When he was elected Sailor of the Decade in 2010, no one in France was surprised: the "little Mozart of sailing" is known for often leading his teams to victory in multihulls. He only entered the IMOCA Class when Jérémie Beyou, skipper of Charal 2, called him to be his co-skipper.
Born in Aix-en-Provence, he started optimist training courses in Marseille and then started racing. A good student, with a career in the merchant navy in mind, he decided to turn to ocean racing. He went up to Port-La-Forêt in Brittany, to join the famous offshore racing center and in 1997, at the age of 24, he won the Solitaire du Figaro. A year later, he helmed his first trimaran named after his sponsor Groupama, with which he won the Transat Jacques-Vabre twice: in 2001 and in 2003.
These victories were followed by numerous successes and records in multihulls, ORMAs, maxi-trimarans and Ultims.
While he was co-skipper of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, the Ultim of the Gitana ocean racing team, he participated in the design of the new Manuard design, Charal 2, Jérémie Beyou's second hydrofoil IMOCA, which has the ambition of winning the next Vendée Globe. Following Jérémie Beyou's 3rd place in the last Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe, Franck and his crew made the return trip and sailed 558 miles in 24 hours, a record for an IMOCA 60. He is now co-skipper of Jérémie Beyou for the next double-handed races of the IMOCA GLOBE SERIES circuit.
2023: Transat Jacques Vabre - 4th
2023: Défi Azimut-Lorient Agglomération - 1st
2023: Rolex Fastnet Race - 12th
2023: The Ocean Race - Winner (Participating in a leg with 11th Hour Racing Team)
2023: Guyader Bermudes 1000 Race - 2nd (Charal)
2021: Transat Jacques Vabre - Winner (Ultim)
20: Sailor of the decade
2019: Brest Atlantiques - Winner (Ultim)
2019: Rolex Fastnet Race - Winner (Ultim)
2013: C Class World Champion (Small Cup)
2013: Sailor of the Year
2012: Sailor of the Year
2012: Volvo Ocean Race - Winner on Groupama (VOR60)
2010: Route du Rhum - Winner (Ultim)
2010: Jules Verne Trophy Record
2007: North Atlantic Record
2007: Discovery Route 2007
2007: Transat Jacques Vabre - Winner
2006: World Champion (ORMA)
2005: Transat Jacques Vabre - Retired
2005: World Champion (ORMA)
2004: World Champion (ORMA)
2003: Transat Jacques Vabre - Winner
2003: World Champion (ORMA)
2001: Transat Jacques Vabre - Winner
2001: World Champion (ORMA)
2000: World Champion (ORMA)
1997: Solitaire du Figaro - Winner
| Name | CHARAL |
|---|---|
| Sail number | FRA 3 |
| Architect | Sam Manuard |
| Construction | 2022, CDK Technologies, Lorient |
| Former names |
| Length | 18,28 m |
|---|---|
| Beam | NC |
| Draught | 4,5 m |
| Weight | NC |
| Mast height | 29m |
| Mast type | Wing mast |
| Foils | Yes |
| Sail area max. | |
| Upwind | NC |
| Downwind | NC |
In recent years close finishes in the IMOCA Class after trans-oceanic races have become the norm, but the level of competition in the higher reaches of this record-breaking fleet never ceases to impress.
•••The 33 IMOCA boats at sea have made their choice. 12 boats have headed west, while 21 have headed south. The suspense is at its height, particularly at Beyou Racing, where the two projects hosted by the team have gone in…
•••11th Hour Racing Team has won The Ocean Race 2022-23, the world’s longest and toughest team sporting event - the first time a US team has won in the 50-year history of the Race.
•••
