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The race - History of the Route du Rhum
1994
Twelve multihulls, twelve monohulls and for the first time separate rankings. 24 participants for another edition that was to prove difficult in its first week with several of the top names being forced to retire, such as Peyron, Birch, Joyon and Mabire. The presence of 60-foot Open monohulls from the Vendée Globe was to worry for a time the multihull leaders in the unpredictable weather conditions.
However, in the end there was to be a relentless duel between Laurent Bourgnon on Primagaz and Paul Vatine on Région Haute-Normandie, which led to the victory of Laurent Bourgnon, who improved on Florence Arthaud’s race record by 2 hours with a time of 14 days and 6 hours. Only 14 boats would complete the race. We can add that the third best time was achieved by a monohull with Yves Parlier aboard Cacolac d’Aquitaine, the category winner, who with the runner-up Alain Gautier on Bagages Superior, showed the clear progress made by monohulls in terms of sheer speed.
The rankings
| Rank | Skipper | Boat | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laurent Bourgnon | Primagaz | 14j 06h28'29" |
| 2 | Paul Vatine | Région Haute-Normandie | 14j 09h38'56" |
| 3 | Yves Parlier | Cacolac d'Aquitaine | 15j 19h23'35" |
| 4 | Alain Gautier | Bagages Superior | 16j 00h33'18" |
| 5 | Steve Fossett | Lakota | 17j 08h08'52" |
| 6 | Gerry Roufs | Groupe LG | 18j 17h51'17" |
| 7 | Pascal Herold | Dupon Duran III | 19j 05h44'29" |
| 8 | Jean Maurel | Harris Wilson Sportswear | 20j 03h16'39" |
| 9 | Patrick Tabarly | La Vie Auchan | 20j 22h38'56" |
| 10 | Jean-Yves Hasselin | PRB Vendée | 21j 19h02'41" |
| 11 | François-René Carluer | Laiteries de Saint-Malo | 21j 23h32'39" |
| 12 | Eric Dumont | Casino d'Etretat | 22j 08h58'21" |
| 13 | Fred Dahirel | Clausse Jardin | 22j 22h25'15" |
| 14 | Jean-Jacques Vuylsteker | Friskies | Hors temps |
| - | Hervé Cléris | Saint-Malo Entreprises | abandon |
| - | Claude Develay | Nootka | abandon |
| - | Loïck Peyron | Fujicolor | abandon |
| - | Mike Birch | La Trinitaine | abandon |
| - | Francis Joyon | Banque Populaire | abandon |
| - | Dominique Marsaudon | Brocéliande | abandon |
| - | Claude Bistoquet | Twinsea | abandon |
| - | Hervé Laurent | Omapi | abandon |
| - | Thierry Dubois | Amnesty Internationale | abandon |
| - | Halvard Mabire | Cherbourg Technologies | abandon |
| - | Bob Escoffier | Etoile Molène | abandon |
Vincent Riou (FRA) (PRB) takes fifth place in the IMOCA Open 60 Class in the 9th Route du Rhum-La Banque Postale
Breaking the finish line off Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe at 07hrs 05mins 52 mins today (Monday, CET/Paris) (Monday 06 hrs 05mins 52 mins GMT/ Local 03hrs 05mins 52mins (CET -4hrs)) Vincent Riou on the IMOCA 60 PRB took fifth place in the IMOCA Class in the 9th Route du Rhum-La Banque Postale solo Transatlantic race which started from Saint-Malo, France at 1302hrs (CET) Sunday 31st October.
The elapsed time for PRB is 14 days 18 heures 03 minutes 52 seconds
His average speed is 11.37kts for the distance he sailed of 4026 miles.
Over the theoretical course distance of 3539 miles Vincent Riou’s average speed is 10.00knots
Riou finished 01 day 00 hours 52mins 56secs after IMOCA Open 60 winner Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement
Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA) (Virbac-Paprec 3) takes fourth place in the IMOCA Open 60 Class in the 9th Route du Rhum-La Banque Postale
Breaking the finish line off Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe at 04hrs 13mins 13 mins today (Monday, CET/Paris) (Monday 03 hrs 13mins 13 mins GMT/ Monday 23hrs 13mins 13 mins (CET -4hrs)) Jean-Pierre Dick on the IMOCA 60 Virbac Paprec 3 took fourth place in the IMOCA Class in the 9th Route du Rhum-La Banque Postale solo Transatlantic race which started from Saint-Malo, France at 1302hrs (CET) Sunday 31st October.
The elapsed time for Virbac –Paprec 3 is 14 days 15hours 11minutes 13seconds
His average speed is 11.36kts for the distance he sailed of 3998 miles.
Over the theoretical course distance of 3539 miles Jean Pierre Dick’s average speed is 10.08knots
Dick finished 22hrs 00mins 17 secs after IMOCA Open 60 winner Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement
Rookie IMOCA Open 60 skipper Christopher Pratt is suffering from a complete lack of power on DCNS 1000 due to a problem with the engine of his boat.
The engine failed Thursday and since then he has been running with almost no power. He is navigating off a small hand held GPS.
“Thursday morning I tried to repair the engine but it is the injection pump and so I have been unable to use it and so have no means of recharging the batteries. I have been in virtual blackout since then. I have a little help from the solar power but have been racing with no computer, no pilot, no keel motor, no nav station. There is just the small hand held GPS which I have a waypoint in, and with a little sun have managed to fire up the computer a couple of times. I have been carefully trying to build up enough power in the batteries to use the pilot a little and navigate a little.
But the last two days there has been really very little wind. As soon as I drop the helm it goes through 360 degrees, so I have to steer all the time. I have tried everything. Ive had a pouffe at the helm and steered with my feet as well as my arms and hands. I have not been able to move off the helm much since Thursday. I just go to make some food, then get back to the helm and sleep there. I think I should get to Guadeloupe Tuesday evening.”