This was the first time that you were Race Director of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe…

"It's a little different from the Vendée Globe or other races where all boats are together in one class. It is this uniqueness of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe that makes it an interesting challenge: to have six categories, and this year 123 starters. It was very interesting but I really was very well supported. But it is not at all easy. The very positive point is the approach of the skippers who chose to be prudent and seamanlike, electing to continue or take refuge in a port. Some placed safety over performance and knew their limits. And that was the feedback from the racers: offshore racing must stay true to this philosophy, maintain the option to stop to avoid weather. 

Two capsizes and a grounding...

"We had to involve the CROSS for Willy Bissainte who put himself on the rocks on the Sept Iles and for Armel Le Cléac'h who capsized near the Azores, and for Lalou Roucayrol who capsized nearer to Guadeloupe. It is always unfortunate to have to involve the maritime safety services but they did a great job for the sailors. But on the whole, the skippers who had major damage (dismasting, structural damage) proved self sufficient and solved their own problems to get to port."

In the end, there were forty-two retirements and two boats out of time…

"The dropout rate remains consistent for a tough offshore race that starts in the autumn, especially considering the weather conditions were pretty tough. The skippers have learned about the need for preparation and experience. And the boats have also made progress in terms of reliability. This eleventh edition remains marked by this succession of muscular depressions, but it proved to be a Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe full of suspense in almost all categories, with racing – sport – at a very high level."

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