The largest class.
With 55 boats at the start this Wednesday, the class40 hits hard and confirms its development on the Route du rhum.
And among these 55 15-meter monohulls is Yoann Richomme's
Paprec Arkéa
, which is setting out to defend its crown won after a hard fight four years ago in Guadeloupe.
Future skipper of a much larger Imoca monohull (18.28m) with a view to the Vendée Globe 2024, the Breton is returning to the famous transatlantic for the joy of competition but not only: "
The competition is going to be really good in our class,
confides he at Le Figaro.
And this Route du rhum also serves as a start for the team, which is brand new.
We are in the run-in and it's a good way to get in before the launch of the Imoca next January
".
After spending last weekend in Saint-Malo with his partners, the double winner of the Solitaire (2016 and 2019) dropped by his home and the yard to see his future boat on Monday.
“
Everything is perfect, in serenity.
It is decked, the first coats of paint will be laid this week, we have received the foils and the sails are in production.
We are not too late on the timing
.
2-3 front passes
"
Not disturbed by the postponement of the start
", the 38-year-old Breton will surely be on time this Wednesday at 2:15 p.m. for the take-off of this Route du rhum which promises to be calmer but far from being easy.
“
The start will be a little cooler with about fifteen knots.
Then if we want to have a less strong weather, we can go down to the south after passing the tip of Brittany and if we want to face the elements we will shoot directly west.
There too it will be a little less strong but there will be 2 to 3 head-on passages for the Class40s with winds of 35 to 40 knots.
Strategically, the first two days promise to be a big tack straight to the west which should allow my boat and that of Corentin Douguet (Queguiner-Innoveo) to break away.
“, testifies Yoann Richomme, without boasting but with realism.
The races before the Route du rhum confirmed that the two former Figarists would set off with the favorite spinnaker in the company of Xavier Macaire (Groupe Snef) and Ian Lipinski (Crédit Mutuel).
Rivals but also accomplices.
“
With Corentin, we did everything together, shared everything, sailed together.
It's a great collaboration based on the
“Port-la-Forêt” method: we train together to be stronger before explaining ourselves on the water”.
And to decide between, “
we will have to put in the commitment and be in detail about the weather.
It looks fast, the routings give 13 days for the north of Guadeloupe.
Even adding a day and the island tour, we'll be under the record
(16 days, 3 hours, 22 minutes and 44 seconds)”.
Enough to announce an eventful arrival after the "
moving
" one 4 years ago which crowned Yoann Richomme.
"
I arrived at the start as a favorite and I managed to assume this status until the end
".
Like this year when the double reaches out to him, without being acquired at all.
The fight will be hot.
That's good, the title holder likes it.
