The first images from the start line of the Route du Rhum are filtering through, offering an early glimpse of a fleet that includes some of the biggest names in ocean racing.
Among the boats pictured are the Ultim giants Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, Maxi Banque Populaire XI and SVR-Lazartigue, three of the foiling trimarans expected to dominate the battle for outright line honours across the Atlantic to Guadeloupe.
Also visible in the early shots are MACSF and QUEGUINER - Association Petits Princes, alongside MACIF Santé Prévoyance, a reminder of how deep the sponsor and skipper fields run this edition.
Saint-Malo has a particular way of making a start day feel enormous, and this year's farewell lived up to that reputation. All 115 skippers crossed the start line in cloudless skies and a medium north-easter after thirteen days of dockside festivities.
Crowds lined the ramparts, boats jostled for clear water, and the Ultims in particular drew gasps simply manoeuvring pre-start. The first frames released capture that nervous energy before the gun.
For New Zealand followers of offshore racing, the Ultim class remains the one to watch most closely. These are the boats pushing the technological envelope furthest, foiling at speeds well beyond anything monohull sailors experience. Kiwi design and engineering influence runs through much of the modern grand prix fleet, even when the maxis themselves fly the French flag.
The presence of three Ultims in these opening images, Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, Maxi Banque Populaire XI and SVR-Lazartigue, hints at a tight contest building from the very first miles. It is one that has already seen the Ultim class steal the show as the fleet charges north towards Ireland rather than south, chasing a fast downwind breeze.
More images are expected as the fleet clears the coast and settles into open water.
For now, these first photos offer the only confirmation sailors have actually left the dock, something that, after months of preparation, carries its own weight.
The real story, as always with the Route du Rhum, will be told in the days and weeks ahead, as the fleet spreads out across the Atlantic and the weather begins to shape the race.
