Ocean Fifty sailors gather for Route du Rhum event

Several sailors who have sailed on the Ocean Fifty class, including Audrey Ogereau, Erwan Le Roux, Gaston Morvan, Thomas Rouxel, Yann Éliès, and Anne-Claire Le Berre, participated in an event to present the participants of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe 2026. Ten sailors are set to start this year, a record number for the Ocean Fifty fleet. Although the reigning champion, Erwan Le Roux, had to withdraw at the last minute due to an incomplete budget, all other skippers - including nine newcomers to the Route du Rhum on these boats - have confirmed their participation.

Basile Bourgnon is seen as the favorite

There is a clear consensus among experts when it comes to identifying the favorite, Basile Bourgnon (Edenred), the youngest sailor in the fleet (24 years old), winner of both solo races this season, the Drheam-Cup and the 24H Ultim. "For me, he is the uncontested favorite, the most obvious of all the classes," summarizes Gaston Morvan, "we have the impression that all the indicators are green for him."

Expert opinions on Basile Bourgnon

Thomas Rouxel says, "it is really the ideal combination between the most performing boat in the fleet and one of the sailors capable of putting in the most commitment." Erwan Le Roux notes, "Basile seems to be in good shape, he is a well-wired kid who has everything going for him, we have the impression that nothing will stop him and that he has done this his whole life, it is so nice to watch..." Audrey Ogereau says, "Basile has been well trained, there is certainly some innate talent in him, but also a lot of acquired skills with all his years in Mini, in Figaro, in Class40 alongside Manu (Emmanuel Le Roch, the team manager of the Edenred team), he has certainly moved through all the stages a bit quickly, but it's because he is strong."

Basile Bourgnon's boat and legacy

The son of Laurent Bourgnon, the only double winner of the Route du Rhum on the scratch (1994 and 1998), also has, according to Gaston Morvan, who sailed on Edenred, a boat "tailored for the Route du Rhum, I was able to notice how pleasant it is to sail, we feel safe and we have the impression that we can easily press the accelerator." He adds, "It would be nice if Basile won compared to his father, a nice nod to make a nice photo in Guadeloupe at the front of his trimaran, it's something that must also stimulate him."

Challenges to Basile Bourgnon's dominance

It is difficult to find an argument against the announced dominance of Edenred, even though Erwan Le Roux questions: "If nothing happens to him, he has all his chances, but I am not at all sure, because I find that today, some are pushing their boats harder than ever, a bit beyond the limits, and notably the favorites of this Route du Rhum."

Pierre Quiroga as the second favorite

The double winner of the Route du Rhum (2014 and 2022) includes in these favorites the one that our experts put on the second step of the podium, Pierre Quiroga (Wewise, 34 years old), "a solo sailor at heart and an excellent offshore racer, who has really prepared well this season, especially physically, he spent a lot of time at Pornichet and little in the South, that's a sign," smiles Audrey Ogereau. "His weakness, is his boat, older and less heavy (VPLP plan from 2018), but at the scale of the Route du Rhum, he will succeed in smoothing all that out," estimates Yann Éliès.

Baptiste Hulin completes the podium

Which is also the case in his eyes for Baptiste Hulin (Viabilis Océans, 29 years old), with whom Thomas Rouxel won last year the Transat Café L'Or and who completes the podium of our experts. "In Ocean Fifty, it is crucial to have confidence in yourself and your boat, to know where the limit is, which is the case with Baptiste," comments Audrey Ogereau. Viabilis Océans is also designed for the breeze and has well developed its cabin, with many practical little tricks to be more comfortable." For Yann Éliès, "Baptiste has progressed a lot in the last two years, he has gone through all the stages one after the other, he is serious and manages his project well."

Other notable participants

Our experts also mention several outsiders, starting with the oldest sailor in the fleet and the only one to have raced the Route du Rhum on a 50-foot multihull (3rd in 2018, capsized in 2022), Thibaut Vauchel-Camus (Solidaires en Peloton by Delanchy, 48 years old). "I think that is a big advantage, because he has experienced the pressure at the start of the race where you don't sleep for three days. Even if you are routed, at a certain point, when you are burned out and have red eyes, you risk going straight," notes Erwan Le Roux.

Other potential contenders

Matthieu Perraut (Elvest, 36 years old), second in September of the 24H Ultim, is considered "quite surprising" by Yann Eliès, "because he capsized last year (on the Transat Café L'Or), I thought he would be a bit more affected, that doesn't seem to be the case." Erwan Le Roux considers Erwan Le Draoulec (Lazare x Hellio, 29 years old), as "a very big outsider" given the starting conditions at the porting he estimates are suited for his VPLP plan.

Final expert opinions

Yann Eliès would put a piece on "the little Léonard" (Legrand, Sodebo Fifty, 32 years old), "a serious and sparkling guy, the Sodebo team has done a fantastic job on his boat with which I won the Jacques Vabre in 2013 with Erwan Le Roux." An Erwan Le Roux who however questions "the choice to remain with an open bow" (the cockpit is very little protected) "on a race like the Route du Rhum, where you have to go to eat and sleep to keep energy, at a certain point, it could be complicated." Finally, Audrey Ogereau would find "nice" that the first woman to compete in the Route du Rhum in Ocean Fifty, Anne-Claire Le Berre (Upwind by MerConcept, 44 years old), "is in the race, she has the means because she is gaining more and more confidence and is beginning to understand her boat well."

Experts' final podium

The experts' podium: 1. Basile Bourgnon, 2. Pierre Quiroga, 3. Baptiste Hulin.