The Artemis Transat

Armel Le Cléac’h (FRA)

Armel Le Cleac'h/ Britair
© Benoit Stichelbaut/ Britair

Brit Air

Born and bred on the Morlaix Bay, northern Brittany, Armel Le Cléac’h has spent his childhood cruising with his family. At school, he sailed Optimists while experiencing many other sports (football, archery, table tennis…), and reached national level before moving on to the 420 Olympic dinghy, and crewing for his brother Gaël aboard his Figaro. After a physics diploma, Armel came back to his bunch of friends from the Bay of Morlaix (Jérémie Beyou, Nicoals Troussel…) and captured a second place in the Telegramme singlehanded race. In 1999, he won the Challenge Espoir (a programme for young talents, giving access to a funded Figaro season) and the next year, finished second in the famous Solitaire du Figaro – a staggering result for such a young skipper. This achievement naturally gave Armel a place on the professional scene, and he broadened his horizons, sailing Figaro One-Designs but also embarking with Marc Guillemot for various multihull races. Given the helm of the Foncia trimaran in 2005, he suffered a tough capsize in the Transat Jacques Vabre, during which his co-skipper Damian Foxall got badly injured – Armel then decided to move on to the IMOCA class, and aboard Seb Josse’s former VMI (today Akena Vérandas) took a very creditable 4th place in the 2006 Route du Rhum. Armel spent the wole winter preparing and fine-tuning his new Finot-designed Brit Air Open 60, and The Artemis Transat will be a very important test of this busy season.

Profile
30 (will celebrate his 31st birthday on the day of the start of The Artemis Transat!), lives in Fouesnant (Brittany)

Sailing CV – Key moments
2007 – 7th place in the Transat Jacques Vabre
2006 – 4th place in the Route du Rhum
2006 – 4th place in the Transat Ag2r
2005 – 4th place in the IB Group Challenge (ORMA 60’)
2004 – Winner of the Transat Ag2r
2003 – Winner of the Solitaire du Figaro

THE BOAT

Armel Le Cleac'h/ Britair
© Benoit Stichelbaut/ Britair

Name: Brit Air
Design: Architectes Finot-Concq
Build: Multiplast (Vannes, Brittany)
Launch date: July 2007

Track record
7th place in the 2007 Transat Jacques Vabre

Key figures
Length: 18,28m (60’)
Beam: 5,90m (19,35’)
Weight: 9t
Draft: 4,50m (14,7’)
Sail area upwind: 290 square metres (3120 sq.ft)
Sail area downwind: 530 square metres (5705 sq.ft)

http://www.voile.britair.com/