# 1978 Route du Rhum

The Route du Rhum is a single person transatlantic race first run in 1978.
The inaugural race had an unusually close finish for a trans ocean race of this era where boats varied so much. Under 8 minutes separated Mike Birch on his trimaran and Michel Malinovski, as can be seen in vintage footage.

## Gallery

* Mike Birch - Olympus

## Results

| Pos | Sail No. | Boat Name | Type | Designer | Year | Name / Nationality | | Finish Time | Delta % | Speed |
| 1 | 39 | Olympus Photo | 11.48m Trimaran | Greene-Newick | 1978 | Mike Birch (CAN) | m | 23d 06h 59m 35s | 0% | 6.34 |
| 2 | 28 | Kriter V | 21m Monohull | Mauric | 1978 | Michel Malinovski (FRA) | m | 23d 07h 01m 13s | 0% | 6.34 |
| 3 | 20953 | Rogue Wave | 60ft Trimaran | Dick NEWICK | 1978 | Philip S. Weld (USA) | m | 23d 15h 51m 32s | 1.59% | 6.24 |
| 4 | | Kriter IV | 23m Alloy Trimaran | Joubert | 1978 | Olivier de Kersauson (FRA) | m | 24d 06h 27m 20s | 4.2% | 6.08 |
| 5 | 157 | Wild Rocket | 19.17m Ketch | Auzepy Brenneur | 1972 | Joël Charpentier (FRA) | m | 24d 20h 37m 20s | 6.73% | 5.94 |
| 6 | 43 | Arauna IV | 11.58m Mono | Gilles Costantini | 1975 | Jacques Timsit (FRA) | m | 26d 05h 09m 25s | 12.55% | 5.63 |
| 7 | | Saint-Malo - Pointe-a-Pitre | | | | Philippe Poupon (FRA) | m | 26d 12h 52m 22s | 13.93% | 5.56 |
| 8 | FRA 4466 | Petrouchka | 14.50m Monohull | Dominique Presles | 1971 | Jean-Claude Parisis (FRA) | m | 26d 16h 23m 29s | 14.56% | 5.53 |
| 9 | 21 | Salamandre | 11.50m Monohull | Ollier | 1978 | Guy Delage (FRA) | m | 27d 01h 39m 25s | 16.22% | 5.45 |
| 10 | | Via Assurances | | | | Daniel Gilard (FRA) | m | 27d 21h 17m 10s | 19.73% | 5.29 |
| 11 | | X.Périmental | | | | Florence Arthaud (FRA) | f | 27d 21h 36m 56s | 19.79% | 5.29 |
| 12 | | Gudrun IV | | | | Jacquin Coello (ESP) | m | 28d 01h 01m 13s | 20.4% | 5.26 |
| 13 | | Quart Kriter | | | | Yves Olivaux (FRA) | m | 28d 05h 02m 59s | 21.12% | 5.23 |
| 14 | | Bestevaer | | | | Klaus Schrodt (GER) | m | 29d 04h 38m 00s | 25.34% | 5.06 |
| 15 | | Damnation | | | | Yann Nedellec (FRA) | m | 29d 12h 07m 07s | 26.68% | 5 |
| 16 | | Jeremi | | | | Jean-Jacques Vuylsteker (BEL) | m | 29d 14h 29m 40s | 27.1% | 4.99 |
| 17 | | Mutuelles Unies | | | | Pierre Riboulet (FRA) | m | 30d 02h 30m 36s | 29.25% | 4.9 |
| 18 | | Bluamnesya | | | | Paolo Martinoni (ITA) | m | 30d 04h 36m 15s | 29.63% | 4.89 |
| 19 | | Saint-Marguerite | | | | Yves Parent (FRA) | m | 30d 12h 29m 45s | 31.04% | 4.84 |
| 20 | | Lady of Sailomat | | | | Herman Brinks (NED) | m | 31d 17h 30m 51s | 36.23% | 4.65 |
| 21 | | Barbados | | | | Jean-Pierre Barrault (FRA) | m | 31d 17h 27m 45s | 36.22% | 4.65 |
| 22 | | Journal de Mickey | | | | Yves Le Cornec (FRA) | m | 31d 21h 30m 00s | 36.94% | 4.63 |
| 23 | | Logo | | | | Aline Marchand (FRA) | m | 31d 08h 30m 00s | 34.62% | 4.71 |
| 24 | | Champagne Delafon | | | | Jacques Palasset (FRA) | m | 34d 08h 30m 00s | 47.5% | 4.3 |
| TLE | | Fortuna Syntofil | | | | Pierro Nessi (ITA) | m | | | |
| TLE | | Belor Avon | | | | Antoine Di Meglio (FRA) | m | | | |
| TLE | FRA 6930 | Pornichet Marine | | | | Gwenhaël Lotode (FRA) | m | | | |
| TLE | 34 | Synthegral | 12.6M Tri | | Kelsall | Jean-Pierre Millet (FRA) | m | | | |
| TLE | | Pytheas | | | | Burg Veenemans (FRA) | m | | | |
| RET | | Tanikely | | | | Yves Gautier (FRA) | m | | | |
| RET | | Lili-Aggie | | | | Yvon Fauconnier (FRA) | m | | | |
| RET | | Paul Ricard | | | | Marc Pajot (FRA) | m | | | |
| RET | | Seiko | | | | Alain Gliksman (FRA) | m | | | |
| RET | | Ville des Sables | | | | Bruno Peyron (FRA) | m | | | |
| RET | | Disque d’Or II | | | | Pierre Fehlmann (SUI) | m | | | |
| RET | | Manureva Dispa | | | | Alain Colas (FRA) | m | | | |
Source: