Favourites and newcomers to watch closely
If we find the regulars of the circuit like Lalou Roucayrol or Erwan Le Roux - the defending champion - we also find some new faces, like Thierry Bouchard, Armel Tripon or Thibaut Vauchel-Camus.
The big favourite of the event is none other than Erwan Le Roux, with a boat he built when he was working with Franck-Yves Escoffier, his extensive record, his high level of physical preparation - he is also a triathlete - and his habit of leaving nothing to chance make him the ideal candidate for a double.
Erwan Le Roux - WindowA Mix buffet ©Jacques Vapillon
But we will also have to rely on Lalou Roucayrol, who switched to the Multi50 11 years ago after scouring the ORMA class. On this boat he built, Lalou won the Transat Jacques Vabre 2017 and finished on all the podiums of the crewed season. If he has always finished in the top three, the only place he can't find is the first. It is precisely the one he is looking for this year "When you go on a race, it's to win." assures the Médoc, whose 40th Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe will most probably be the last solo race in the Multi50 "As a result, it will inevitably have an even more particular flavor."
Behind them, we also find Thibaut Vauchel Camus, the "little young sailor" of the crew (40 years old) at the helm of the most recent trimaran of the "new" ones. He won the Drheam Cup - Destination Cotentin in solo, despite his meagre experience in the Multi50
After finishing second in the last edition of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe in Class40, the one who made his classes in a sports catamaran is moving on to trimarans and has ambitions for victory "Not to step on the podium would be disappointing, even though I am fully aware that the level of the fleet is very dense and the bar is high, but you are never safe from a good blow." stresses the sailor who, as in his last participation, when he was just starting out at sea, is tackling the outsider label.
Another newcomer in the class, Armel Tripon (Réauté Chocolat) also sailed a lot this year as Thibaut. He finished 4th in the IMOCA class 4 years ago, for his first participation "Four years ago, what was most important for me was to finish the race and it was seen in my rather timid way of sailing. Today, I don't have this lack of knowledge of my boat. I know how to behave and react. I also simply have more experience." assures the skipper of Réauté Chocolat, who hopes to succeed in reaching the podium in Pointe- à-Pitre, even if he knows that the competition promises to be fierce "We have in front of us sailors with a crazy experience in a Multi50."
Armel Tripon - Réauté Chocolat © B.Stichelbaut
The Mediterranean sailor Thierry Bouchard, at the helm of a very lightweight latest generation Multi50, was unable to sail as much as he would have liked, the reason for a major project carried out after the Transat Jacques Vabre 2018. Having had to give up four years ago, the athlete and company director intends to take his revenge.
"When I run a race, it's not just for the pleasure of participating." confirms the sailor, who has already proven this on several occasions in monohulls and who intends to show it in multihulls during this Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe 2018 "There will be a good battle between the old very well developed boats and the new ones, which are inherently faster but less well prepared. The chances of each other will thus be balanced."
Finally, Gilles Lamiré (La French Tech Rennes Saint-Malo) will be on the least "modern" trimaran in the fleet, but he knows it by heart and believes in its chances "There are, of course, small differences between the machines, but everyone has a chance." notes the skipper of La French Tech Rennes St Malo, who has made great progress since his last participation in the event, and who expects to do at least as well (3rd).
Gilles Lamiré - La French Tech Rennes Saint-Malo © Xavier Bouquin
The six competitors in the Multi50
- Armel Tripon, Réauté Chocolat, Verdier 2009 plan *
- Erwan Le Roux, WindowA - Mix Buffet, VPLP plan 2009 *
- Gilles Lamiré, La French Tech Rennes Saint-Malo, Irens/Cabaret plan 2009
- Lalou Roucayrol, Arkema, Neyhousser 2013* plan
- Thierry Bouchard, Ciela Village, VPLP plan October 2017*
- Thibaut Vauchel Camus, Solidaires en Peloton Arsep, VPLP plan January 2018*
