The start of the 2022 Route du Rhum

The Route du Rhum – officially La Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe – is one of the most famous offshore races in the world.

Since its inception in 1978, the event has challenged solo sailors to race singlehanded across the Atlantic from Saint-Malo in France to Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe.

The transatlantic course covers an official theoretical distance of 3,542 nautical miles, though the actual distance sailed is invariably much greater as skippers navigate complex routing decisions to find the most favourable weather conditions.

The Route du Rhum also lays claim to the largest ocean racing fleet setting off from a single start line, routinely gathering well over 100 offshore racers across multiple categories.

When does the Route du Rhum 2026 start?

The Route du Rhum takes place every four years, running on a cycle that alternates with the solo round-the-world Vendée Globe.

For the IMOCA 60 fleet in particular, the race marks a crucial milestone in their preparation and qualification campaigns for major solo offshore circuits as teams step up their preparations for the next Vendée.

The race always gets underway in early November, plunging the fleet into autumnal North Atlantic conditions.

The opening stages often demand fierce tactical battles against low-pressure systems and heavy seas as skippers head west and dive south to catch the prevailing trade winds.

The Route du Rhum 2026 will set sail from Saint-Malo at 13:00 CET (12:00 UTC) on Sunday, 1 November 2026.

What boats compete in the Route du Rhum 2026?

Six classes take on the Route du Rhum course, spanning state-of-the-art ocean racing machines to classic historic racers:

Ultimes: These 32-meter giant trimarans are the fastest boats in the fleet and are routinely the first to reach Guadeloupe.

In recent years the adoption of highly sophisticated hydrofoils have increased the already impressive speeds and technological complexity, leading to new records but also a high failure rate.

IMOCAs: The 60-foot monohulls famous for contesting the Vendée Globe.

Although not fully foiling, like the Ultimes, the IMOCAs are equipped with high-performance foils, which provide semi-foiling racing.

This fleet has long represented the premier solo monohull class in offshore racing, and success in the Route du Rhum is usually a great indicator of Vendée success.

Class40: The largest fleet in the race. While these 40-foot monohulls do not use foils, modern scow-bow designs make them exceptionally fast, technically demanding, and fiercely competitive.

Ocean Fifty: These agile 50-foot trimarans offer explosive speeds and intense close-quarters racing, requiring extraordinary physical and tactical handling when sailed solo.

Vintage Multi: Replacing the former Rhum Multi category, this class accommodates racing multihulls between 38 and 79 feet that fall outside current modern class rules, preserving the event’s rich multihull heritage.

Vintage Mono: Replacing the former Rhum Mono class, this division features monohulls 39 feet and over, giving classic designs, older Open racers, and seasoned production boats their own competitive transatlantic arena.