multi. His race time is 18 days 19 hours 3 minutes 37 seconds. The skipper of Florence Arthaud's ex-Pierre 1er completed the 3,542-mile course between Saint-Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre at a speed of 7.85 knots on the great circle route (the direct route). He actually covered 4,924.59 miles at an average speed of 10.92 knots. His gap to the 1st-place finisher, Loïc Escoffier (Lodigroup), is 02 days 12 hours 26 minutes and 14 seconds.

He had come here above all to experience another race, to retrace aboard this legendary Orma 60, another story, that of his lifelong friend Florence Arthaud. Philippe Poupon finished 7th in the Rhum Multi category and fulfilled his ambition of bringing Flo back to the finish line here in Guadeloupe.

I'm always happy to arrive in port, that's also why sailors make crossings. We experience a lot of emotions every day. The start was a bit hectic, I had to stop twice which put a bit of a delay in the program. I also wanted to spare the boat so that it could arrive in Pointe-à-Pitre. That's why I went south to avoid the winter storms that were still running, not far from the Azores. I made the wise decision to extend the route and offer it a slightly more peaceful trade wind route . The first night, I realized that the mainsail traveler had torn off, I had to stop in Port-La Forêt, the next day, it was the staysail forestay that was showing signs of weakness; that changed my battle plan but I hadn't set out as a conqueror for the title anyway. The goal was really to bring this beautiful boat here so that all Guadeloupeans can admire it. It's still the boat with which Florence won the Route du Rhum; it's still beautiful. I think it will please a lot of people to have it here again. The emotion is quite there!

Florence is everywhere, she has been with us for a very long time and even if she is up there, she is still among us.