Gaël LEDOUX

Following two Olympic 470 preparations, Gaël Ledoux called a halt on his dinghy sailing career in 2007, albeit without switching universes. He started out on this new path by assisting Fabien Després with the technical preparation of his Mini Transat project in 2007, before going on to support Aymeric Chappellier and Julien Pulvé during the construction of their respective boats with a view to their own 2009 and 2013 campaigns, thanks to his talents as a builder and composites technician.

“It was during this period that he got hooked on offshore racing”, assures the native of Saint Malo, who today lives in Locmiquélic in the Morbihan department of Brittany. “Nearly 15 years elapsed between the time when I began to take an interest in the Mini and the point where I got my campaign up and running, but being at the start today is all the more special for that”, enthuses the skipper of the Pogo 3 Stinkfoot, who has continued to prepare numerous race boats over recent years, including those of some of his rivals, all whilst calling tactics and assisting with the performance of a classic yacht within the context of major events like Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez and the Régates Royales de Cannes.

“Getting my boat to the start line is already a personal victory. Finishing would be another. It’s fair to say that I’m competitive, but I know that I don’t have all the weapons at my disposal to really put the pedal to the metal. However, I know it’s going to be a great experience and that it’ll give me a good adrenalin rush!”