News
7.1.23
Antoine Mermod: A great race that proves the partnership between IMOCA and The Ocean Race is here to…
There were only five boats in the fleet, but the inaugural IMOCA participation in The Ocean Race certainly delivered.
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| Age | 37 (9/6/86) |
|---|---|
| Top performance | |
| Joined Imoca on | 2021 |
| Team | CORUM L'EPARGNE |
| Base | Lorient (FRANCE) |
Originally from Lyon, Benjamin discovered sailing through his judo teacher! A keen sportsman, he was happy to take his pupils to discover other disciplines, including dinghy sailing in the Mediterranean. This was a revelation for Benjamin, who would never stop thinking about sailing, even going so far as to choose his geology studies according to the free time and therefore sailing opportunities they offered.
Sport-boats or 30/40 foot monohulls at first, the Lyonnais treads the first races of the Figaro circuit in 2019, with good results, notably that of first rookie in the Solitaire. At the time, he was also in charge of electronics for the Spindirft team led by Yann Guichard and Dona Bertarelli. He was also on board the maxi-trimaran during the last attempts at the Jules Verne Trophy. As far as electronics are concerned, he knows a thing or two. As head of electronics, he was also part of the Dongfeng Race Team during the winning campaign with Charles Caudrelier in the last Volvo Ocean Race.
In 2021, he will embark on his first IMOCA race in The Ocean Race Europe, with Nicolas Troussel, on CORUM l'Epargne. He will join the skipper two years later for the double-handed season. The duo raced together in the Défi Azimut and the Transat Jacques Vabre.
Before that, he joined the Holcim-PRB team led by Kevin Escoffier, for The Ocean Race.
2023: The Ocean Race - 2nd on Holcim-PRB
2022: Spindrift Team
2021: The Ocean Race Europe - 4th
2020: European Offshore Double-handed Champion with Marie Riou
2020: Rolex Middle Sea Race - Winner
2019: Record for the Ushant-Ecuador leg in 4d 20h and 7min on the Jules Verne Trophy course
| Name | CORUM L'EPARGNE |
|---|---|
| Sail number | FRA 6 |
| Architect | Juan Kouyoumdjian Design |
| Construction | 2020, Mer Agitée & CDK Technologies (Port La Forêt) |
| Former names |
| Length | 18,30 m |
|---|---|
| Beam | 5,70 m |
| Draught | 4,50 m |
| Weight | 7,9 tonnes |
| Mast height | 27,30 m |
| Mast type | Wing mast |
| Foils | Yes |
| Sail area max. | |
| Upwind | 260m² |
| Downwind | 530m² |
There were only five boats in the fleet, but the inaugural IMOCA participation in The Ocean Race certainly delivered.
•••World Sailing International Jury to hold two hearings on Thursday
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