<p>As you read these lines, the 11<sup>th</sup> Route du Rhum will have finished, and we will know who the winners are in each of the classes. But the striking fact which will inevitably remain from this edition, celebrating the race’s fortieth anniversary, is the number of skippers who, for the race, flew the colors of humanitarian organizations.</p>
<p>Charlie Capelle aboard his trimaran Acapella with the Theodora association, Jean Pierre Balmès on his Outremer 4X with Rire Clowns – these two associations send clowns to hospitals to help sick children - Gilles Lamiré on his Multi50 for the ‘Mille et Un Sourires’, allowing a childhood dream to be realized – Loick Peyron for the Fondation Action Enfance - Thibaut Vauchel-Camus on his Multi50 Solidaires en Peloton ARSEP (supporting Multiple Sclerosis research) - Jean François Lilti for Citoyen du Monde - Gilles Buekenhout on Jess and ‘Contre le Cancer’ - Romain Pilliard on his Ultim Remade for Use it Again... Not counting the skippers who supported SOS Méditerranée in the race village before the start (Francois Gabart, Isabelle Joschke, Romain Pilliard, Thibaut Vauchel-Camus, Kito de Pavant, Alexia Barrier, Luke Berry…).</p>
<p>When we tell you that the sailors have hearts of gold…</p>
