A gruelling start for the two Sodebo trimarans in the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe
by Sodebo Voile 4 Nov 16:52 GMT
Thomas Coville on Sodebo Ultim 3 in the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe © Vincent Curutchet / Sodebo Sailing
After three days of racing on this gruelling Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe, Thomas Coville and Léonard Legrand are well-positioned in their respective categories.
In second place on Sodebo Ultim 3, Thomas Coville is on a strategically opposite course to that of Tom Laperche (SVR-Lazartigue), who has led the race since the start. With three days to go, nothing is decided. In the Ocean Fifty class, Léonard Legrand (Sodebo Fifty), also second in the 5 p.m. rankings and competing in his first Route du Rhum, is in the chasing pack behind the leader, Basile Bourgnon (Edenred). The route to Guadeloupe promises more exciting battles in both classes.
With no established trade winds, the 2026 Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe is taking an unusual turn. Sailing a northerly route, the competitors must contend with changing and challenging conditions. After three days of racing, several favorites have already abandoned the race. Thomas Coville and Léonard Legrand, however, have so far avoided the main pitfalls of this demanding event. They are even leading the pack in this transatlantic crossing between Saint-Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre. Let's take stock with the sailors and their routing teams.
Thomas Coville: "It's far from the postcard image."
Q: In what ways is this Route du Rhum atypical?
Thomas Coville: "We're experiencing a start to the race without any of the classic weather patterns we know and are comfortable with. We're sailing in wild places, far from the trade winds and the usual postcard scenery when we head towards the Caribbean. In these conditions, I've managed to get a good night's sleep regularly, which isn't easy. So I'm not too sleep-deprived. I'm staying focused and taking things in stride. One of the themes of this Route du Rhum for me is being like a metronome."
Q: What is your reaction to the capsizing of Armel Le Cléac'h, which occurred last night off the Azores?
Thomas Coville: "This news, so brutal, saddens me greatly. It hits me hard. Armel is an exceptional athlete and a major figure in the Ultim class for years. His duel against Tom Laperche in this Route du Rhum was incredible. I'm struggling to contain my emotions. I imagine this capsize occurred as the front was passing. It's exactly the kind of situation that's very difficult to manage on our solo boats. Fortunately, Armel is on board his boat and he's okay."
Deciphering the heart of the routing cell
Benjamin Schwartz sheds light on Thomas Coville's route choices:
"Thomas is sailing on a course very close to the great circle route (direct route), further south than his competitors, in a wind corridor west of the Azores. This choice is explained by two reasons. First, the low-pressure system arriving from the northwest had a somewhat explosive nature, and we didn't necessarily want to get involved in it. Second, there's still a fair amount of uncertainty about the end of the race. We don't want to close off too many options too early. So we prefer to maintain a more central route, in order to keep more decision-making possibilities for the rest of the race. A low-pressure system is forming north of the Caribbean Sea. This will be the major challenge at the end of the race. How it will handle remains uncertain, but Thomas should sail down towards the Lesser Antilles on a reach, or even upwind. That's unusual! According to the routing, which should be taken with caution, he could arrive near Guadeloupe on Saturday evening, French time."
Thomas is doing a fantastic job. He's fully committed to the effort and adjustments needed to maximize the boat's speed potential. He's been penalized by the loss of one of his headsails, but remains well-positioned despite this setback. It's still anyone's game.