Furthering his reputation as Mr. Multihull, Loick Peyron made a drastic change in plans for the 2014 Route du Rhum, switching gears from driving his 30-foot Walter Green designed wood trimaran with only a sextant, to helming the massive ‘big blue’ 103-foot Banque Populaire VII trimaran, a VPLP carbon-fiber designed monster outfitted with the latest technology.

The 10th edition of the Route du Rhum is a 3550 nm singlehanded race from Saint-Malo (France) to Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe). Held every four years, the 2014 race starts November 2, and is open to multihulls and monohulls split into several classes according to their overall length. Almost 80 competitors are registered in five boat classes for the 2014 Route du Rhum.

Always looking to challenge his abilities and push it to the limits, winning the Route du Rhum has been on Peyron’s bucket list for many years. For the 2014 edition, Banque Populaire will be a force to be reckoned with.

Event website: www.routedurhum.com

Report by Fred Eagle. Photos by Christophe Launay.