| Age | 38 (12/3/87) |
|---|---|
| Top performance | 2nd place at the 2022 UTMB and winner of the Diagonale des Fous |
| Joined Imoca on | 2025 |
| Team | MS AMLIN |
| Base | Lorient (FRANCE) |
Mathieu Blanchard is a French-Canadian ultra-trail runner, adventurer, and speaker, born in Cavaillon, France. Trained as an engineer, he radically changed his life to fully dedicate himself to his passion for trail running and extreme challenges.
Mathieu is known for his performances in ultra-trail running, extremely long-distance races held in nature, across various types of terrain — from mountains to deserts to jungles. He is a multiple-time finisher of the UTMB, winner of the Diagonale des Fous, and also a finisher of the Yukon Arctic Ultra.
In 2025, he takes on a new challenge: crossing the Atlantic in an IMOCA yacht aboard MS AMLIN with Conrad Colman. Mathieu is seeking a unique experience, testing his knowledge, mental strength, and adaptability by once again stepping out of his comfort zone — with the goal of winning the daggerboard class. Upon arrival, they will take part in the TransMartinique, a 134 km trail race through the rugged terrain of Martinique.
| Name | MSIG EUROPE |
|---|---|
| Sail number | NZL 64 |
| Architect | VPLP - Verdier |
| Construction | 2007, Indiana Yachting, Italie |
| Former names | Groupe BEL, IMAGINE, For Humble Heroes, Le Souffle du Nord, Kilcullen Team Irlande, V and B - Mayenne, MAIL BOXES ETC., MS AMLIN |
| Length | 18,28 m |
| Beam | 5,5 m |
| Draught | 4,5 m |
| Weight | 8 tonnes |
| Mast height | 29 m |
| Mast type | Wing mast |
| Foils | No |
| Sail area max. | |
| Upwind | 365 m2 |
| Downwind | 700 m2 |
The Transat Café L’OR from Le Havre to Martinique, which forms the finale of the 2025 IMOCA season, is now just 12 days away and it’s a classic course that has attracted a stellar field.
•••It’s the story of an unprecedented partnership—an exchange of knowledge between a seasoned skipper and a top-level ultra-trail runner—that will come to life during the 2025 Transat Café L’OR. Mathieu Blanchard, a profess…
•••
