Route du Rhum 2022 : November 6
Created in 1978 by Michel Etevenon, La Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe is the queen of solo transatlantic races. For 44 years, it has linked Saint-Malo in Brittany to Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe, and brings together on the same starting line the largest plateau in ocean sailing. This transatlantic, with a total distance of 3,542 miles (i.e. 6,562 kilometres) has become legendary and its magic operates in the diversity of classes and the mixture of genres. Great figures of sailing, professionals and amateurs meet every 4 years to taste "the magic of Rhum"
A man or a woman, a boat, the ocean. The concept is simple, easy to understand. And above all, in France, we like solo races. On the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe, all competitors must travel 3,543 nautical miles, or 6,562 kilometers (Editor’s note: 1 nautical mile is equivalent to 1.852 km).
They all start at the same time, on a single starting line. The first to arrive in Guadeloupe won. A veritable Atlantic sprint towards the finish line, it has and will continue to prove its difficulty to as many people as possible in line with the stories told by sailors for more than 40 years.
The race brings together the largest and most powerful boats in the world, masterfully led by their skippers. There are dozens of women and men who have marked the history of racing, through their sea stories, their sporting prowess, their resounding victories or their crossing records.
This strong success is the legacy of the first edition and its incredible finish scenario with the 98-second gap between Mike Birch's small yellow trimaran and Michel Malinovski's big blue monohull. The transatlantic was marked by exploits, in particular the superb victory of the "little bride of the Atlantic", Florence Arthaud, but also by dramas with the tragic disappearances of Alain Colas in 1978 or that of Loïc Caradec in 1986.
Oren Nataf, passionate about the sea and boats, owns a classic 1962 wooden yacht with which he has done many transats and won many races. He bought Rayon Vert in 2020 to perform in one of the most prestigious races on a high-performance trimaran, is a goal of his life as a sailor. For this, he prepares relentlessly, surrounds himself with former winners (S.Gavignet) to prepare, invests in the best equipment.
His goal: a podium : "I have the posters of all the winners since 1978. One day, I will do it and it is for this year 2022."