Sailing: the start of the Route du Rhum will take place on Wednesday at 2:15 p.m.

The final decision has fallen.

The 138 skippers involved in the 12th edition of the Route du Rhum will set off for this solo sailing race on Wednesday at 2:15 p.m.

Initially scheduled for this Sunday, the start of the event had to be postponed due to weather conditions that were not conducive to navigation.

For several days, heavy rain has been falling on Saint-Malo (Ille-et-Vilaine), the starting town of the race.

Waterspouts accompanied by more powerful gusts of wind than expected and particularly rough seas.

Read alsoRoute du rhum: what the postponement of the departure changes for the skippers

“Giving a start on Sunday in 20 to 25 knots of westerly wind was possible.

But the last precise 48-hour weather reports showed that the conditions were much harsher than initially envisaged, and this from the first hours of the race ”, could we read Saturday in an official press release.

A reassuring decision for many skippers who had expressed their concern about these particularly difficult sailing conditions.

It will therefore be necessary to wait another 72 hours before seeing the 138 boats set sail for Guadeloupe and try to succeed Francis Joyon, winner on the wire during the 2018 edition.