Kevin ESCOFFIER

A technology enthusiast, Kevin has already been part of the PRB team since he was a member of the team when Vincent Riou's Farr design was built for the 2006 Vendée Globe. It is at the helm of the VPLP/Verdier design launched in 2010 and boosted with foils in 2018 (the last PRB led by Vincent Riou) that Kevin launches the 2019 season with the goal of the 2020 Vendée Globe. 

The skipper then took several second places in races before tackling the solo round the world race. After more than twenty days at sea, on November 30, at 2:46 pm, the IMOCA PRB broke in two. Kevin triggered his distress beacon 600 miles southwest of the Cape of Good Hope. He was rescued some 12 hours later by Jean Le Cam. 

As soon as he returned, the sailor began to plan a new project. He decided to build a new boat and bought the hull of an IMOCA boat currently being built at the Carrington yard in England. With this new boat, Kevin Escoffier plans to take part in the Route du Rhum 2022. In the meantime, he will be competing alongside Armel Le Cléac'h on the Maxi Trimaran Banque Populaire XI in the 2021 Transat Jacques Vabre, where they will finish third.

His new IMOCA was launched at the beginning of May 2022 and Kevin took the start of the Route du Rhum at the helm only six months later, a race which he finished in 4th place.

The skipper from Saint Malo didn't waste a minute, as soon as he returned from the solo transatlantic race, he headed for Alicante where he would take the start of The Ocean Race, the famous crewed round-the-world race with stopovers. The sailor and his team quickly took the lead in the race, winning the first two legs and winning most of the third leg - which they eventually finished second. The fourth leg was not so happy for the Go Circular team, however, as the 60-foot boat dismasted off Brazil. Kevin's goal now is to be at the start of Leg 4 on 21 May.