Between 40 and 50,000 spectators had gathered to attend the biggest sailing event of the year, under the wettest weather conditions. The low, dark gray sky reflected in a gray-turquoise water the multicolored sails of the boats on stand-by. The sailboats approached the line, slowly, as if they were in regatta mode. And then it's the countdown. On the VHF, George Pau-Langevin, the Minister of Overseas France, gave the start: "5, 4, 3, 2, 1 start, good wind".
Direction Cap Fréhel, the only obligatory passage before Guadeloupe, only 18 nautical miles from the start. A moment of extreme concentration for the racers. The first few minutes of a race like the Route du Rhum is a delicate moment. Firstly because there are 91 boats that want to pass Fréhel in a good position, and secondly because hundreds of boaters accompany the sailors throughout the first few miles and the risk of collision is on everyone's mind.
Fortunately, the VHF remains silent. No false start. No recall. No accidents.
In spite of the rough conditions that would have made many sailors give up, the boats left with the mainsail up, without reefs. The show is there. The Ultimates are filling up at 20 knots, the Mod70s are on two floats and the Imoca and Class40 monohulls are heeling so much that on the Pont-Aven, the press ferry that is following the event, comments are flying.
Sidney Gavignet took the best start. Thomas Coville did well and took the lead at 14h30. François Gabart in the monohulls is first, closely followed by Vincent Riou. Loïck Peyon played the safety card.
As they passed off Saint-Malo, the wind that could have taken the fleet on a single tack to the windward side is turning. Rather than expected, the wind is shifting to the west. The boats will have to tack to get back to the Cape Fréhel buoy. They will have to execute two tacks, a maneuver that can be very complicated both in its preparation and execution, even if the competitors have practiced a lot alone on board. Lionel Lemonchois, upwind of Sodebo with a favorable time difference, will probably push Thomas Coville to open the ball of the tacks, it is 3 pm.
The sea is unstable, crossed and the winds are irregular.
At 3:23 pm, Lionel Lemonchois was the first to pass Cape Fréhel. François Gabart's Imoca boat passed the mark 20 minutes later. He is followed by Vincent Riou.
The fleet will now try to leave the channel as quickly as possible to avoid the commercial boats and head south. They will also have to face conditions that will harden during the night.
