The next to join Guadeloupe should logically be Armel Tripon (Réauté Chocolat) who should join the Caribbean island on Thursday noon (Paris time). He is still 450 miles from the finish line and is about 300 miles ahead of his rivals - Erwan Le Roux and Thibault Vauchel-Camus. But the squalls and the cross seas make sailing stressful for the Multi50 leader. And it is not the capsizing of Lalou Roucayrol that will say the opposite. He is safe in his boat, but is 1000 miles from the Caribbean arc, far from the trade routes
12 hours after Armel Tripon, it is Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) who should win for his first Route du Rhum, just like his predecessor in the Multi50. The Welshman is in rocket mode and is now less than 600 miles from Guadeloupe, 200 miles ahead of his pursuers, Paul Meilhat, Yann Eliès and Vincent Riou, who have not let go since the start... Nothing is therefore decided for the podium, especially since the trio will have to circumvent Guadeloupe at night on Friday.
For the other classes, the Atlantic is very contrasted this Wednesday. Below the 25th degree of latitude, the trade wind will continue to push the leaders of the Class40 and the two Rum categories. But it will be hampered by the passage of two active cold fronts, the second disrupting the situation as far as the Canaries.
Along Portugal, the laggards in IMOCA and Class40 will once again have to face strong southerly winds and rough seas. Ultimately, Romain Pilliard (Remade Use it Again!) is always up to the level of Madeira and is trying to solve these cadence problems. For him, therefore, it is not yet the trade winds route. Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim') who is off the coast of Western Sahara is trying to leave the Canaries, also to touch the trade winds.
Tonight, 28 skippers officially dropped out. Eight others are in port. 87 are on their way to Pointe-à-Pitre.
