There are 120 sailors who already have their ticket in their pocket and 18 others who are waiting for a wild card, issued by April 30, the organizers said on Wednesday, who received a total of 149 registration requests.

During the last edition, 123 sailboats - including 3 wildcards - were at the start, which was already a record.

Aerial view of the port of Saint-Malo, on November 2, 2018, where the boats are moored which will take the start, in two days, of the Route du Rhum, a solo transatlantic race rallying Guadeloupe every four years DAMIEN MEYER AFP / Archives

"We have the possibility of accommodating 138 boats, it is the maximum volume. I would even say that we are undoubtedly at the ceiling", underlined to AFP Joseph Bizard, general manager of OC Sport, in charge of the organization of the race.

"We are constrained by the port capacity, the passage of the locks, the pontoons which do not allow us to accommodate more, and the capacity of the race management to manage at sea sailors who leave in winter on the Atlantic", added explained Joseph Bizard.

The 120 boats are divided into six classes/categories: Ultim (6), Imoca (27), Ocean Fifty (8), Class40 (55), Rhum Mono (12) and Rhum Multi (12).

Boats are moored in the port of Saint-Malo on November 2, 2018, two days before the start of the Route du Rhum, a solo transatlantic race rallying Guadeloupe every four years Fred TANNEAU AFP / Archives

The Ultims are giant maxi-trimarans (32 m maximum), the Imoca are 18 m monohulls (Vendée Globe star boats), the Ocean Fifty are 15 m multihulls, the Class40 are 12 m monohulls, the Rhum Mono out-of-class monohulls over 12 m and the Rhum Multi out-of-class multihulls from 12 to 18 m.

Four winners in 2018 will be at the start: Francis Joyon in Ultim, Paul Meilhat in Imoca, Armel Tripon in Ocean Fifty and Yoann Richomme in Class40.

The 2018 edition gave rise to a legendary duel between Francis Joyon (Idec Sport) and François Gabart (Macif).

The joy of the French skipper Francis Joyon, winner of the Route du Rhum, on November 12, 2018 in Pointe-à-Pitre, in front of his compatriot François Gabart LOIC VENANCE AFP / Archives

Joyon will line up with the same boat.

On the other hand, Gabart, who is at the helm of a new giant of the seas (SVR Lazartigue), is registered for the Route du Rhum but to take the start, he must present a measurement certificate before October 6, which not issue him the Ultim class due to a dispute.

"OC Sport Pen Duick gives itself until the end of April 2022 to decide on the admission of giant trimarans within a class (such as the Ocean Fifty, the Imoca and the Class40) or a category (such as the Rhum Multi and Mono Rum)", specified the organizers on Wednesday.

French navigator François Gabart poses in front of his Ultim class multihull "SVR Lazartigue", July 22, 2021 in Concarneau Fred TANNEAU AFP

If the Ultims are requalified in "category", Gabart will then not need a measurement certificate for the Route du Rhum.

© 2022 AFP