Jérémie Beyou has withdrawn from the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe 2026, abandoning his race on medical grounds while lying second in the IMOCA fleet.
The French skipper was around 500 nautical miles north of the Azores when he made the call on Tuesday afternoon, after speaking with the race doctor and race direction. His state of health meant he was unable to continue racing.
Beyou is now sailing Charal 2 towards the Azores, rather than pressing on for Guadeloupe.
It's a tough blow for a sailor who was second overall at the time he withdrew, after a start that had already tested the fleet, with freshening wind, fog and foil damage forcing boats into difficult decisions within the first day out of Saint-Malo.
The Charal Sailing Team says it remains in contact with Beyou and with race officials, and that more information will be released in due course. No further detail on the nature of the medical issue has been made public at this stage.
Beyou is one of the most experienced and respected names in IMOCA racing, and his exit leaves a visible gap at the front of the fleet.
The Route du Rhum fleet continues on towards Guadeloupe, with attention now turning to how the IMOCA standings reshuffle in Beyou's absence.
