Armel the Clec’h — Wikipedia

Armel Le Cléac’h ([aʁmɛl ‘klax]), Surnommé «Le Chacal» ^{[ first ]} , born the May 11, 1977 In Saint-Pol-de-Léon (Finistère), is a French professional navigator and skipper.

Imoca world champion in 2008 and champion of France in solo race solo in 2003 and 2020, he notably won the solitary of Figaro three times ^{[ 2 ]} (2003, 2010 and 2020), as well as the AG2R Transat in 2004 and 2010, and the 2016 English Transat. He is the first sailor to finish three times the Vendée Globe on the podium: twice second during the 2008-2009 editions and 2012-2013, he won the eighth edition in 2016-2017 in 74 days, 3 hours, 35 minutes and 46 seconds, which makes him the record holder of solo circumnavigation time in this test.

Armel Le Cléac’h ^{[ 3 ]} [Correct pronunciation: Le-Klerh, as in: Leclerc] is the third of a siblings of four children, of Jean-Gabriel and Annie Le Cléac’h ^{[ 4 ]} .

Bathed from his childhood in the currents of Morlaix bay, Armel Le Cléac’h very quickly passionate about this discipline, to the point of embarking on competition, in Optimist, from the age of nine. And there, everything is linked: quickly integrating the Finistère team ^{[ first ]} , there is a name and goes to 420 then in Le Figaro. In 1997, he played his first solo race, the Solo the telegram where he finished third ^{[ 5 ]} .

In Saint-Pol-de-Léon, Armel Le Cléac’h is a pupil at the Sainte Ursule college then obtained a bac S at the Lycée Notre-Dame du Kreisker ^{[ 6 ]} . He then joined a preparatory class of Maths Sup in Lorient ^{[ 7 ]} Before continuing his studies in IUT physical measures in Lannion then at the INSA of Rennes ^{[ 8 ]} In the sports excellence section, which allows him to lead studies and sports practice head -on. At the beginning of 2000, he paused his studies to join the professional circuit. However, he wishes to finalize his engineering studies via a VAE in the future, once his sports career was completed ^{[ 9 ]} .

He has two children of his wife Aurélie, Louise (born in 2007) and Edgar (born in 2010) ^{[ ten ]} , and resides in Gouesnach ^{[ 11 ]} .

He is the grand-nephew of Hervé-Marie Le Cléac’h, former bishop of Taiohae, in the Marquesas Islands ^{[ twelfth ]} .

Armel Le Cléac’h became a professional skipper in 1999, after winning the Hope Challenge Crédit Agricole and integrates the Finistère pole of Port-la-Forêt ^{[ 7 ]} . He then produced several seasons on Figaro Bénéteau . He notably won the Figaro solitary in 2003, the same year he was French champion in solo racing. In 2004, he won with Nicolas Troussel, the seventh edition of the Lorient-St Barth. He was then contacted by Alain Gautier to take his place on the Trimaran Orma Fancy , with which he capsizes during the Jacques-Vabre 2005 transat, then renouncing ^{[ first ]} to continue in Orma.

In 2006, Armel Le Cléac’h started on the Imoca circuit with a new partner: Brit Air ^{[ 13 ]} . In 2009, he finished his first Vendée Globe in second place behind Michel Desjoyeaux. In 2010, he won the Solitaire du Figaro, the AG2R Transat and finished second on the Route du Rhum ^{[ 14 ]} . This year of success earned him his nickname in the world of “jackal” sailing because of his pugnacity.

In early 2011, his partner Brit Air stopped sponsorship veil. He is chosen in April by the Team Popular Bank sail ^{[ 15 ]} To navigate an Imoca 60 feet bought in 2011 at Team Fancy . This sailboat had been launched in 2010 for Michel Desjoyeaux and had participated in the 2010 Route du Rhum ^{[ 16 ] , [ 17 ]} . In duet with Christopher Pratt, Armel Le Cléac’h finishes third from the Jacques-Vabre 2011 transat on Monohull 60 ‘Banque Populaire ^{[ 18 ]} . The November 10, 2012 , the skipper is at the start of the Vendée Globe 2012-2013 in Sables-d’Olonne, which he finds after 78 days of navigation, after twenty days in the lead and long on equality with François Gabart before this stands out and maintains the gap until arrival.

In 2013, Armel Le Cléac’h took Thomas Coville the record for the crossing of the Mediterranean Sea solo by realizing it in 18 hours 58 minutes and 13 seconds ^{[ 19 ]} . The December 20, 2013 , he receives knight’s insignia of the national order of merit ^{[ 20 ]} .

In August 2014 , victim of an injury in hand, the browser must give up participating in the Route du Rhum, won by his replacement Loïck Peyron ^{[ 21 ]} . In February 2015 , the sailor launches the construction of a new maxi Trimaran, Bank popular IX ^{[ 22 ]} . The November 6, 2016 , he rushes for his third Vendée Globe 2016-2017 that he won the January 19, 2017 , ie 74 days, 3 hours, 35 minutes and 46 seconds after his departure, thus breaking from almost 4 days the record of François Gabart during the previous edition ^{[ 23 ]} .

On February 27, 2018, he won Laureus World Sports Awards Action Sportsperson of the Year .

On November 6, 2018, following the collision with an unidentified object, its new Maxi Trimaran Banque Populaire IX capsize. It is forced to abandon the published edition of the 2018 Route du Rhum, at 350 nautical miles at the ASORES. He was able to trigger his distress tag, communicate with his technical team and take refuge inside the hull while waiting for help ^{[ 24 ]} .

After studying the incident, his sponsor Popular bank retains his confidence and launches a few weeks after a new project of new Trimaran ^{[ 25 ]} , the Banque Populaire XI . Its launch is scheduled for 2021. In parallel, the Cleac’h is responsible for forming ^{[ 25 ]} Clarisse Crémer, the new skipper who succeeds her in the Imoca category, in particular via the Jacques-Vabre 2019 Transat ^{[ 24 ]} , of which they take 6th place.

60 -foot monohull Brit Air d’Armel le Cléac’h (2006-2011).

• 1999
  • first ^is : Hope Challenge Crédit Agricole

• 2004 becomes skipper of Trimaran orma fancy.

Results at the Vendée Globe [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Knight of the Legion of Honor April 14, 2017 ^{[ 37 ]} .

The guitarist Dan Ar Braz and the singer Clarisse Lavanant pay tribute to him in the song Jacal on the album Harmony (2017) ^{[ 38 ]} .

He is named “Breton of the year” 2017 by the daily The telegram During the fourth Victories of Brittany ceremony ^{[ 39 ]} .

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