Red flag on the start of the Route du Rhum, the start of which has just been postponed.
Initially scheduled for this Sunday, the start of the race will be postponed to "Tuesday or Wednesday", the organizers announced on Saturday.
They announced the news to the 138 skippers during the 10:30 am weather briefing.
"The decision [was] confirmed in particular by the passage of a very violent depression, explains the race management, accompanied by very strong seas blocking the route from the first night and leaving no escape for the sailors to get out of the Sleeve.
The road to the south was no quieter, so a decision had to be made.
Gusts over 50 knots
Rough seas and high winds.
If the start was possible at 25 knots of wind, the forecasts show 40 knots with gusts above 50 knots.
“Many skippers and their routers have expressed their concern over the past 24 hours about the situation which they consider to be very serious.
A decision taken by integrating all the criteria of the event, the first of which is the safety of the sailors.
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