Claude Renoult, the mayor of Saint-Malo, officially opened the Route du Rhum village. " It's going to be a fabulous week in Saint-Malo. We have felt things vibrate for a while now, it is an edition that starts very strong. The people of Saint-Malo have been mobilized for more than ten days. It's been 36 years! 36 years of love with this race. We must not forget that the Guadeloupeans are at the origin of the event with Michel Etevenon, the creator of the race. Guadeloupeans were the first to finance the Route du Rhum with the city of Saint-Malo. We are very involved with our 300 volunteers and our sailing club, the SNBSM. We will reach 1.8 million, maybe 2 million visitors. Saint-Malo will be the center of the world for more than a week."
The 91 solo sailors in the Transatlantic race had until 6:30 p.m. to moor their boats in the basins of the Corsair City. However, since the morning, a crowd of visitors had already invaded the quays of the Vauban and Dugay-Trouin basins, in an electric atmosphere. Thus, the five classes of the fleet, IMOCA, Class 40, Multi50, Ultimes and Rhum Class are almost complete in the village of the race, the largest multihull of 40 meters, Spindrift 2 of Yann Guichard to the smallest of 12 meters, Acapella by Charlie Capelle and Berto Group by Jean-Paul Froc. Two exceptions however, Spindrift and Banque Populaire VII of Loïck Peyron had to stay outside the basins because of their unusual size. The Palais du Grand Large will host the organization and the Guadeloupe Pavilion will feature a stand and activities in the colors of the island of arrival of the Route du Rhum.
287 volunteers to support the organization
For this 10 ème edition and 91 participating boats, a record since 1978, we expect a large crowd and 10 days of festivities filled with events. To help with the organization, 287 volunteers from 16 to 89 years old took part in the adventure, the majority coming from the Malouin area.
