Prince de Bretagne leads the charge

Route du Rhum sets sail from St Malo

The Route du Rhum Destination Guadeloupe set sail from St Malo at 1400 local time this afternoon, the 91 strong fleet ranging from the world's largest trimarans to smaller, older multihulls chased down the course by a massive spectator fleet (including a Brittany Ferries ferry) to the famous turning mark of Cape Frehel, where spectators in their 10,000s were perched, ready to watch the action.

With a front forecast to strike the fleet at the start, in fact the race got underway under grey skies and a 15-17 knot SSWerly. However as the boats charged headlong to Cape Frehel the skies blackened and the front passed through hiking up the wind and bringing a sudden torrential downpour. However this was small fry compared to the 40+ knot gusts the boats are expected to endure as another front crosses them at around midnight tonight.

The Sidney Gavignet skippered Musandam-Oman Air led the Ultime class off the start line but was soon overhauled by Thomas Coville on his new Sodebo Ultim. However at the Cape Frehel turning mark 18 miles from the leading the Ultimes was 2006 outright Route du Rhum winner and 2010 Multi50 victor Lionel Lemonchois with his 80ft trimaran Prince de Bretagne.

Elsewhere the form book was living up to expectations.

In the IMOCA 60s it was Vincent Riou and PRB that got away fastest but was soon outstripped by race favourite and 2012 Vendee Globe winner, Francois Gabart on MACIF, who were followed at the turning mark by Jérémie Beyou on Maitre Coq.

Among the Multi 50s it was Yves le Blevec on the trimaran Actual was that at Cape Frehel was ahead of Erwan Le Roux's Fenetre a Cardinale with Lalou Roucayrol's Arkema Region Aquitaine, back in action after the capsize in last year's Transat Jacques Vabre. 

Similarly Sébastien Rogues led the Class40s aboard his Mach 40 GDF Suez, which won last year's TJV and pretty much all the major events he has entered. Spain’s Alex Pella racing the competitive Botin Partners 40 was second while Britain’s Conrad Humphreys on Cat Phones Built For It and Miranda Merron sailing Campagne de France rounded in 20th and 22nd respectively in the 43 boat fleet.

In the Rhum class Sir Robin Knox-Johnson (who last competed in the Route du Rhum in 1982, on the 70ft cat Sea Falcon) was 11th aboard his Open 60 Grey Power.

Prior to the start Knox-Johnson said: “Following the latest weather forecast I have put in the third reef and will use my storm jib for the first day. I will take it slow as far as Cap Finistere and then I will start to race properly. I don’t want to risk injury to myself or damage to my boat.

“The first couple of days are going to be sleepless, getting past Ushant and the Bay of Biscay with the shipping and fishing boats.

“I feel exactly the same as when I last did the Route du Rhum in 1982. In my head, I am 48. If you think young, you feel young.

“I worked very hard on my event the Clipper Race the last year and it’s time for my holidays now. The sea is where I feel most at home. I am just not ready to stop racing yet, and why should I?”

First to return to Saint-Malo with a technical problem - needing to repair his rigging – was Jean Edouard Criquioche's Class40 Région haute Normandie, who had to turn round after just 45 minutes on course. And the Portuguese skipper in the Rhum class Ricardo Diniz was also reported to be heading back with trouble with his diesel.

Order at Cap Fréhel

1 - Lionel Lemonchois (Prince de Bretagne) / 1st Ultime
2 - Sidney Gavignet (Musandam - Oman Sail)
3 - Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim')
4 - Loïck Peyron (Maxi Solo Banbque Populaire VII)
5 - Sébastien Josse (Edmond De Rothschild)
6 - Yann Eliès (Paprec Recyclage)
7 - Yann Guichard (Spindrift 2)
8 - Yves Le Blévec (Actual) / 1st Multi50
9 - Francis Joyon (Idec Sport)
10 - Erwan Leroux (FenêtréA - Cardinal)
11 - Lalou Roucayrol (Arkema Région Aquitaine)
12 - François Gabart (MACIF) / 1st IMOCA
13 - Vincent Riou (PRB) 14 - Loïc Fequet (Maître Jacques)
15 - Jérémie Beyou (Maître Coq)
16 - Marc Guillemot (Safran)
17 - Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée)
18 - Bertrand De Broc (Votre Nom Autour du Monde)
19 - Tanguy De Lamotte (Initiatives-Coeur)
20 - Armel Tripon (Humble for Heroes)
21 - Erik Nigon (Vers un monde sans sida)
22 - Pierre Antoine (Olmix)
23 - Andrea Mura (Vento Di Sardegna) / 1st Rhum
24 - Sébastien Rogues (GDF SUEZ) / 1st Class40‏
25 - Gilles Buekenhout (Nootka)

