The skippers
Bertrand de Broc has been sailing the seas of the world for over 25 years. Skipper known and recognized in the world of ocean racing, he is one of those called "old sea wolves". But the memory that will remain forever engraved when the name of the sailor is mentioned is without a doubt the incident that happened to him on his first Vendée Globe in 1992.
Alone off the coast of Rio, he cut his tongue and was forced to stitch himself up, guided by a telex from the race doctor. He was then forced to abandon the race on the orders of the boat's architects due to a problem with his keel, which was in danger of coming loose.
In 1996, he tried again by embarking on the great adventure of "Votre nom autour du monde" to finance the purchase of Philippe Poupon's monohull. Unfortunately, he capsized the day before his arrival, after 117 days at sea, off the coast of Sables-d'Olonne.
Bertrand de Broc - credit: Xavier Renauld
For its 3 e participation, in 2012, he appealed for donations and decided to collect on the hull of his boat the names of individuals and companies to compete in this round the world race. This time, he will finish his circumnavigation at the 9th place e position.
But Bertrand de Broc is not only about the Vendée Globe. We have seen him on Figaro monotypes, but also on racing multihulls. In 2013, he took part in the Transat Jacques Vabre and finished in 6th place e in the Imoca category. In 2014, he abandoned the Route du Rhum after an elbow injury.
Marc Guillemot grew up in a sailor's environment, where he caught the virus of ocean racing very early on. Whether on a monohull or a multihull, what counts is the exhilaration of speed and competition. In 1979, Marc Guillemot competed in his first solo race.
In 1981, he won the Twostar multihull race in his class. He then met Nigel Irens and Patrick Morvan, who offered him the opportunity to participate in the construction of Jet Services II. In 1984, he tackled the Atlantic Record with Jean Le Cam and Serge Madec. The trio smashed the record in 8 days and 16 hours.
In 1985, during one of these great ocean crossings, he experienced a night that would mark him for life. Jet Services IV, a powerful 25-meter catamaran, capsized. Jean Castenet disappeared and Marc and Patrick Morvan were seriously injured. After two years of rehabilitation, he returned to competition.
Marc Guillemot - credit : Xavier Renauld
From 1988, on Jet Services V, he won numerous races and beat the Atlantic record in 7 days 6 hours 32 minutes. Ãeuros from 1996, at the helm of his new trimaran La Trinitaine I, Marc won numerous podiums, from the Québec-Saint-Malo to the Route du Rhumâeuros¦
In 2005, Marc Guillemot returned to the Safran monohull and won the 3rd e place on the podium in the 2008-2009 Vendée Globe. In 2009, he won the Transat Jacques Vabre. In 2013, he was 3 e of the Route du Rhum. In 2012, he participated in the Vendée Globe, but was forced to abandon. In 2013, he finished 2nd e of the Transat Jacques Vabre in the Imoca class and became record holder for the Atlantic crossing. Finally, in 2014, he finished 3rd e of the Route du Rhum.
The boat
With a boat with an exceptional track record, Bertrand intends to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, who finished 2nd in the 2008 Transat Artémis, 2nd in the 2010 Route du Rhum...and 2nd in the 2009 Vendée Globe.
Credit : Thierry Martinez
Technical specifications
| Class | Imoca |
| Sail number | FRA 62 |
| Old name of the boat | Brit Air |
| Architect | Finot Conq Group |
| Job site | Multiplast (Vannes) |
| Year of launch | 2007 |
| Length | 18,28 m |
| Width | 5,90 m |
| Draft | 4,50 m |
| Displacement (weight) | 8 tons |
| Number of drifts | NC |
| Height matte | 29,7 m |
| Keel sail | NC |
| Upwind sail area | 300 m2 |
| Sail area downwind | 600 m2 |
| Home port | Lorient |
| Source of energy production on board | Motor and hydro-generator |
Credit : Thierry Martinez
Awards
| Race | Skippers | Running time | Ranking |
| Rolex Fastnet Race (16/08/2015) | Bertrand de Broc and Marc Guillemot | DNS | |
| Barcelona World Race (31/12/2014) | Jörg Riechers & Sébastien Audigane | 105d 23h 35min | 6 |
| Route du Rhum (02/11/2014) | Betrand de Broc | TDR | |
| Transat Jacques Vabre 2013 (07/11/2013) | Bertrand de Broc and Arnaud Boissières | 20d 2h 34' 05'' | 6 |
| Vendée Globe 2012-2013 (10/11/2012) | Bertrand de Broc | 92d 05h 10' 14'' | 9 |
| Route du Rhum (31/10/2010) | Armel le Cléac'h | 14 days 1h 6' 7'' | 2 |
