La Route du Rhum

[Sybarite]

Is off on Sunday. This is probably the premier ocean race for the French.

This year will be interesting. They will be heading off into a major storm with 55knt winds and 2000km wide. It should hit the boats when they are in the Bay of Biscay on Tuesday.

 

[Frogmogman]

Anyone know what time the start is, and if it's being televised on UK TV ?

 

[zoidberg]

Certainly would be interested in any pointers towards coverage, now that the GGR has ( almost ) settled into a tailchase.

And any still pics of radical developments you can forward/post here....

 

[Roberto]

Certainly would be interested in any pointers towards coverage, now that the GGR has ( almost ) settled into a tailchase.

And any still pics of radical developments you can forward/post here....

there are some in the Yacht Racing forum section: new foiling Imoca Charal, new foiling Ultim Macif et al. , etc.

 

[Sybarite]

Anyone know what time the start is, and if it's being televised on UK TV ?

https://www.routedurhum.com/fr/village/saint-malo/programme

https://www.ouest-france.fr/route-d...ortie-des-bateaux-la-veille-du-depart-6050191

As far as UK TV is concerned I don't know, but it will be on BFMTV from 12:00 and France 3 from 13:30. (French times)

Maybe these can be picked up on the net?

 

[Bathdave]

I went to the race village yesterday ..it was absolutely heaving and I was told there will be 1 million people in st Malo and around cap frehel

I was planning to go down to watch the start but the forecast has prevented all the coded RIBs and tour boats from operating as outside authorised limits and I couldn't persuade my wife to take on the conditions

Frustratingly the forecast tonight for tomorrow has moderated so I might still get down there

It was amazing to see such a big fleet of pure racing machines close up and the sheer size and power of the 'ultimo' trimarans at over 30m is staggering ...and sailed singlehanded.

 

[ashtead]

For those interested the Hugo Boss boat website with our local Southsea man who berths at Haslar will no doubt have lots of info and he's been tweeting some shots from that heaving village down at St Malo if you do twitter so I'm hoping for regular tweets on his progress .Let's just hope they all get out of the lock ok with all that storm blowing though .

 

[Bathdave]

I discovered yesterday I could watch a live french TV channel feed live on FaceBook

Overnight there's been quite a lot of drama ...Catalina de Rothschild seems to have hit something and has broken off one float and is being nursed back to port, the IMOCA that won the Vendee last year has turned round and is heading back with a broken foil, and the Guadalupe sailor on a 50 ft multi hull as been evacuated after running aground 'on a small island'

And Alex is leading IMOCA class on Hugo Boss

 

[Bathdave]

I discovered yesterday I could watch a live french TV channel feed live on FaceBook

Overnight there's been quite a lot of drama ...Catalina de Rothschild seems to have hit something and has broken off one float and is being nursed back to port, the IMOCA that won the Vendee last year has turned round and is heading back with a broken foil, and the Guadalupe sailor on a 50 ft multi hull as been evacuated after running aground 'on a small island'

And Alex is leading IMOCA class on Hugo Boss

Another one of the ulitimos is now withdrawn, Sodebo, after breaking a cross beam

 

[Frogmogman]

I downloaded the free route du rhum app onto my phone, have to say it's pretty good.

 

[MrB]

Alex is doing a good job, different strategy to the pack but it's working so far. The tracker on his site is worth monitoring if you are into it. https://www.alexthomsonracing.com

 

[Sybarite]

Here is a chart of the boats' positions :

https://www.routedurhum.com/fr/cartographie

 

[capnsensible]

Quite a few broken ones already....... all safe though.

 

[TQA]

Anybody capsized a big multihull yet?

Some of those guys out front have previous on this.

 

[flaming]

Anybody capsized a big multihull yet?

Some of those guys out front have previous on this.

Your timing is spooky.... Banque Populare has just flipped.

THE BANQUE POPULAIRE IX MAXI HAS CAPSIZED, ARMEL IS SAFE AND SOUND

The Banque Populaire IX maxi capsized at around 1100hrs UTC, while sailing 340 miles north-east of the Azores. The wind was blowing at 30-35 knots with 5metre high waves.

The boat appears to have capsized after her port float broke off.

Armel Le Cléac’h managed to trigger his distress beacon and speak to his shore team. The Gris Nez maritime and coordination rescue centre in Northern France has taken control of the rescue in coordination with the Race Directors and the Banque Populaire team. The skipper is safe and sound inside his boat.

 

[LePacha]

So I guess Gabart to win it on the Ultim... And Alex on the Imoca (that would be well deserved).

 

[BigJoe]

Alex down into 2nd place now.........................................

 

[BigJoe]

Alex down into 2nd place now.........................................

Or............ a glitch in the system

 

[Wansworth]

Looks like Peyronis headed back to land after leavingLa Coruna yesterday

 

[savageseadog]

Alex down into 2nd place now.........................................

Boris Herrmann is 500 miles North of Alex and most of the fleet, on a beat. Alex and the others are reaching in different wind.

Would it be better to merge or continue on the race forum?