Dreams come true: Loick Peyron king of French skippers

Loick Peyron was named “Marin de l’année 2014” by the French Sailing Federation. A success that many expected after his victory at the last Route du Rhum at the helm of the maxi trimaran Solo Banque Populaire VII. Finally a change of course, it comes to say, after the double success of Franck Cammas in 2012 and 2013.

THE VICTORY OF THOSE WHO DIDN’T EVEN HAVE TO COMPETE
And to think that a completely different Route du Rhum was being announced for the old fox of French sailing: Peyron was to take part in the Route du Rhum aboard the twin trimaran Olympus with which Mike Birch won the 1978 edition of the race. However, the great 37-year-old sailor Armel Le Cleac’h, skipper of the maxi trimaran Banque Populaire VII, seriously injured a hand and had to be replaced. In his place comes his oldest friend Loïck, 55 in December. For a racing “vixen” like him, the chance to play for victory on a maxi trimaran probably proved far more enticing than some sort of “historical reenactment.” Then again, in 2012 aboard Banque Populaire V, he won the Jules Verne Trophy (awarded to the person who circumnavigates the world fastest under sail, regardless of the type of sailboat employed-Peyron took 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes and 53 seconds).

WHO IS LOICK PEYRON
Peyron is one of the most accomplished and famous sailors in France: among his many achievements are the overall record at the Fastnet in 2011 on Banque Populaire V (1 day, 8 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds) and America’s Cup campaigns aboard Alinghi and Artemis as well as numerous ocean races.