The Route du Rhum fleet is assembled in the basins of Saint-Malo, where 115 boats are making final preparations before setting off, according to Le Temps. Among them, the giant Gitana 18 trimaran has become the attraction of the event, the Swiss outlet reports.
The boats rode out a difficult night in port, Le Temps writes. Storm Austen had earlier torn down barriers, banners and even some tents in the race village, and the largest boats were sheltered with the help of semi-trailers and refuse trucks positioned alongside them.
Why it matters
The Route du Rhum brings together a field of striking contrasts, and Saint-Malo's docks make that visible. Le Temps describes monohulls and multihulls moored side by side: Class40 boats measuring 12 metres and Ultim trimarans that are 32 metres long and 23 metres wide. The fleet includes well-funded professional campaigns and amateur sailors, and the outlet notes that some competitors sleep aboard while others stay away from the noise and crowds.
The gathering also reflects the commercial side of offshore racing. Le Monde reports that behind the 115 entrants, the hunt for sponsors has left some skippers without a berth in the race.
A fleet of contrasts on the quays
Le Temps frames the Saint-Malo pontoons as a place where different worlds coexist for a few days. There are sailors backed by a major national bank, others racing for a cause, and at least one whose support comes from a tow-truck operator, according to the outlet. Some dine ashore with a sponsor's guests; others eat simply on board.
The weather has added to the atmosphere. Le Temps reports that rain fell over Nantes and across Brittany on Friday 23 October, a leftover from Storm Austen, and that the night in port was rough — an early sign of the conditions the fleet may face at sea.
Attention now turns to the start. Ouest-France has published the departure time and broadcast details for the race, and L'Équipe reports that the 115 sailors are finally free to head offshore and write their own stories.
