COUP DE POUCE
With his enthusiastic personality, Manu Cousin loves sharing his adventure and challenges with as many people as possible, always driven by his unwavering passion for offshore racing.
Coming from a family of keen sailors, Manuel Cousin discovered sailing at the age of 6. After more than twenty years in the automotive industry, he decided to change course to make a living from his passion and become a professional sailor.
In 2014, he raced his first Transat Jacques Vabre with the support of Groupe SÉTIN, before joining the Class40 circuit and then IMOCA in 2017. He fulfilled his dream by taking part in the 2020 Vendée Globe, finishing 23rd despite a keel ram failure.
After several seasons of preparation and double-handed racing, notably with Alexia Barrier and then Clément Giraud, he started his second Vendée Globe in 2024. After 111 days at sea, he crossed the finish line in 31st place, true to his reputation as a persevering and passionate sailor.
| Course | Rank | Boat | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Défi Azimut-Lorient Agglomération | COUP DE POUCE | ABANDON | |
| 2026 | Vendée Arctique - Les Sables d'Olonne | 8th | COUP DE POUCE | 13j 21h 08min 40s |
| 2025 | Transat Café L'OR | 15th | COUP DE POUCE | 18j 00h 58min 14s |
| 2025 | Défi Azimut-Lorient Agglomération | 11th | COUP DE POUCE | 1d 22h 37min 28s |
| 2024-2025 | Vendée Globe | 31th | RESPIRE | 111j 00h 38min 38s |
| 2024 | Défi Azimut-Lorient Agglomération | 17th | RESPIRE | 1J 23h 28m 23s |
| 2024 | New York Vendée - Les Sables d'Olonne | 23th | RESPIRE | 14j 23h 31min 55s |
2016: Quebec Saint-Malo - 14th Class40
Designed for Michel Desjoyeaux, the ex-Foncia 2 is the 5th VPLP-Verdier design, assembled at CDK Technologies in 2010.
Read moreAll 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.
•••After negotiating a first frontal system and crossing a ridge of high pressure, the skippers are entering a new phase of the race. The sea has built, the wind has strengthened and the priorities have shifted. It is no lo…
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