--- title: "Route du Rhum 2026: the favourites, class by class" description: "Ultim, IMOCA, Ocean Fifty, Class40, Vintage: who can win the Route du Rhum 2026, class by class, two days before the start in Saint-Malo." url: "https://www.offshoreraces.app/en/blog/route-du-rhum-2026-favourites-class-by-class" lang: "en" --- # Route du Rhum 2026: the favourites, class by class Published October 30, 2026 by [Antoine Labbe](https://www.offshoreraces.app/en/about) ![Trimaran moored at the 2018 Route du Rhum race village in Saint-Malo](https://www.offshoreraces.app/photos/race-route-du-rhum.jpg) *Photo: Abujoy, [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Route_du_Rhum_2018_13.jpg)* On Sunday 1 November at 1:02 pm, 115 solo sailors will set off from Saint-Malo for Pointe-à-Pitre (official list as of 12 October). Here, category by category, are the names the organisers and the sailing press are highlighting. These are predictions: in a solo Atlantic crossing, a breakage or a weather option can change everything. ## Ultim: eight giants, a defending champion on a new boat **Charles Caudrelier** holds the record (6 d 19 h 47 min 25 s) but is still discovering **Gitana 18**, launched in February. According to the organisers, he will have a tough time against **Armel Le Cléac'h** (Maxi Banque Populaire XI), starting for the fifth time and still without a Rhum win, and **Tom Laperche** (SVR-Lazartigue), racing it for the first time. **Thomas Coville** (Sodebo Ultim 3), who set the round-the-world record in January, and **Anthony Marchand** (Actual Ultim 4), on the boat that won in 2022, complete the list of contenders ([Route du Rhum](https://www.routedurhum.com/en/post/an-exceptional-lineup-for-the-most-challenging-edition-in-history)). Three Ultims tell a different story: **Louis Burton**, from Saint-Malo, is new to the class; **Alexia Barrier** is the first woman to race an Ultim in the event; **Guirec Soudée** is fresh from his backwards lap of the world. ## IMOCA: Beyou and Goodchild ahead, without the defending champion ![The IMOCA 11th Hour Racing in Lorient for the 2022 Défi Azimut](https://www.offshoreraces.app/photos/classes-imoca.jpg) *Photo: Jug81, [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:11th_Hour_Racing_Imoca_%282021%29_au_D%C3%A9fi_Azimut_2022_02.jpg)* With Thomas Ruyant out, the organisers name **Jérémie Beyou** (Charal), third in 2022, and **Sam Goodchild** (Macif Santé Prévoyance) as favourites. Charal was relaunched in June after major work on its hull, "almost a new boat" ([Course au Large](https://www.courseaularge.com/imoca-remise-a-leau-du-nouveau-charal-2.html)). **Boris Herrmann** sails his first solo race on Malizia 4, launched in Lorient on 6 July ([Yacht](https://www.yacht.de/fr/regate/vendee-globe/equipe-malizia-cole-reste-imperturbable-brauer-baptise-la-fusee-de-boris-malizia-4/)). Outsiders mentioned include Élodie Bonafous, Francesca Clapcich, Ambrogio Beccaria, second in Class40 in 2022, Corentin Horeau and Violette Dorange, who says she has "never started a race with so many boats" ([Rennes Business Mag](https://rennesbusinessmag.fr/route-du-rhum-2026-118-skippers-dans-les-starting-blocks-a-un-mois-du-grand-depart-de-saint-malo/)). ## Ocean Fifty: a wide-open class In 2022, 18 minutes separated Erwan Le Roux from Quentin Vlamynck. Neither is starting in 2026. Ten 50-foot trimarans remain. **Thibaut Vauchel-Camus** (Solidaires en Peloton by Delanchy) brings experience, **Pierre Quiroga** (WeWise) keeps improving and **Basile Bourgnon** (Edenred) has "the energy of youth", say the organisers, who also name Baptiste Hulin and newcomer **Léonard Legrand** (Sodebo Fifty) among the outsiders. Vauchel-Camus wants to finish first "so I can offer a ti' punch to everyone" ([Route du Rhum](https://www.routedurhum.com/en/post/an-exceptional-lineup-for-the-most-challenging-edition-in-history)). ## Class40: a new winner guaranteed ![The Class40 Redman sailing upwind in the 2021 RORC Transatlantic](https://www.offshoreraces.app/photos/classes-class40.jpg) *Photo: ©Fafa Pics / AC Sailing, [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Class40_REDMAN_durant_la_Transat_du_RORC_2021.jpg)* Yoann Richomme, winner in 2018 and 2022, has moved to IMOCA and is not racing: Class40 will have a new winner for the first time in eight years. With 49 boats, it is the largest category. **Corentin Douguet** (SNSM, Faites un don !), third in 2022, is the favourite: he has finished in the top two of every race on his new boat. Behind him, the organisers name Fabien Delahaye, Ian Lipinski, Achille Nebout, Alexis Loison, William Mathelin-Moreaux and Axel Tréhin. Vincent Riou, winner of the 2004-2005 Vendée Globe, sums it up: in the class, "there are easily more than ten skippers who can win" ([Route du Rhum](https://www.routedurhum.com/en/post/an-exceptional-lineup-for-the-most-challenging-edition-in-history)). ## Vintage: the ORMAs expected in front In Vintage Multi, the former ORMA trimarans of **Francis Joyon**, **Damien Seguin**, **Éric Péron** and **Gilles Lamiré** should dominate: race director Francis Le Goff thinks the first of them could arrive between the Ultims and the Ocean Fifties ([Figaro Nautisme](https://figaronautisme.meteoconsult.fr/actus-nautisme-courses/route-du-rhum/2026-07-02/90027-route-du-rhum-destination-guadeloupe-2026-les-vintage-multi-et-mono-promettent-un-spectacle-a-part)). In Vintage Mono, the fleet mixes former IMOCAs, 50-foot one-designs and restored cruising yachts; Jean Le Cam himself finds the result hard to predict in such a varied class. ## All the entrants The full lists are in our class articles: [Ultim](https://www.offshoreraces.app/en/blog/route-du-rhum-2026-ultim-skippers) · [IMOCA](https://www.offshoreraces.app/en/blog/route-du-rhum-2026-imoca-skippers) · [Ocean Fifty](https://www.offshoreraces.app/en/blog/route-du-rhum-2026-ocean-fifty-skippers) · [Class40](https://www.offshoreraces.app/en/blog/route-du-rhum-2026-class40-skippers) · [Vintage Multi](https://www.offshoreraces.app/en/blog/route-du-rhum-2026-vintage-multi-skippers) · [Vintage Mono](https://www.offshoreraces.app/en/blog/route-du-rhum-2026-vintage-mono-skippers). Their positions are on [our live page](https://www.offshoreraces.app/en/route-du-rhum/live). To read the race, see [the weather traps from Saint-Malo to Guadeloupe](https://www.offshoreraces.app/en/blog/route-du-rhum-weather-traps-saint-malo-guadeloupe) and [how to follow the Route du Rhum 2026](https://www.offshoreraces.app/en/blog/how-to-follow-route-du-rhum-2026). ## Races in this article - **[Route du Rhum](https://www.offshoreraces.app/en/route-du-rhum)** The solo transatlantic race from Saint-Malo to Guadeloupe. Start: Saint-Malo · Finish: Pointe-à-Pitre · 3,542 nm · Racing since November 1, 2026 [Ultim](https://www.offshoreraces.app/en/classes/ultim) [IMOCA](https://www.offshoreraces.app/en/classes/imoca) [Ocean Fifty](https://www.offshoreraces.app/en/classes/ocean-fifty) [Class40](https://www.offshoreraces.app/en/classes/class40)