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Ahead of the 13th edition of the Route du Rhum, which sets sail this Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 1:02 p.m. local time off Saint-Malo, regional newspaper Ouest-France reported that readers selected Armel Le Cléac’h and his trimaran Banque Populaire as their top pick in the Ultim class.
Sailing Enthusiasts Cast Their Votes Across Six Fleet Categories
Hundreds of readers submitted forecasts for the solo transatlantic race across six distinct divisions: Ultim, Imoca, Ocean Fifty, Class40, Vintage Mono, and Vintage Multi. While 115 boats line up for the legendary race held every four years, public attention concentrates heavily on the soaring Ultim multihulls capable of crossing the Atlantic in under a week.
In the Ultim division, readers placed Armel Le Cléac’h at the front with 31% of the vote. Charles Caudrelier follows with 21% on Gitana, while 29-year-old Tom Laperche gathers 19% aboard SVR-Lazartigue. Thomas Coville accounts for 9% with Sodebo, ahead of Guirec Soudée and Louis Burton at 6%, Alexia Barrier at 5%, and Anthony Marchand at 3%.
Chasing Elusive Victory in the Ultim Fleet
Le Cléac’h heads into the start seeking to break a personal curse on the solo race. “Je la veux vraiment, c’est un objectif très important pour moi, car c’est une course qui ne m’a jamais souri en multicoque, je reste sur deux éditions compliquées”, he said. Following a shipwreck in 2018 and a severe technical breakdown in 2022, the 49-year-old skipper spent time training in Guadeloupe early in the year.
Tom Laperche makes his first appearance in the class as the youngest skipper at age 29. Having taken over the helm of SVR-Lazartigue from François Gabart in 2024, Laperche arrives on a winning streak that includes the Transat Café L’Or in late 2025 and the 24h Ultim in September 2026. “Je connais de mieux en mieux le trimaran, je suis de plus en plus à l’aise. Mais le niveau est très homogène entre les différents Ultim et les écarts restent minimes. C’est ce qui rend la compétition passionnante”, Laperche explained.
Navigating Unknowns and Milestones for Coville and Caudrelier
Charles Caudrelier, who set the record of 6 days 19 hours in 2022 aboard Gitana 17, enters the race aboard a new boat that entered the water in February and has never raced competitively. “Les autres disposent de bateaux qu’ils exploitent depuis quatre ou cinq ans. Je mesure la différence entre leur niveau de connaissance de la machine et le mien. Il reste de nombreuses situations que je n’ai jamais rencontrées à bord”, Caudrelier noted. Favorable weather forecasts for the opening days may spare his machine from excessive early strain.
Thomas Coville brings the sturdiest platform in the fleet to Saint-Malo following a successful Trophée Jules Verne in January aboard Sodebo Ultim 3. At 58, Coville announced he will hand over the reins to co-skipper Benjamin Schwartz after this event. “Je ne vis pas cette Route du Rhum comme la fin de quelque chose. Je cherche simplement à délivrer la meilleure performance possible à l’instant présent”, Coville said.
Fan Favorites in Imoca, Ocean Fifty, and Vintage Classes
Beyond the flying multihulls, public predictions extend across the remaining fleets. In the Imoca class, readers selected Jérémie Beyou (Charal) with 30% of the vote, closely followed by Sam Goodchild (Macif) at 26% and Violette Dorange (Initiatives-Coeur) at 16%.
Basile Bourgnon (Edenred) dominates the Ocean Fifty projections with 46% support, well ahead of Thibaut Vauchel-Camus at 14%. Meanwhile, Jean Le Cam (Alegria) commands the Vintage Mono class with 46% of reader backing, and Damien Seguin (Arkéa – Handicap International) leads the Vintage Multi category at 30%.
The 13th Route du Rhum starts in the bay of Saint-Malo as the fleet heads toward Guadeloupe.
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