December 12, 2024
Mega Crowds in St. Malo For The Route du Rhum Skippers (Photo by Colin Merry)
Mega Crowds in St. Malo For The Route du Rhum Skippers (Photo by Colin Merry)

Crowds flocked to the skippers reception last night.   Even a vociferous demo by the French unions (complaining about France’s rise in pensionable age) couldn’t dampen the way in which each skipper was applauded as they mounted the stage.   People crowded the whole area stretching back as for as the eye could see! 

More Crowds For Pre-start Festivities (Photo by Colin Merry)
More Crowds For Pre-start Festivities (Photo by Colin Merry)

 Some climbing trees and still others clinging to the lamp posts! Everyone was determined to get a glimpse of these brave men and women before they set off on the ”Route de Rhumb”.   I was particularly warmed by the reception Pete Goss got as his name was announced and he mounted the stage to what was the loudest applause and cheers all night.   The French still hold him in very high esteem to this day.

At Skippers Presentation Pete Goss shares a photo with Richard Tolkien, ICAP (Photo by Colin Merry)
At Skippers Presentation Pete Goss shares a photo with Richard Tolkien, ICAP (Photo by Colin Merry)

 
After the reception Team DMS, the sponsors and guests retired to a pub for some very welcome R&R.  I say pub but once inside it became clear that this was a strange hostelry indeed!   Dolls and weird bric a brac everywhere.  

At A Very Strange Bar (Photo by Colin MerrY)
At A Very Strange Bar with Swings for seats (Photo by Colin Merry)

 The bar seats were swings hanging from the ceiling.   Oh and did I mention the three piece ensemble that entertained us?   They were completely off the wall but good in a ‘different’ sort of way.

Swings At Bar Seats?  (Photo by Colin Merry)
A Very Strange in a good way bar . (Photo by Colin Merry)

 
Anyway, back to the race.   I walked past one tri for the best part of a week before recognising her. None other than Ellen MacArthur’s B&Q!

B&Q  (Photo by Colin Merry)
B&Q (Photo by Colin Merry)

  Gone is the familiar livery and now she is plain white. Turned into a Pizza delivery judging by the logos being applied as I watched one evening.

B&Q Pizza Delivery?  (Photo by Colin Merry)
B&Q Pizza Delivery? (Photo by Colin Merry)

 
On DMS we have a constant stream of visitors, Media crew who want interviews.   Other skippers. Sponsors and guests. Plus old friends of Pete and Tom’s that reads like a who’s who of sailing.   One such visitor was Frederick Meunier, the boat builder responsible for DMS. 

Frederick Meunier top man in Class40' building (Photo by Colin Merry)
Frederick Meunier top man in Class40' building (Photo by Colin Merry)

  Fred’s Tunisia based yard ”MC Tech” has order books full until next May for the ”Akiliria” brand known as the RC2.   As we sat and chatted he was looking around at the mods that Tom had made since she left his yard.   A testament to Tom’s attention to detail when said he reckoned that she was the best turned out boat in the Class 40′ fleet.
 

Another Media Interview (Photo by Colin Merry)
Another Media Interview for Pete (Photo by Colin Merry)

As crowded as our boat was, at times it paled into insignificance compared to the crowds who by now had swelled to massive proportions!   It was gridlock on the roads in and around St. Malo and it threatened to become gridlock on the pavements too.   Looking out from a high vantage point it seemed that the predicted 1.2 million visitors had all arrived together today!   I can’t even begin to envisage what 18,000 people on the water tomorrow are going to look like.   Also add to that 100 ribs that will be inside the exclusion zone prior to the start and you begin to get some idea of the huge logistical enterprise that is the ”Route de Rhumb”.

The welcome that awaits in Quadalupe on the the streets of St. Malo (Photo by Colin Merry)
The welcome that awaits in Quadalupe on the the streets of St. Malo (Photo by Colin Merry)
Hope you’ve all enjoyed my snapshot of the ‘Route de Rhumb”. Catch up with the start tomorrow on www.petegoss.com or of course www.challengeandadventure.com
Cheers, Colin Merry
 

 

Crowds At Skippers Presentation  (Photo by Colin Merry)
Crowds At Skippers Presentation (Photo by Colin Merry)
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