Route du Rhum 2026: when do the boats arrive in Guadeloupe?
In short. The Route du Rhum 2026 left Saint-Malo on 1 November at 13:02 Paris time and finishes in Pointe-à-Pitre. At the pace of the 2022 records, the first Ultim would cross the line on Sunday 8 November at around 3:50 am Guadeloupe time (7:50 am in London, 8:50 am in Paris), the Ocean Fifties on the 12th, the IMOCAs on the 13th and the Class40s on the 15th. These are benchmarks, not a timetable: the weather decides, and the live tracker shows the real distance left for every boat. For a finish time worked out boat by boat from its actual speed, see our estimated finishes, updated at every position report.
Where is the finish?
The line lies off Pointe-à-Pitre. Before reaching it, sailors go around Basse-Terre island, leaving it to port (Route du Rhum). After more than 3,500 miles of Atlantic, this last lap can still reshuffle the order: the mountains disrupt the trade winds, which accelerate around the headlands and fade in the island's lee (see the weather traps from Saint-Malo to Guadeloupe). The boats then moor in front of the Mémorial ACTe, where the dockside welcomes take place.
Estimated finish dates, class by class
The table rests on one simple assumption: each class sails as fast as its 2022 winner, who holds the class record (Wikipedia, 2022 Route du Rhum). That time is added to the start, 12:02 UTC on 1 November; times are rounded.
| Class | 2022 time | Estimated finish (Guadeloupe time) |
|---|---|---|
| Ultim | 6d 19h 47m | Sun 8 Nov, 3:50 am |
| Ocean Fifty | 10d 21h 36m | Thu 12 Nov, 5:40 am |
| IMOCA | 11d 17h 36m | Fri 13 Nov, 1:40 am |
| Class40 | 14d 3h 9m | Sun 15 Nov, 11:10 am |
Guadeloupe runs on UTC−4: add four hours for UTC, five for Paris in November (7:50 UTC for the first Ultim, 15:10 UTC for the Class40s). The Hello Guadeloupe website reaches the same benchmark for the first Ultim, 8 November at around 4 am (Hello Guadeloupe).
These dates are optimistic: a record only falls when the weather allows. In 2018, winner Francis Joyon took 7 days 14 hours 21 minutes, more than 18 hours slower than the 2022 time (franceinfo). The two slower Vintage categories then arrive over several weeks: Vintage Multi and Vintage Mono have their own rankings.
How to watch the finish
- Hour by hour: the estimated finishes page gives every boat's likely finish time, with its range and a countdown, ready for your calendar.
- On the map: our live tracker places every boat on the globe with its speed, heading, distance to finish and rank in its class. Each skipper has a shareable link, handy to watch for one sailor's arrival.
- On TV: Guadeloupe La 1ère sets up at the Mémorial ACTe from 5 November and broadcasts live the arrival of the first boat and of the first Guadeloupean skipper (France Télévisions). The full schedule is in how to follow the Route du Rhum 2026.
- In person: the finish village is planned at the Mémorial ACTe in Pointe-à-Pitre. On 21 October the prefecture issued a provisional unfavourable opinion on its organisation, and the regional council said it was completing the file (La 1ère). Check opening hours on the official website before you go.
Who could finish first?
In the Ultim class, Charles Caudrelier defends his title on Gitana 18, a brand-new boat, against his former trimaran, now called Actual Ultim 4. Each class's contenders are in the Route du Rhum 2026 favourites, and the story of the reference times in Route du Rhum: the history of the record.
Frequently asked questions
When does the first boat finish the Route du Rhum 2026?
At the pace of the 2022 record (6 days 19 hours 47 minutes), the first Ultim would finish on Sunday 8 November 2026 at around 3:50 am Guadeloupe time, 8:50 am in Paris. The weather can move that by a day or more.
Where do the Route du Rhum boats finish?
In Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, after a lap of Basse-Terre island left to port. The boats then moor in front of the Mémorial ACTe.
When do the IMOCAs and Class40s arrive?
At the pace of the 2022 records, the IMOCAs would arrive around 13 November and the Class40s around 15 November. The bulk of these two larger fleets then spreads over several days.
How can I watch the finish live?
On the Offshore Races live tracker, which shows every boat's distance to finish, and on Guadeloupe La 1ère, which broadcasts the arrival of the first boat and of the first Guadeloupean skipper.