Creation of the Route du Rhum
In response to the English who decided to limit the size of the boats participating in the English Transat, leaving many French skippers out in the cold, the advertising executive Michel Etevenon decided to launch his own race: the Route du Rhum . This "freedom transatlantic race" is open to everyone: professionals and amateurs, monohulls and multihulls, and above all, it does not impose any regulatory size on the boats. Thus was born the Route du Rhum .
The start was given on November 5, 1978 and brought together 38 solo sailors, whose ambition was to reach Pointe-Ã -Pitre, in Guadeloupe, on the other side of the Atlantic as quickly as possible. This first edition brings together the biggest names in ocean racing at the moment: Mike Birch, Alain Colas, Florence Arthaud, Michel Malinovsky, Olivier de Kersauson and Philippe Pouponâeuros¦
98 seconds apart
While all eyes are on the two giants of the race : Kriter V led by Michel Malinovsky and Manureva led by Alain Colas, it is however the smallest boat in the race that will make the legend of the race. Olympus-Photo is an 11 m trimaran led by Mike Birch a 45 year old Canadian skipper. He made a name for himself two years ago in the English Transat, taking second place behind Eric Tabarly.
After 23 days at sea, victory seems to be promised to Michel Malinovsky on his big 21 m monohull. And he believes in it like crazy! But it was an incredible showdown in the Caribbean watersâ?¦ Mike Birch appeared from nowhere on his small yellow trimaran and stole the victory by 98 secondsâ??
At the end of 23 days 6 hours 59 minutes and 35 seconds at sea, canadian Mike Birch wins the first edition of the Route du Rhum only 98 seconds ahead of the big blue cigar. Even today, this gap remains the smallest between a winner and his runner-up, all classes combined, in the history of the solo transatlantic race.
The supremacy of multihulls
This victory also shows the potential of multihulls against monohulls, marking the advent of the multihull. Since then, catamarans and trimarans have always arrived before the monohulls on the course between Saint-Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre, except in 2002. That year, Ellen MacArthur's Kingfisher monohull crossed the finish line first, but the start for this category was given 24 hours before the multihulls.
The photo taken in black and white in 1978 is part of the legend. The spectacular finish was broadcast live on the television news. Mike Birch made a name for himself in ocean racing, and the Route du Rhum became a legend, as reported by the Canadian sailor .
The disappearance of Alain Colas
But the race is also marked by a drama, the disappearance of Alain Colas and his trimaran Manureva on November 16 off the Azores. Another darker page of the transatlantic race.
