/ 
Armel Le Cléac'h capsizes while battling for the lead
On Wednesday, November 4, around 5:30 a.m., Armel Le Cléac'h's Maxi Banque Populaire XI capsized approximately 550 nautical miles northwest of the Azores. The Breton sailor, who was in second place in the Ultim class, was locked in a tight battle with Tom Laperche aboard the SVR-Lazartigue.
According to initial reports from his team, Armel Le Cléac'h is unharmed. He took shelter inside his capsized trimaran and activated his distress beacon. A rescue operation has been launched in coordination with CROSS Jobourg and the Boston Rescue Coordination Center. According to Erwan Steff, team manager for Banque Populaire, an oil tanker has been diverted to come to his aid.
The exact circumstances of the capsizing have not yet been determined. It is therefore impossible to determine whether the accident was caused by a sudden gust of wind, a mechanical failure, or a combination of several factors.
This latest accident is a major setback for the Banque Populaire skipper. In 2018, during the same transatlantic race, his previous Ultim had already capsized in the Atlantic, near the Azores. He was rescued after waiting for several hours.
From a sporting perspective, this accident deprives the race of one of its main contenders for victory. Tom Laperche, who was leading the Ultim fleet, loses his closest rival in the standings. Thomas Coville, after losing one of his headsails, attempted a southern route that brings him closer to the direct course, but at a speed much slower than that of SVR, which remained on a northern route.
Matthieu Perraut also capsized in his Ocean Fifty
A few hours earlier, another multihull had suffered the same fate. On Tuesday, November 3, at 9:05 p.m. UTC, Matthieu Perraut?s Ocean Fifty Elvest capsized about 400 miles north of the Azores.
The skipper quickly notified race officials. According to a statement from the organizers, he was fine and remained in contact with the teams coordinating his assistance.
As with Armel Le Cléac'h, the exact cause of Matthieu Perraut's accident is not yet known.
Charles Caudrelier, the defending champion, was stopped by his foil
Tuesday, November 3, had already been marked by another major event: the withdrawal of Charles Caudrelier, winner of the 2022 Route du Rhum. The skipper of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild discovered significant damage to his port foil while sailing about 400 miles north of the Azores.
The incident manifested itself as a deterioration in the trimaran's performance; it was no longer able to lift off normally despite favorable conditions. An inspection subsequently revealed that the foil was delaminating, which affected part of the hydraulic system.
After discussing repair options with his technical team, Charles Caudrelier decided to call off his bid for victory and head to Lorient, where he is expected to arrive by the end of the week.
Jérémie Beyou withdraws while in second place in the IMOCA class
The IMOCA class has also lost one of its favorites. Jérémie Beyou announced that he was withdrawing from the race for medical reasons. The skipper of Charal 2 was in second place in his class at the time, about 500 miles north of the Azores.
The decision was made after consulting with the race doctor and discussing the matter with race officials. His health no longer allowed him to continue the race under satisfactory conditions. He therefore set course for the Azores, marking the premature end of his latest Route du Rhum under the colors of Charal, his long-time partner.
Armel Tripon and Fabien Delahaye forced to withdraw
Other incidents, less dramatic than a capsizing, also led to withdrawals.
Armel Tripon, sailing on the IMOCA Les P'tits Doudous, encountered a problem with one of his two rudders. While sailing downwind at over 20 knots, his boat suddenly luffed up. The skipper reduced his speed and raised the affected rudder to assess the damage. However, accessing the damaged part posed a risk of losing the rudder. The forecast deterioration in weather conditions?with waves reaching up to four meters in height near the Azores?also complicated the prospect of a technical stopover.
Armel Tripon and his team finally decided to give up and head to La Trinité-sur-Mer.
Fabien Delahaye, aboard the Legallais, had to cut his crossing short after injuring his ankle during a maneuver on the foredeck.
The pain and the inability to put his foot down properly made it difficult to continue the maneuvers. The sailor decided to head for La Coruña rather than venture into another area of bad weather with his mobility limited.
