Route du Rhum: Corentin Horeau wins in record time, Herrmann on the podium

Transatlantic regatta in the Imoca class Horeau wins Route du Rhum in record time - Herrmann has a chance of second place

With a fabulous time, the Frenchman Corentin Horeau is crowned winner of the 13th Route du Rhum. The remaining ships are still on the way to Guadeloupe, Boris Herrmann is likely on course for silver.

Frenchman Corentin Horeau celebrated a dominant victory in the Imoca class at the 13th edition of the transatlantic regatta Route du Rhum. Horeau covered the distance from Saint-Malo in northern France to the French overseas department of Guadeloupe with his yacht MACSF in nine days, 17 hours, twelve minutes and nine seconds. With his first Route du Rhum, Horeau improved the previous record from 2022 by more than two days.

“It was like a dream” to arrive at the finish with the record, Horeau said after the race. The regatta on the “Rum Route”, which has been held every four years since 1978, is extremely important among sailors. "Given the amount of messages I've gotten, it's not just another regatta," Horeau said.

The overall victory across boat classes had already been secured by Horeau's compatriot Tom Laperche, whose much faster Ultim trimaran SVR-Lazartigue had already arrived in Guadeloupe on Saturday evening.

Huge lead for Horeau, lull and problems for the rest

Horeau had blown up the Imoca field early when he opted for a southerly route the day after takeoff during a period of weak wind support. Horeau quickly found the wind again, while Sam Goodchild and Ambrogio Beccaria, who had been leading until then, lost a lot of time further north.

Afterwards, Horeau could no longer be caught: While the MACSF picked up the pace, the chasing field had to struggle with lulls - or even major problems. Francis Joyon, winner of the Route du Rhum 2018, capsized off Ireland and had to be rescued by a freighter. Violette Dorange and Romain Pilliard had previously had to retire after a collision.

The remaining Imoca class boats were already at least 270 nautical miles behind when Horeau reached their destination. The German Boris Herrmann with the “Malizia 4”, who announced on Wednesday morning that he was “rested for the last nautical miles”, is on course for silver. Herrmann is expected to arrive in Pointe-à-Pitre on Guadeloupe on Thursday afternoon.

However, the podium is not yet secure: although competitor Beccaria had to give up the race after a fall in the cockpit, Goodchild and the Frenchwoman Elodie Boufanous can still pose a threat to the “Malizia 4”.