Route du Rhum 2026 Part 3: Radical Monohulls, Fierce Rivals and the Race for Speed

How extreme can offshore racing monohulls get? And when the boats are this fast, what does it take to win? In Part 3 of our Route du Rhum 2026 coverage, we take a close look at the extraordinary monohull fleets preparing for the 3,500-mile solo transatlantic race from Saint-Malo to Guadeloupe. From the latest foiling IMOCA 60s to the radical scow-bowed Class40s and the remarkable variety of vintage monohulls, this is a fascinating story of design evolution, fierce competition and the sailors pushing these boats to their limits. We catch up with Sam Goodchild, who explains why his current IMOCA MACIF remains competitive, what the team has learned about flying offshore and why the Route du Rhum could be a very different contest from the races we've seen this season. Sam also assesses the competition, including Jérémie Beyou, Boris Herrmann, Sébastien Simon and Francesca Clapcich, and explains how an unusual Atlantic weather pattern could influence the race. Then we turn to the 49 strong Class40 fleet, where the design revolution has produced some extraordinary hull shapes. Why have scow bows become so dominant? How do these almost square-looking boats perform upwind? And what's it actually like living aboard a boat that slams from wave to wave? We hear from one of the leading Class40 skippers Pep Costa about the remarkable performance of the latest designs, the compromises they demand and why there could be as many as 10–15 serious contenders. We also take a closer look at the subtle details separating different generations of Class40s, including the increasingly aggressive chines and the design trade-offs between upwind and downwind performance. Finally, we explore the vintage monohulls, where legendary sailors and extraordinary boats provide a wonderful contrast to the latest offshore racing machines — from Cigare Rouge to the unmistakable aluminium Kriter VIII. Different generations, different design philosophies and some of the most competitive racing in the entire fleet. Welcome to the monohulls of the Route du Rhum 2026. CHAPTERS 00:00 Route du Rhum 2026: The monohulls 01:24 IMOCA: Sam Goodchild on the competition 02:40 Finding the final 5% of performance 04:01 Who are the IMOCA favourites? 06:31 An unusual Atlantic weather forecast 07:43 Class40: The design revolution 09:40 Why scow bows changed everything 13:21 Who can win in Class40? 15:14 The secrets of modern Class40 hulls 16:56 Vintage monohulls and legendary boats 17:39 The start and the race ahead