French sailor Laperche sets record for Route du Rhum transatlantic sailing race

French sailor Tom Laperche set a record on his race debut to claim the Route du Rhum's Ultim class on Sunday.

Issued on: 08/11/2026 - 17:49Modified: 08/11/2026 - 17:49

The 29-year-old skipper of the SVR-Lazartigue completed the 3,542 nautical miles (6,560km) between Saint-Malo in north-western France and Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe in six days, 13 hours, 27 minutes and 40 seconds to eclipse Charles Caudrelier's 2022 mark by just over six hours.

"I've always seen incredible images of finishes here, of great champions over the decades," Laperche said after his victory.

"My dream, first of all, was to one day sail these boats, perhaps to do some solo sailing, and why not race the Route du Rhum?

"So to win it at the helm of the most beautiful of the boats in the 2026 edition makes me very, very happy."

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Last year, Laperche claimed the Fastnet Race between southern England and north-western France via the south-west coast of Ireland.

He also won the 2025 Transat Cafe L'Or between Le Havre in north-western France and Fort-de-France in Martinique.

Battle on the ocean waves

For his latest prize, he battled with Armel Le Cleac'h in the early part of the Route du Rhum course across the Atlantic.

But Le Cleac'h's Maxi Banque Populaire XI capsized off the Azores on Wednesday morning.

Le Cleac'h was not the only one to abandon in the Ultim class.

Caudrelier, the defending champion, was forced out on Tuesday due to foil damage on his Maxi Edmond de Rothschild — Gitana 18.

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Anthony Marchand, skipper of Actual Ultim 4, also dropped out of the race on Wednesday, two days after suffering a major technical problem with his central rudder.

The retirements left the way clear for Laperche to claim the category for Ultim crafts which are capable of reaching speeds of more than 90km an hour.

The IMOCAs — 18-metre monohulls – are expected to reach Guadeloupe on Tuesday.

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