![Tom Laperche se rapproche de la Guadeloupe et de la chaleur antillaise [La photo est libre de droits @G.Lebec]](/cdn-cgi/image/onerror=redirect,width=640,height=640,format=webp/https://storage.googleapis.com/uploads.mongoosehq.com/url/media/197237661/38b795fbb806825d3d1362247fa2d89b333fc68ddb5566e3416f004020c9748f)
Overview
- Tom Laperche on SVR‑Lazartigue holds a commanding lead in the Ultim class and race direction projects his arrival in Pointe‑à‑Pitre on Saturday, 7 November, with a plausible chance to beat Charles Caudrelier’s 2022 time if he avoids a major equipment failure.
- Armel Le Cléac’h’s capsize on Banque Populaire XI on Wednesday removed Laperche’s closest challenger and has left Thomas Coville and Louis Burton roughly 200 miles behind as the nearest pursuers.
- Race-direction ETAs are shifting because Caribbean trade winds are weak and atypical, which leaves uncertainty about whether Laperche will finish by day or during the night and affects exact finish times.
- In other classes, Corentin Horeau leads IMOCA by about 250 miles with first arrivals estimated around 9–10 November, and Basile Bourgnon leads Ocean Fifty by roughly 100 miles, putting both skippers on strong paths to class wins.
- The Route du Rhum is a solo transatlantic race where ground teams supply routing advice to skippers, a factor Laperche cited as helping him manage strategy while balancing speed and the risk of gear failure.