CAFÉ JOYEUX
After starting his career in consulting, Nico d'Estais decided to change course and turn his lifelong passion into a profession by becoming an offshore racing skipper.
After racing in the Mini and Class40 circuits, Nico is now joining the IMOCA Class with the goal of competing in the Vendée Globe 2028!
| Course | Rank | Boat | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Défi Azimut-Lorient Agglomération | 9th | CAFÉ JOYEUX | 2j 14h 14min 17s |
| 2026 | Vendée Arctique - Les Sables d'Olonne | 6th | CAFÉ JOYEUX | 10j 07h 15min 22s |
| 2026 | 1000 Race | 6th | CAFÉ JOYEUX | 5j 17h 30min 27s |
| 2025 | Transat Café L'OR | 13th | CAFÉ JOYEUX | 15j 09h 31min 16s |
| 2025 | Défi Azimut-Lorient Agglomération | 4th | CAFÉ JOYEUX | 1d 20h 27min 47s |
2023: Transat Jacques Vabre – 18th (Class40)
This particular IMOCA monohull has surely won the most accolades of her generation: designed in 2011 for François Gabart, she finished fourth in the Transat Jacques Vabre (with Sébastien Col), then won the BtoB return transatlantic race before taking the win in the Vendée Globe 2012-2013, then the Route du Rhum 2014.
Read moreAfter Davy Beaudart (Bureau Vallée) crossed the line at 1:05 a.m. last night, it was Nicolas d'Estais's turn to finish at 7:44 a.m. The skipper of Café Joyeux closes out this extended 48 Hours. A final, symbolic finish, …
•••All summer long, the Azimut teams have been hard at work to do justice to this fine lineup and give this 16th edition an even stronger resonance within the IMOCA community and the Sailing Valley.
•••After two and a half days of being thrown around in every direction, the sailors competing in the Vendée Arctique – Les Sables d’Olonne are finally enjoying a little respite.
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