Marie RIOU

Born in Landerneau, in the Finistère region of France, Marie Riou discovered a passion for dinghy sailing at the age of seven and quickly turned to competitive sailing. In 1999, she became both European and World Champion in the 420 class. At the 2012 London Olympics, she placed sixth. In 2013, she transitioned to multihull racing and became World Champion in the Nacra 17 class alongside Billy Besson. In 2014, they again won the ISAF World Championship in Nacra 17. That same year, she joined the French Olympic sailing team to represent France at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She was nominated with Billy Besson for the Sailor of the Year award in 2013 and 2014, ultimately winning the title in 2015.

In 2018, Marie Riou made history as one of the first three women to win the Volvo Ocean Race, sailing aboard Dongfeng Race Team, skippered by Charles Caudrelier. This victory earned her and teammate Carolijn Brouwer the title of 2018 World Sailors of the Year in Sarasota, Florida.

Following the Volvo Ocean Race, Riou became the first woman to hold a key position in SailGP, joining the French team as flight controller on the F50 catamaran during its inaugural season in 2019—well before the inclusion of women became mandatory in the league. She recalls this experience as a powerful moment, without ever feeling like an outsider in the male-dominated world:

“It’s true I was the only woman, but we all knew each other from Olympic sailing. Whether you're a man or a woman, in key roles like helm, wing trimmer, or flight controller, it's the same job. It's great that women are now onboard—it's a step in the right direction.”
In September 2020, she won the second edition of the Mixed Offshore European Championship in Genoa, sailing with Benjamin Schwartz. This new discipline was in consideration for inclusion in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

In 2021, she joined The Ocean Race Europe alongside Nicolas Troussel, Benjamin Schwartz, and Sébastien Josse. That same year, Amélie Grassi brought her aboard for her first Transat Jacques Vabre in Class40—an experience Riou thoroughly enjoyed.

In 2023, she joined Paul Meilhat and the Biotherm team for another around-the-world race with stopovers.

After a break from IMOCA in which she sailed on various boats—including in the Ultim class with Anthony Marchand—Marie Riou reunited with Justine Mettraux aboard the IMOCA TeamWork – Team Snef for two crewed races: the Course des Caps and the Rolex Fastnet Race. She sails alongside Justine, Xavier Macaire, and Carlos Manera Pascual, forming a deliberately mixed-gender team.

In parallel, she is also part of The Famous Project, an all-female crew aiming to break the Jules Verne Trophy record aboard the IDEC SPORT trimaran.