Tom Laperche wins Route du Rhum on his debut with record time of 6 days 13 hours

A record crossing

Tom Laperche (SVR Lazartigue) crossed the line in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, at 22:31 local time on 7 November 2026, winning the Route du Rhum on his first start in the race. The 29-year-old covered roughly 3,500 nautical miles, about 6,480 kilometres, from Saint-Malo in 6 days, 13 hours and 27 minutes, with one German report giving 40 seconds. That beats the 2022 reference time of Charles Caudrelier on Gitana 17, who recorded 6 days, 19 hours, 47 minutes and 26 seconds. Laperche took the lead within the first miles after the 13:02 start from Saint-Malo on 1 November, passing Armel Le Cléac'h (Banque Populaire XI) about 16 nautical miles out, and he held it to the finish. Reports describe a difficult loop around Guadeloupe, where a headwind forced many manoeuvres on the way to the Basse-Terre mark. As the finish buoy approached, he jumped barefoot onto the net of his trimaran.

Le Cléac'h's capsize and the podium fight

Armel Le Cléac'h capsized during the first third of the crossing, while he was chasing Laperche. A Panamanian cargo ship rescued him a few hours later, and he was reported to be in good health, much as in 2018. Laperche received a time bonus of one hour and two minutes for diverting towards Le Cléac'h, who had set off his distress beacon. Le Cléac'h has since retired from the race. Behind the winner, Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3) and Louis Burton (Ultim Armand Thiery) are fighting for second place. In the Sunday morning report, Coville still had about 140 nautical miles to sail and Burton a good 200. Both were expected to complete the podium in Pointe-à-Pitre during Sunday, 8 November.

The Imoca class

Corentin Horeau (MACSF) led the Imoca class in the Sunday, 8 November morning report, with around 700 nautical miles still to sail. He was about 225 nautical miles ahead of the chasing pair, Sam Goodchild (Macif) and Boris Herrmann. Herrmann is racing Malizia 4, a boat launched in July. Elodie Bonafous (Association Petits Princes Queguiner) remains within striking distance of second and third place. Reports from that Sunday expected Horeau, Goodchild and Herrmann to reach Pointe-à-Pitre on Tuesday, 10 November.

Setbacks in the fleet

Jérémie Beyou (Charal), one of the favourites in the Imoca class, withdrew because of health problems. Violette Dorange also left the race, and Beccaria has abandoned it as well. Francesca Clapcich, who had been fifth and sailing at high speed, broke her bowsprit in the night of 5 to 6 November about 450 nautical miles west of Horta in the Azores. Her J0 sail had fallen into the water in the dark and tangled, and the fitting holding the headsail then gave way. Clapcich, sailing the former Herrmann boat renamed 11th Hour Racing, still intends to reach the finish in Guadeloupe.