The 2026 Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe has reached another major milestone. As Tom Laperche (SVR Lazartigue) reaches the halfway point and extends his lead in the Ultim class, the fleet continues its Atlantic crossing in challenging conditions. The capsize of Armel Le Cléac'h, who had been running second in the class, has made headlines, while Class40 competitors are preparing to face a particularly powerful weather front.

In the other classes, Corentin Horeau (MACSF) holds a commanding lead in the IMOCA fleet, while Basile Bourgnon (Edenred) remains at the top of the Ocean Fifty standings. The coming hours will be crucial for the Class40 boats as they face an active low-pressure system, while the Vintage Multi and Vintage Mono classes are producing particularly close battles.

During the night of November 3–4, Armel Le Cléac'h, then second in the Ultim fleet aboard Maxi Banque Populaire XI, capsized at around 5:30 a.m., approximately 550 nautical miles northwest of the Azores. The skipper managed to activate his distress beacon and contact his technical team. Safe and unharmed, he was inside the upturned boat, with food and water available.

A tanker was diverted to provide assistance. Rescue operations continued on November 4 to ensure the sailor's safety. The incident is a reminder of the risks competitors face during this Atlantic crossing, even aboard the most powerful trimarans.

The Route du Rhum has been a difficult race for Armel Le Cléac'h. He finished second in the 2010 IMOCA edition, withdrew in 2014, capsized in 2018 and encountered technical problems in 2022, when he finished seventh.

Tom Laperche (SVR Lazartigue) reached the halfway point on November 4 and established a solid lead in the Ultim class. At the time, he was 130 nautical miles ahead on the direct route and nearly 400 nautical miles ahead laterally of Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3), his closest pursuer. His lead has since grown to nearly 500 nautical miles, giving him a comfortable advantage over the competition.

The SVR Lazartigue skipper is now expected to reach Guadeloupe on Saturday afternoon. Behind him, Louis Burton (Ultim Armand Thiery) and Thomas Coville (SODEBO Ultim 3) are battling for second place, which they have already exchanged.

Thomas Coville also had to deal with sail damage on November 3, which led him to favor a route much farther south than Tom Laperche's. The considerable lateral separation between competitors highlights the strategic decisions involved in navigating the weather conditions and finding the most favorable route toward the Caribbean.

Corentin Horeau (MACSF) is putting together an outstanding IMOCA race. After taking the lead with a particularly effective tactical move, he has gradually extended his advantage over his rivals. On November 4, he was more than 200 nautical miles ahead of Boris Herrmann (Malizia 4). The following day, his lead still stood at nearly 190 nautical miles.

Behind the leader, Boris Herrmann holds second place, closely followed by Francesca Clapcich (11th Hour Racing) and Sam Goodchild (Macif Santé Prévoyance), who are separated by just over 50 nautical miles. Barring a major change in circumstances, Corentin Horeau now has a substantial advantage as he continues toward Guadeloupe.

In the Ocean Fifty class, Basile Bourgnon is maintaining his dominance aboard Edenred. The skipper has gradually increased his lead over the competition, while Pierre Quiroga (WeWise) and Léonard Legrand (Sodebo Fifty) held second and third place respectively on November 4, more than 50 nautical miles behind the leader.

Thibaut Vauchel-Camus (Solidaires en Peloton by Delanchy) opted for a far northern route, moving well away from the courses followed by his competitors starting Tuesday evening. After beginning a tack to head south, he took third place from Léonard Legrand. This strategic option appears to be bringing him back into contention for the leading positions.

After taking the lead in the fleet, Guillaume Pirouelle (Sogestran Seafrigo) must now contend with the arrival of a particularly active weather front. The leading competitors are expected to cross this weather system in the coming hours, facing heavy rain, gusts that could reach around 40 knots and sometimes abrupt wind shifts.

Lateral gaps of more than 300 nautical miles between the leading competitors on November 4 illustrate the wide range of options chosen to approach this low-pressure system. Around ten monohulls remain within striking distance of the leader and could take advantage of this difficult passage to shake up the standings.

Skippers are preparing for these demanding conditions. Yannick Rebuffat (Mussulo40) says he has secured his boat to withstand this first major blow. Gaëtan Thomas (Barco Brasil), meanwhile, is temporarily putting competition aside to focus on navigating the low-pressure system. At the head of the fleet, Guillaume Pirouelle emphasizes the expected instability of the conditions and the need to remain particularly vigilant.

This weather system could therefore reshuffle the Class40 standings. Competitors' ability to protect their boats and manage the changing winds will be crucial to emerging from this area among the leaders.

The battle remains particularly intense in Vintage Multi between Damien Seguin (Arkea – Handicap International) and Éric Péron (French Touch – Oceania Hotels). With just five nautical miles separating the two competitors, the standings have now been reversed, with Éric Péron moving ahead of Damien Seguin. The close contest continues mile after mile, as each skipper tries to pull away from the other.

In Vintage Mono, Tanguy Caradec (Eurvad) held first place ahead of Sidney Gavignet (Le Cigare Rouge), with a 15-nautical-mile lead in the November 4 standings. The following day, the order changed, with Kieran Le Borgne taking the lead by just a few nautical miles. The gaps remain small, keeping the suspense alive in this class.

While Tom Laperche closes in on Guadeloupe with a comfortable lead, Corentin Horeau and Basile Bourgnon continue to dominate the IMOCA and Ocean Fifty classes respectively. Attention is now turning to the Class40 fleet, where the passage of the weather front could significantly alter the standings.

With sporting performances, tactical decisions and weather-related risk management all coming into play, the 2026 Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe once again highlights the complexity of this transatlantic crossing. The coming days should provide further insight into the skippers' ability to make the most of ocean conditions while protecting their boats and ensuring their safety.