Route du Rhum 2026: first sacre and new record for Tom Laperche in Ultim

Tom Laperche won the 13th edition of the Route du Rhum in Ultim, Saturday 7 November in the evening in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe. At the age of 29, the skipper of SVR-Lazartigue made his first appearance. CNews, South West and Overseas The 1st confirm this victory and a new record, which erases the mark established by Charles Caudrelier in 2022. [S3] [S8] [S19]

A record to distinguish from time spent at sea

The announced time is 6 days, 13 hours, 27 minutes and 40 seconds. South West reported an improvement of 6 hours and 19 minutes on the previous reference. However, a clarification is important: Guadeloupe The 1st gives an effective crossing of 6 days, 14 hours, 29 minutes and 40 seconds, while the 1st indicates a reduction of the race time of one hour and two minutes for assistance to a competitor. The sporting result should therefore not be confused with the actual length of time spent at sea, as some reports do. [S3] [S8] [S19] [S21]

The timetables published also differ: Sud Ouest places the arrival at 10:31 p.m. in Guadeloupe, or 3:31 a.m. Sunday in Paris, when franceinfo mentions 3:34 a.m. in Paris. The 1st specified a crossing at 2231:40 local time. These differences relate to hourly details, not the winner's identity or the record of a beaten record. [S8] [S10] [S19]

Go fast, then preserve his advance

Laperche took the ascendant early in the crossing and took advantage of a road further north. The first report, however, reports that Thomas Coville briefly exceeded 5 November. This precision nuances the stories of an uninterrupted domination: the future winner has led a large part of the test, without necessarily remaining first at every moment. [S19]

The race was upset by the difficulties of the favourites. Charles Caudrelier gave up after a hay damage. On November 4th, Armel Le Cléac The repair granted to Laperche compensated for this detour in his race time: to carry assistance was thus taken into account in the sporting result. [S11] [S19] [S22]

After this accident, the advance earned changed priorities. Frank Cammas, SVR-Lazartigue's performance manager, explains that the team has favoured wiser trajectories and reduced the search for speed. His testimony describes a victory based also on the choice of preserving the boat and controlling the risk, rather than constantly pushing to the limit. [S10] [S19]

Stay lucid until the last miles

Despite his advance, Laperche had to multiply the maneuvers against the wind during the rounding of Guadeloupe. In franceinfo, he also said that he had narrowly avoided several fish concentration devices and evoked fatigue placing him "at the limit of hallucination". The "state of grace" described in his reactions expresses his feeling, not a crossing without danger or effort. [S8] [S20]

Charles Caudrelier greets for his part a "very beautiful victory deserved". When asked by franceinfo, the title holder also highlights the progress of the ships and the weather conditions conducive to a fast journey. This appreciation complements the stories centered on the talent of the winner: according to him, the performance is also due to the equipment and circumstances of navigation. [S22]

A first participation, not a first apprenticeship

This sacre prolongs an already solid course: French champion of offshore racing in 2021, winner of the Solitaire du Figaro in 2022, then of the Transat Café L-Or with Cammas in 2025. Laperche also highlights François Gabart's confidence, with whom he conducted an internship in 2019 at MerConcept. Its autonomy on board is based on this learning and on the collective preparation of the trimaran. [S5] [S8]

After the arrival, the navigator evokes two desires: to win a new Route du Rhum and to make a tour of the world on these great multihulls. In its statements reported by RMC Sport, these perspectives remain objectives, with no specific timetable announced. His first sacre therefore opens a new stage rather than ending his journey. [S5]