Thomas Coville has encountered a significant setback during the Route du Rhum after suffering a sail failure on his trimaran, Ultim Sodebo. The 58-year-old skipper notified his team around 11:15 local time that the vessel's front sail had fallen into the water for an undetermined reason. At the moment of the incident, Coville was occupying third place in his class.
Following an assessment of the situation and consultation with his technical team, the decision was made to release the damaged sail into the sea. This measure was taken as the only viable solution to ensure the safety of the solo sailor and preserve the integrity of the boat. Although Coville was forced to stop initially, he has since resumed his journey toward Guadeloupe.
The incident has had an immediate impact on his performance in the race. While leading competitors were reaching speeds of 32 knots, Ultim Sodebo was traveling at just over 24 knots by midday. Consequently, Coville dropped to fourth place after being overtaken by Louis Burton aboard the Ultim Armand Thierry.
This development likely ends Coville's chances of winning the famous transatlantic race with a giant trimaran. Although he previously won the event in the Imoca class in 1998 and finished on the podium three times (2010, 2018, and 2022), this marks his final attempt on these large vessels after securing the Jules Verne Trophy earlier this year.
Coville joins a growing list of favorites affected by equipment failures early in the competition. Among the eight participants in this class, three top contenders have already been eliminated or damaged. Anthony Marchand was forced to head to Ireland following a major technical issue with his central rudder on Monday, and defending champion Charles Cauderlier damaged one of his foils on Tuesday morning.
Sources: Le Figaro.