SKIPPERS &
THEIR BOATS
Only 30 skippers can compete in the race. So far, 19
men and one woman have made it to this stage, as they
make their final preparations before crossing the start
line in Les Sables d’Olonne, France, on 1 July 2018
ANTOINE COUSOT
Métier Intérim,
Biscay 36
Cousot, 46, has
completed 15 ocean
crossings and has
sailed the
equivalent
of three
times
around
the world.
LOÏC LEPAGE
Laaland, Nicholson 32
Lepage, 62, has sailed
more than 20,000
miles solo, including
four transatlantic
crossings, and will sail
solo to the
Azores and
back
before the
race start.TAPIO LEHTINEN
Asteria, Gaia 36
A Whitbread Round
the World veteran,
Lehtinen, 59, has
decades of experience
in yacht racing,
including
the Azores
and Back.
ROBIN DAVIE
C'est La Vie, Rustler 36
Davie, 66, has
completed three solo
circumnavigations in
the BOC Challenge
Around
Alone
Race.GREGOR MCGUCKIN
Mary Luck, Biscay 36
A professional skipper,
McGuckin, 31, has over
45,000 sailing miles,
and has crossed the
Atlantic and Indian
Oceans as
well as
other
passages.KEVIN FAREBROTHER
Sagarmatha,
Tradewind 35
A former 23 SAS
soldier, Farebrother,
50, sailed 6,000
miles from
Sydney
to Perth
to refit
the boat.PHILIPPE PÉCHÉ
PRB, Rustler 36
A Jules Verne Trophy
winner twice over,
Péché, 57, has logged
more than 300,000
miles, and has sailed
with the
likes of Eric
Tabarly and
Alain
Gautier.SUSIE GOODALL
DHL Starlight, Rustler 36
Sailing instructor
Goodall, 28, has
finished a double
Atlantic solo crossing
and is the
race’s
youngest
competitor.NABIL AMRA
Ele May, Biscay 36
Amra, 42, is based in
the USA but is sailing
under a Palestinian
flag, and has sailed
across the Caribbean
and
through the
Panama
Canal.CARL HUBER
Jamma Jeanne, Baba 35
Huber, 57, started
sailing fairly recently,
and has bareboat
chartered in the
Caribbean
prior to
preparing
for the
race.UKU RANDMAA
One and All, Rustler 36
Randmaa, 55, has a
history of racing and
offshore sailing, and
has already sailed solo
around the world with
stops.ISTVAN KOPAR
Puffin, Tradewind 35
Kopar, 66, has logged
more than 60,000
miles sailing solo and
skippered the winning
yacht in the
1996/97
Hong Kong
Challenge.MARK SINCLAIR
Coconut, Lello 34
A former commander
in the Royal Australian
Navy, Sinclair, 59, has
two solo crossings of
the Tasman Sea under
his belt and
is a veteran
solo
skipper.
FRANCESCO
CAPPELLETTI
007 , Endurance 35
A professional Ocean
Yachtmaster,
Cappelletti,
39, has
sailed the
Med and
the Atlantic.ERTAN BESKARDES
Lazy Otter, Rustler 36
Originally from Turkey,
British national
Beskardes, 56, has
sailed extensively
along the
UK’s south
coast.MARK SLATS
Maverick, Rustler 36
Slats, 40, has already
completed a solo
circumnavigation
and recently set a new
world record for rowing
solo across
the Atlantic
Ocean.IGOR ZARETSKIY
Esmeralda, Endurance 35
Jester Challenge
winner, Zaretskiy, 66,
is a veteran racer,
having competed
in multiple RORC
Caribbean.
races.ABHILASH TOMY
Thuriya, Eric 32
Tomy, 39, is a serving
officer in the Indian
Navy, and has sailed
52,000 miles including
a circumnavigation
from
Mumbai.JEANLUC
VAN DEN HEEDE
Matmut, Rustler 36
Holder of the current
world record for the
fastest solo westabout
circumnavigation, Van
Den Heede,
72, is a
veteran
of solo
sailing.ARE WIIG
Olleanna, OE32
Placed second in
his class in the 1988
OSTAR, Wiig, 58,
has sailed more than
30,000 miles over the
last four
decades.ADVENTURE