French skipper wins Route du Rhum

Moments after crossing the finish line, Tom LaPerche celebrates his victory with his team. After 6,560 kilometers he has just won the Route du Rhum sailing race on his very first attempt. When I started to speak... Ever since I started sailing the Route du Rhum is the main event I've wanted to win and I've achieved that dream. Ever since I was a kid I've watched those big boats and dreamt of this and now with the trust of my team and partner to reach this level of mastery and accomplish it, it's truly amazing. It was really great. The 29-year-old completed the distance from Saint-Malo in the northwest of France to Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe in six days, 13 hours and 27 minutes. He beat the previous record, set in 2022, by more than six hours. La Perche led the race virtually from start to finish, overcoming mechanical failures and adverse weather conditions. And expertly navigating the hazardous Guadeloupe coastline. A few hours ago, I was all alone in my boat, staying alert to avoid running off track or making a mistake that could change everything. Things can change from one second to the next. Now seeing all of you all at once, it's such a rush of emotions. Emotions. Tom Laperche can add his Route du Rhum victory to an already impressive list of achievements. In 2022 he won the solo multi-stage Solitaire du Figaro race and in 2025 he triumphed in the Transat Café L'Or with teammate Franck Cammas. Apt accomplishments for the skipper who comes from a long line of seamen and spent much of his childhood on the family sailboat. All right.