On 1 November, nearly 120 skippers will leave Saint-Malo for the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe 2026. They will cross 3,542 miles of Atlantic to Pointe-à-Pitre, split into six categories, from the giant Ultims to the Vintage boats. On Virtual Regatta, five of these categories each have their own race, and you can race several of them. They all differ in speed, fleet and crossing time. So here is what you need to choose where to start, and if you are still undecided, our quiz will help you make up your mind.

The essentials

• The game offers five categories: Ultim, Ocean Fifty, IMOCA, Class40 and Vintage Multi. Each one has its own race and its own ranking.
• In 2022, the winning Ultim crossed in 6 days and 19 hours, while the winner of the amateur multihulls took more than 16 days.
• The faster the category, the shorter the race, so your choice sets your time at sea.

Six categories on the water, five in the game

On the water, the race brings together four professional categories and two amateur ones. On one side, the professionals race in Ultim, Ocean Fifty, IMOCA and Class40. On the other, the amateurs share Vintage Multi and Vintage Mono. In 2026, these two categories replace the former Rhum categories.

In the game, five of these fleets are open, each with its own race and ranking. The winner of each category wins a trip to Guadeloupe, and the player who finishes 1883rd receives an Alpina watch, a nod to the year the brand was founded. Discover everything you can win in the race.

Ultim: the giants of the race

The Ultims are the biggest boats in the race. These trimarans measure up to 32 metres long and 23 metres wide. They are also the smallest fleet, with eight skippers entered.

On the water, their masts reach 35 metres, and the fastest exceed 50 knots as they fly on their foils.

In 2022, Charles Caudrelier won aboard Maxi Edmond de Rothschild in 6 days, 19 hours and 47 minutes, which is also the race record. In the game, the Ultim therefore gives you the shortest crossing.

"ULTIMs are the fastest offshore racing boats in the world"

Ultim Class

Ocean Fifty: the 15-metre trimaran

The Ocean Fiftys are 50-foot trimarans, or about 15 metres. The class was born in 2021 from the former Multi50.

With their 26-metre masts, these trimarans reach speeds of up to 38 knots, and eleven skippers are entered this year.

In 2022, Erwan Le Roux won in 10 days and 21 hours. If you want a fast multihull without going all the way to the Ultim, the Ocean Fifty is the right compromise: allow around ten days.

"Sporty and spectacular: the class of 15-metre ocean multihulls"

Ocean Fifty Series

IMOCA: the Vendée Globe monohulls

If you have already raced the Vendée Globe in the game, you know these boats. IMOCAs are 60-foot monohulls, or 18.28 metres, and the most competitive ones even fly on their foils.

On the water, their masts rise to 29 metres, and more than twenty skippers are entered in the category.

In 2022, Thomas Ruyant won in 11 days and 17 hours. With the IMOCA, you will find the fleet you may already have led around the world.

Class40: the biggest real fleet

Class40s are 40-foot monohulls, or 12.18 metres, where amateurs and professionals race side by side. On the water, it is by far the largest fleet, with nearly fifty boats entered.

Their 19-metre masts take them up to 25 knots, and it is the most hotly contested category in the race.

The crossing takes longer than in an IMOCA: Yoann Richomme completed it in 14 days and 3 hours in 2022. With the Class40, you will follow the biggest fleet in the real race.

"The benchmark offshore fleet"

Class40

Vintage Multi: in the wake of the pioneers

Charlie Capelle, the oldest skipper in the race at 71, is racing a seventh Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe in Vintage Multi. This category welcomes multihulls from 38 to 79 feet, which are often boats that have made their mark on the history of the race.

These multihulls of around fifteen metres, with 20-metre masts, reach 28 knots, and 13 skippers are entered.

The organiser created this category to bring back the boats and sailors who wrote the legend of the Rhum. In the game, the Vintage Multi lets you race in their wake.

"Legendary skippers and boats"

Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe

How many days at sea?

The length of your race depends a lot on the category you choose. To give you an idea, here are the 2022 winners' times. As Vintage Multi did not exist yet, the Rhum Multi category serves as a benchmark.

Still undecided? Take the quiz

Not sure yet which boat suits you? Our mini-game "Which class is right for you?" asks you a few questions about the way you sail, then points you to the category that suits you. It only takes a few minutes, and you can then enter your boat in the right race.

Which category should you start with?

First, think about how much time you can devote to your boat. A race of less than a week requires frequent adjustments, whereas a two-week crossing leaves more time between sessions.

Next, look at the fleet you want to follow. The Ultim and the Ocean Fifty put you at the helm of a fast multihull, while the IMOCA and the Class40 have you racing a monohull. Finally, the Vintage Multi takes you back into the history of the race.

Whatever you choose, the official Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe 2026 skin is available in all five categories, and so is the Alpina skin. Crossing the line with the Alpina skin also enters you in the prize draw for a watch. For details of the prizes, find out everything you can win. Then discover Alpina, the race's official timekeeper.

To find out everything about the race and to play it, visit our dedicated page on the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe.

To discover the real boats and their skippers, visit the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe website.