A beautiful 2nd place for a first in the Vendée Globe!
After 65 days, 18 hours, 10 minutes, and 2 seconds of racing, Yoann Richomme, skipper of Paprec Arkéa, crossed the finish line early wednesday 15th January in 2nd position during his first solo round-the-world race, shattering the record held by Armel Le Cléach by nearly 9 days.
This remarkable result firmly establishes him in the legend of this mythical race.
This exceptional second place embodies the fundamental values of Crédit Mutuel Arkéa: the boldness to imagine an ambitious and innovative project, the collective commitment to overcome challenges, and the openness to share this adventure with as many people as possible.
Beyond the sporting performance, this project reflects our vision of a partnership that combines innovation, solidarity, and sustainable impact. As co-owners of the Paprec Arkéa team, we have demonstrated that a model based on sincere and structured involvement can transform ambition into exemplary success.
The success of this project inspires us to build the future of our group and nurture our ambition: to continue to rely on our strengths, boldly explore new territories, enhance collective efficiency, and affirm the uniqueness of our cooperative model.
These are the guiding principles that will drive our actions to support the projects of our clients and members and accompany transitions."
Julien Carmona, President of Crédit Mutuel Arkéa
Vendée Globe : a collective adventure, a path toward excellence
"On November 10, our boat adorned with the colors of Paprec and Arkéa will set sail for the Vendée Globe, the most prestigious offshore racing competition and one of the most demanding sports challenges in the world.
We have been working together for nearly three years to start among the favorites with a next-generation monohull, a concentration of technology, and with a highly talented skipper, Yoann Richomme.
One of the strengths of our approach is the unique model on which it is based. Indeed, we are co-owners of this racing team. We are proud to be in it for the long haul, to be, through the Paprec Arkéa team in particular, major players in offshore racing.
At Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, this commitment helps strengthen our ties with all stakeholders in the maritime world and enhances our territorial anchoring across the entire Atlantic coast. The co-construction of this project is a major asset because it is based on mutual trust between our two entities and built on shared values.
At Paprec and Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, we indeed share a taste for boldness, innovation, and pushing our limits. We are committed to collegiality, cohesion, and the ability to unite energies, expertise, and talents. From the beginning, we have been mindful of building this project with a mindset that combines humility, rigor, kindness, and a sense of community."
Julien CARMONA - President of Crédit Mutuel Arkéa and Sébastien PETITHUGUENIN, General Director of the Paprec Group
The Route of the Vendée Globe
First, there was the legendary Golden Globe, the first non-stop solo circumnavigation completed in 313 days by Robin Knox-Johnston in 1969, followed by the BOC Challenge, a solo, step-by-step round-the-world race launched in 1982.
Finally came the Vendée Globe Challenge (the “challenge” would disappear after the second edition), created at the initiative of Philippe Jeantot and several sailors who found the legs of the race too lengthy.
The first edition of the non-stop, unsupported solo round-the-world race set off on November 26, 1989, with 13 pioneers at the start. 109 days and 8 hours later, Titouan Lamazou won “the Everest of the seas,” opening the legend of a race that has been hugely popular with the public, who have come by the hundreds of thousands to witness departures and arrivals. A simple and understandable concept for the masses, extraordinary human and sporting adventures experienced by the sailors contribute to the success of the Vendée Globe and continue to captivate the public with each edition.
Departing from Les Sables d’Olonne means undertaking a solo circumnavigation under sail, non-stop and unsupported, from West to East, passing around the three great capes of Good Hope, Leeuwin, and Horn before returning to Les Sables d’Olonne.
40 women and men will line up at the starting line for the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe on November 10, 2024, to embark on the greatest adventure of this century! The sailors will cover 45,000 km or 24,300 nautical miles (the theoretical distance around the world). This route will take them down the Atlantic, across the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and then back up the Atlantic. The solo sailors will have to navigate through very varied weather systems, ranging from calm seas to the formidable storms of the deep South.
Yoann Richomme, a sailor with great potential
At 41, Yoann Richomme is among the leading favorites for victory in the Vendée Globe 2024. A double winner of the Solitaire du Figaro and the Route du Rhum in Class40, he made a bold entry into the IMOCA circuit with his IMOCA, launched in February 2023.
Since then, spectacular results in solo sailing have accumulated: he won the Retour à La Base and The Transat, and he seems to have all the cards in hand to succeed in the grand planetary loop. Let’s take a look at what drives and excites Yoann, a true competitor, a passionate lover of the sea and boats, and a nature enthusiast in the broadest sense…
“I was very fond of woodworking; I built a lot of treehouses,” recalls the skipper of Paprec Arkéa, whose childhood was spent in Yvelines, close to the forest. “I spent time in the woods, in nature. One of my grandfathers was a farmer, and the other lived by the sea in Port-Navalo,” continues Yoann Richomme. A perfect combination to nurture his love for wide open spaces, sailing, and adventure.
