By winning this Route du Rhum in Imoca, Paul Meilhat has, in beauty, a four-year history with his sponsor SMA. He hopes that this victory will open the doors of a new sponsor.
At the age of 36, Michel Desjoyeaux's protégé for the past four years has won his first big solo victory. And what a victory! Since the departure of Saint-Malo, the one who was sailing on the best foil-free boat in the category (already winner of the Vendée Globe 2010 and the Route du Rhum 2014 with François Gabart), managed to keep pace with Vincent Riou's foilers. and Yann Eliès, and to do much better in the passages where it was necessary to tighten the wind and the transition phases.
"Four years of work"
"I have not realized yet, that I won the Route du Rhum, confided yesterday morning Paul Meilhat after has offered the luxury of four hours of sleep. It's mostly the first big solo race that I win, it's really great. But it's mainly the four years of work, with all the team and the work that pays, that I retain. "