26 - Alessandro Di Benedetto (Team Plastique - AFM Téléthon)
27 - Gilles Lamiré (rennes Métropole - Saint-Malo Agglomération)
28 - Alex Pella (Thales 2 - Santander 2014)
29 - Kito de Pavant ( Otio - Bastide Medical
30 - Nicolas Thomas (Guadeloupe Grand Large - 1001 Batteries)
31 - Patrick Morvan (Ortis)
32 - Yannick Bestaven (Le Conservateur)
33 - Brieuc Maisonneuve (Groupement Flo)
34 - Kleinjeans Michel (Visit Brussels)
35 - Thibault Vauchel-Camus (Solidaires en peloton)
36 - Etienne Hochédé (PIR2 - CCI de Fécamp)
37 - Louis Duc (Advanced Energies - Carac)
38 - Bertrand Delesnes (Teamwork)
39 - Benjamin Hardouin (Krit'R V)
40 - Damien Seguin (ERDF - Des Pieds et des Mains)
41 - Nicolas Troussel (Crédit Mutuel de Bretagne)
42 - Giancarlo Pedote (Fantastica)
43 - Anne Caseneuve (ANEO)
44 - Pierre Brasseur (Matouba)
45 - Thierry Bouchard (Walfo)
46 Philippe Fiston (Ville de Sainte-Anne - Guadeloupe)
47 - Valentin Lemarchand (Maison Tirel Guerin)
48 - Marc Lepesqueux ( Sensation Class40)
49 - Arnaud Boissières (Aerocampus - Du Rhum au Globe)
50 - Conrad Humphreys (Cat Phones)
51 - Stéphane Le Diraison (IXBlue - BRS)
52 - Emmanuel Hamez (Teranga)
53 - Miranda Merron (Campagne de France)
54 - Alain Delhumeau (Royan)
55 - Maxime Sorel (VandB / MS Sailing Team)
56 - Pierre-Yves Lautrou ( L'Express - Trepia)
57 - Paul Hignard (Bruneau)
58 - Jean Galfione (Serenis Consulting)
59 - Wilfrid Clerton (Cap au Cap Location)
60 - Fabrice Amedeo ( SNCF - Geodis - Newrest)
61 - Julien Mabit (Komilfo)
62 - Charlie Capelle (Acapella)
63 - Jean-Christophe Caso (Picoty - Lac de Vassivière)
64 - Bob Escoffier (Groupe Guisnel)
65 - Philippa Hutton Squire (Swish)
66 - Luc Coquelin (Guadeloupe Dynamique)
67 - Halvard Mabire (Campagne 2 France)
68 - François Angoulvant (Team Sabrosa)
69 - Dominique Rivard (Marie Galante)
70 - Rodolphe Sepho (Voiles 44)
71 - Christophe Coatnoan (Normandie Sussex)
72 - Jean-Paul Froc (Groupe Berto)
73 - Patrice Bougard (Kogane)
74 - Antoine Michel (SETTI LTD)
75 - Juliette Petres (Eau et Patrimoine)
76 - Willy Bissainte (Tradysion Gwadeloup)
77 - Lionel Regnier (April)
78 - Alan Roura (Exocet)
79 - Robin Knox-Johnston (Grey Power)
80 - Pierrick Tollemer (Ensemble pour Entreprendre)
81 - Christophe Souchaud (Rhum Solitaire - Rhum Solidaire)
82 - Vincent Lantin (Vanetys - Le Slip Français)
83 - Olivier Roussey (Obportus - Conseil régional de Lorraine)
84 - Nils Boyer ( Let's Go Pharmaouest - Gicquel Asssociés)
86 - Ari Huusela (Neste Oil)
87 - Pierre-Yves Chatelin (Destination Calais)
88 - Eric Jail (Défi Cat)
89 - Hervé de Carlan (Délirium)...

From Mark Lloyd / www.lloydimages.com