Route du Rhum: Fabrice Amedeo Sets Sail Again, with the Ocean as His Mission
Fabrice Amedeo set sail from Saint-Malo on Sunday, November 1, for the 13th edition of the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe. Aboard his IMOCA, the sailor has two goals: to take on the athletic challenge of this solo crossing and to help advance scientific knowledge about the oceans.
- - Onet
Four years after the 2022 race was abruptly cut short by a fire aboard his boat, Fabrice Amedeo is returning to the Route du Rhum, determined to complete this legendary transatlantic race. For his fifth attempt, he is setting course for Pointe-à-Pitre, with more than 3,500 nautical miles to sail solo.
But this new crossing is about more than just the competition.
True to its commitment to ocean conservation, the vessel is equipped with scientific equipment designed to continue monitoring marine pollution and biodiversity.
Offshore Racing in the Service of Science
On board his IMOCA, Fabrice Amedeo has several measuring instruments at his disposal, including a second-generation environmental DNA sensor and seven drifting buoys developed in Brest.
The purpose of this equipment is to collect data on marine biodiversity, currents, and waves, as well as to gain a better understanding of the movement and concentration of floating debris in the oceans.
The environmental DNA sensor will, in particular, make it possible to detect the presence of marine organisms based on genetic traces left in the water. An early version had already been tested during the last Vendée Globe. This new generation will be tested under race conditions during the Route du Rhum.
These observations build on previous scientific research. Between the Vendée Globe and the 2025 Transat Café L’Or, 18 buoy tracks were analyzed, representing a cumulative total of 63,558 kilometers. These data have made it possible, in particular, to explore the hypothesis of a possible convergence zone for floating debris at the entrance to the Southern Indian Ocean—a scientific lead that requires further investigation.
An Ongoing Partnership
Since 2019, Onet has been supporting Fabrice Amedeo in this sporting and environmental adventure. Through the Ocean Calling project, this partnership is helping to turn ocean racing into a true scientific observation platform, contributing to a better understanding of the oceans.
An initiative that extends well beyond the finish line: the buoys will continue to transmit their data after the crossing, while research will continue at least until the next Vendée Globe in 2028.
Follow Fabrice Amedeo during the Route du Rhum!
Follow his progress and route in real time using the race's official map:
