Breton skipper Anthony Marchand officially withdrew this Wednesday, bringing the number of retirements to ten in this 2026 edition of the Route du Rhum.
The Route du Rhum 2026 continues to be a particularly grueling edition. After attempting to reach Galway in Ireland to repair his multihull, Anthony Marchand finally threw in the towel this Wednesday, November 4th. The 41-year-old skipper, sailing on Actual Ultim 4, will not see Guadeloupe.
This decision marks a turning point in a race that seems to be becoming a true gauntlet. The official withdrawal of Marchand brings the total number of retirements to ten since the start given Sunday, November 1st off the coast of Saint-Malo. A figure that illustrates the difficult conditions encountered by sailors on this solo transatlantic race.
Marchand had expressed in recent days the hope of being able to return to sea heading for the Antilles. However, technical constraints and deadlines prevailed over this ambition. The Breton sailor, double French champion of solo offshore racing, must resign himself to watching his competitors continue without him.
This cascade of retirements raises questions about the state of the fleet and the demands of these ever more extreme flying boats. The Ultim class vessels, already shaken by several incidents in recent years, are going through a difficult period. The technical teams will need to analyze these multiple failures to understand the causes of this decimation.
As the first competitors begin to glimpse the finish in the Caribbean, the 2026 edition of the Route du Rhum is already shaping up to be one of the most difficult in the history of this iconic race.
This decision marks a turning point in a race that seems to be becoming a true gauntlet. The official withdrawal of Marchand brings the total number of retirements to ten since the start given Sunday, November 1st off the coast of Saint-Malo. A figure that illustrates the difficult conditions encountered by sailors on this solo transatlantic race.
Marchand had expressed in recent days the hope of being able to return to sea heading for the Antilles. However, technical constraints and deadlines prevailed over this ambition. The Breton sailor, double French champion of solo offshore racing, must resign himself to watching his competitors continue without him.
This cascade of retirements raises questions about the state of the fleet and the demands of these ever more extreme flying boats. The Ultim class vessels, already shaken by several incidents in recent years, are going through a difficult period. The technical teams will need to analyze these multiple failures to understand the causes of this decimation.
As the first competitors begin to glimpse the finish in the Caribbean, the 2026 edition of the Route du Rhum is already shaping up to be one of the most difficult in the history of this iconic race.
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Source: Ouest-France