At 13, his father, Yannick, was transferred to the United States. “Those were my middle and high school years in Philadelphia. We did a lot of sports every day; it was exceptional, with the freedom to choose our classes.” Every morning, he dedicated an hour and a half to woodworking, a joy for someone who describes himself as “not very academic.” The return to France was then made by sea with his father, aboard the family’s small cruising sailboat, a Sun Odyssey 33. A significant experience that sparked his taste for the open sea.
Naval architect and sailor in all disciplines
Back in France, Yoann chose an international baccalaureate in Paris, which he obtained in 2002. A transition from computer science to naval architecture (Solent University Southampton from 2002 to 2006) ultimately led him to join a group of young architects in Southampton whose project was to build their own IMOCA.
“It was the kind of thing that excited me; I already had a penchant for these types of projects. I really got into sailing in Southampton… I sailed on many boats, at least twice a week, with owners’ boats. Then there were quickly the Tour de France à la Voile projects every summer, plus the Fastnet Race,” he recalls.
Yoann navigates on a thousand different boats, wears out his oilskin bottoms in crewed regattas, strolls his boots on the docks of France and across the Channel, and finds himself preparing the Figaros of Nicolas Lunven and Charles Caudrelier, driven by the desire to improve and take on the open sea.
Without a clear career plan, driven by his instincts and energy, he decided in 2010 to enter the Figaro circuit. “I thought I would try La Solitaire, knowing that I was indeed a good crew member, good at organizing and launching projects, but not an exceptional helmsman.” Progress was clear, and successes began to pile up: in 2016, he won his first Solitaire du Figaro, followed by a second in 2019. “Winning the Solitaire du Figaro is every sailor’s dream, and I was fortunate enough to achieve it twice,” he says with a touch of modesty that always characterizes Yoann.
The ultimate challenge : the Vendée Globe, between competition and expedition
As the years go by, the record grows, and experience expands. Talent and eagerness in every competition characterize Yoann, who hasn’t changed one bit: a nice guy both on land and at sea, fond of lively discussions, and patient in sometimes technical explanations…
Here he is, the winner of the Route du Rhum in Class40 in 2018. Three years after winning it, Yoann commits once again to Class40 while awaiting the construction of his IMOCA, with a new team: the Paprec Arkéa collective. This marks the beginning of a new adventure that will allow Yoann to double his success by winning the Route du Rhum 2022.
Paprec Arkéa, formula 1 of the seas
It is one of the most high-performing boats of the latest generation. Launched in February 2023 after twenty months of hard work in the shipyard, the IMOCA Paprec Arkéa was designed to be performant in all conditions, particularly in rough seas.
From its launch, Yoann Richomme has been participating in a series of races. “The main challenge was to ensure the boat’s reliability.” Paprec Arkéa quickly established itself as a major contender in the early competitions, finishing 2nd in the Rolex Fastnet Race during the summer and 2nd in the Transat Jacques Vabre alongside Yann Eliès. Despite facing harsh conditions during the return transatlantic race (Retour à la Base) from Fort-de-France to Lorient, Yoann accelerated and claimed victory. His first solo transatlantic crossing in an IMOCA ended with his first win: the year wrapped up well, right in the heart of winter.
The crucial year of 2024 begins with a thirteen-week refit. This is the most significant work done since the boat’s launch, involving a thorough check of every part and particular attention to the ballast volume. After returning to competition, following a fierce battle in the North Atlantic, Yoann won The Transat, the mother of transatlantic races between Lorient and New York. The joy is intense, but the skipper knows that the major challenge lies ahead, with the upcoming edition of the Vendée Globe fast approaching.
Everyone behind Yoann !
“When Arkéa ventured into offshore sponsorship, I wanted to get involved. With a small group of colleagues, we formed a group called ‘the crew members,’ which has now become a community of 140 employees. We promote the Paprec Arkéa project among our colleagues and regularly lend a hand during events. It’s fantastic to be involved and experience these events from the inside!”
Nicolas Ingueneau, Arkéa Financements & Services
“I had the opportunity to meet Yoann Richomme and his team several times. We were able to closely follow the major milestones in the construction of the IMOCA, up to the boat’s launch, which I had the privilege of visiting that day. At each event, Yoann shares his experience with us, his desire to test himself, improve, and push his limits, which commands admiration and conveys a positive energy that makes us excited!”
Inès Chevillotte, Arkéa Banking Services
