French skipper Violette Dorange is heading to her home base in Lorient to repair her IMOCA after colliding with Romain Pilliard’s trimaran shortly after the Route du Rhum start. Despite significant structural damage and a water leak, her team confirmed she remains in the race.
French sailor Violette Dorange will sail her damaged IMOCA to her home port in Lorient following a high-impact collision hours after the start of the Route du Rhum. The race got underway on Sunday at 13:02 out of Saint-Malo, but Dorange’s journey toward Guadeloupe was quickly interrupted.
Collision After Cap Fréhel and the Damage at Roscoff
The incident occurred shortly after the fleet passed the clearing buoy at Cap Fréhel, when strengthening winds forced a sudden maneuver. According to Dorange, Romain Pilliard’s trimaran, Use It Again, crossed directly into the path of Initiatives-Cœur.
🇫🇷 Violette Dorange très émue après son accident peu après le départ de la Route du Rhum ❤️Après une escale technique à Roscoff, notre tricolore va rejoindre Lorient pour réparer Initiatives-Cœur et tenter de repartir vers la Guadeloupe ⛵️En espérant une belle issue pour les… pic.twitter.com/MhfIY8S4HE
It is a racing incident, the kind that happens sometimes. Shortly after the start, after passing the Cap Fréhel clearing buoy, the wind freshened. Romain had to make a maneuver that put Use It Again in front of Initiatives-Cœur's trajectory. I didn't have the time needed to adjust my settings and avoid the collision. The impact was violent. In this condition, it's impossible to cross the Atlantic. Violette
Dorange stopped in Roscoff for an initial technical inspection, which revealed extensive issues. Out of the starboard foil, the boat’s internal structure sustained impacts and a water leak formed, forcing the team to carry out temporary patching and security measures before the final transit to Lorient, where full technical facilities are available. Her team announced in a press release that Violette stays in the race, noting that her crew in Roscoff would stem the water ingress and secure the vessel so it can make the journey.
The 25-year-old sailor expressed deep disappointment regarding the situation, noting her thoughts were also with Romain and his crew following the heavy impact.
The Race Against the December 3 Deadline
Competing in her first Route du Rhum, the young skipper from Charente-Maritime faces a new race against time and remains determined not to give up. While she stays blocked in Roscoff, the rest of the fleet continues forward, leaving her far behind the leading IMOCA group. Sam Goodchild currently commands his category aboard Macif Santé Prévoyance on this 12th edition of the race, holding a lead of over 300 miles over the Initiatives-Cœur entry.
As soon as the repairs are finished, I will head back out to finish this race. The whole challenge is to repair as quickly as possible, because we have to cross the finish line before it closes on December 3. Violette
Alongside her competitive goals on the water, Dorange and her sponsor Initiatives-Cœur are campaigning to save 20 children suffering from heart malformations.