Normandy sailor Pierre-Louis Attwell will set sail on Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 1:02 PM aboard his Imoca Resilient, four years after a first Route du Rhum marked by a collision and repairs.
Four years after a first participation interrupted by a collision, skipper Pierre-Louis Attwell is preparing to take the start of the Route du Rhum again. This Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 1:02 PM, he will leave Saint-Malo at the helm of his Imoca Resilient, bound for Guadeloupe. An anticipated return for this sailor from Calvados, who had to face an incident from his very first crossing.
In 2022, while competing in the event aboard his Class40 Vogue with a Crohn's condition, Pierre-Louis Attwell was forced to stop after a collision. However, he managed to repair his boat and resume the race, before ultimately retiring. This experience marked him, but it did not diminish his determination to return to the starting line, this time in the Imoca category, with a project called Resilient.
The skipper embraces a bold choice: competing with a daggerboard boat, while the Imoca fleet is largely dominated by foilers. "Even though the Imoca class doesn't distinguish between daggerboards and foilers, I do," he explains. A stance that reflects his commitment to sailing according to his convictions and means, without sacrificing performance.
For this new adventure, Pierre-Louis Attwell has prepared meticulously, both technically and physically. The route remains demanding, with often harsh conditions in the Atlantic. The skipper will need to manage his boat and his strength, while drawing lessons from his past experience. His goal: to reach Pointe-à-Pitre under the best possible conditions.
By taking the start, the sailor from Calvados is writing a new page in his personal history with the Route du Rhum. After the ordeal of 2022, he approaches this edition with reinforced maturity and a project built around resilience. Ocean racing enthusiasts will follow with keen interest the progress of this Imoca not quite like the others.
In 2022, while competing in the event aboard his Class40 Vogue with a Crohn's condition, Pierre-Louis Attwell was forced to stop after a collision. However, he managed to repair his boat and resume the race, before ultimately retiring. This experience marked him, but it did not diminish his determination to return to the starting line, this time in the Imoca category, with a project called Resilient.
The skipper embraces a bold choice: competing with a daggerboard boat, while the Imoca fleet is largely dominated by foilers. "Even though the Imoca class doesn't distinguish between daggerboards and foilers, I do," he explains. A stance that reflects his commitment to sailing according to his convictions and means, without sacrificing performance.
For this new adventure, Pierre-Louis Attwell has prepared meticulously, both technically and physically. The route remains demanding, with often harsh conditions in the Atlantic. The skipper will need to manage his boat and his strength, while drawing lessons from his past experience. His goal: to reach Pointe-à-Pitre under the best possible conditions.
By taking the start, the sailor from Calvados is writing a new page in his personal history with the Route du Rhum. After the ordeal of 2022, he approaches this edition with reinforced maturity and a project built around resilience. Ocean racing enthusiasts will follow with keen interest the progress of this Imoca not quite like the others.
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Source: Ouest-France