Second consecutive victory and new record
After an incredible race, despite being penalized at the start with a 4-hour penalty for crossing the start line early, Yoann Richomme won this 12th edition of the Route du Rhum on his Class40 Paprec Arkéa. With a race time of 14 days, 3 hours, 8 minutes and 40 seconds, he crossed the finish line this Wednesday, November 23 at 5:23 p.m. and 40 seconds, thus improving the race time by more than 48 hours! It was previously 16 days, 3 hours, 22 minutes and 44 seconds.
A recent launch, but lots of training
After his victory in 2018 in this same class, he is taking on the challenge of winning a second time. However, this choice to build a new boat, a Lift V2 design from Lombard, is recent and was made while waiting for the construction of his IMOCA, a circuit he will soon join. The boat was launched in July 2022, but Yoann has been training a lot, especially alongside Corentin Douguet on Queguiner-Innoveo, a sistership design, which should also finish on the podium.
A repair and an incredible remontada!
Corentin Douguet quickly took the lead of the fleet, Yoann Richomme being relegated to the back of the pack due to the 4 h penalty he decided to repair before the passage of Cape Frehel, because of a less sustained wind.
However, the skipper of the new Paprec Arkea made an incredible comeback, and overtook his competitors one by one. He finally took the lead of the fleet on November 13, at a latitude close to Cape Finisterre. He progressed so fast that he managed to make a 120-mile gap with his closest pursuers, including his friend Corentin Douguet. He even managed to overtake part of the IMOCA fleet, which amused some skippers.
Make way for the IMOCA
In spite of a slow rounding of the island, he had enough of a lead to win! Thus ends this passage on his Class40, whose new owner will soon be known. Now it's time for the IMOCA, which will be launched in early 2023.
