Kevin Escoffier

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Kevin Escoffier
2012 Jules Verne Attempt
Personal information
NationalityFrench
Born (1980-04-04) 4 April 1980 (age 44)
Saint-Malo
Sailing career
ClassIMOCA 60
ClubSN Baie St. Malo

Kevin Escoffier is a French professional sailor born on 4 April 1980[1] in Saint-Malo, France and a resident of Lorient.[2][3] He is an offshore sailor who has won the 2018 Volvo Ocean Race as a bowman onboard DongFeng.[4] and competed in the 2020–2021 Vendée Globe aboard PRB.[5] In 2022-23 he initially skippered Holcim-PRB in The Ocean Race, before leaving the team mired in a sexual harassment incident.[6] He is a member of the yacht club SN Baie St. Malo[7]

Biography[edit]

He studied Engineering for 3 years at EPF in Paris, 2 years at the École Polytechnique de Montréal and 8 months at the University of Maryland and now specializes in composite engineering. One of his first projects was being involved in the development of Multi 50 class "Crêpes Whaou! 2", which was built for his father Franck-Yves Escoffier, also an offshore sailor. This boat was launched in April 2005 and in November of that year Kevin and his father won class in the Transat Jacques Vabre.[8] We was involved in various IMOCA projects[2] for other skippers, and has headed up Team Banque Populaire's design office.[9]

2020–2021 Vendee Globe Rescue[edit]

While competing in the 2020–2021 Vendée Globe his IMOCA 60 PRB hull broke in half, sinking quickly in the Southern Ocean. Describing the speed of the incident he said “I didn’t have time to do anything, I just had time to send a message to my team. I’m sinking, I’m not joking. MAYDAY.”[10] He later recalled how the boat folded in half.

The race director sent fellow competitor Jean Le Cam to the area who found Kevin in his life raft, but lost contact while preparing to recover Kevin. More competitors were sent to help with the search but Jean Le Cam found Kevin for the second time several hours later and took Kevin on board.[11][12]

The rescue got extensive coverage with French President Emmanuel Macron[13] getting in contact with Escoffier and Jean Le Cam. He later described the way the boat folded in 90 degrees and the very limited time he had to abandon the ship, and how him carrying a personal AIS beacon helped save his life.[14][15][16]

Results[edit]

Pos. Year Event Class Boat Name Notes Ref.
Round the World Race
DNF 2021 2020–2021 Vendée Globe IMOCA 60 PRB Sank, rescued by Jean Le Cam [17]
1 2018 2017-2018 Volvo Ocean Race Volvo Ocean 65 Dongfeng Race Team [1]
3 2014 2014-2015 Volvo Ocean Race Volvo Ocean 65 Dongfeng Race Team [1]
WR 2012 Jules Verne Trophy Maxi Multi Banque Populaire V New Round the World Record of 45d 13h 42m 53s
Trans Oceanic Race
2 2019 Transat Jacques Vabre IMOCA 60 PRB with Nicolas Lunven [18]
1 2015 Krys Ocean Race MOD 70 Spindrift Transatlantic in 4d 21h 8m at 28 knots [19][20]
WR 2009 Transatlantic sailing record - Banque Populaire V Crew in a time of 3d 15h 25min 48s
1 2005 Transat Jacques Vabre Multi 50 Crêpes Whaou! 2 with Franck-Yves Escoffier
Other Races
5 2020 Vendée-Arctique-Les Sables d'Olonne IMOCA 60 PRB Singlehanded Vendee Qualifier [21]
5 2020 Défi Azimut IMOCA 60 PRB with [22]
2 2019 Défi Azimut with Nicolas Lunven [22]
2 2019 Rolex Fastnet Race IMOCA 60 PRB [23]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "VOR Sailor Profile Page". Volvo Ocean Race Organisers. 2021-01-25.
  2. ^ a b "Meet the Vendée Globe skippers: Kevin Escoffier".
  3. ^ "Kevin Pre 2020 Vendee Race Introduction". 2020-08-29. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  4. ^ "Kevin Escoffier - The Ocean Race". archive.theoceanrace.com. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
  5. ^ "Kevin ESCOFFIER". www.imoca.org.
  6. ^ "French skipper Escoffier faces investigation over sexual misconduct claims". www.france24.com.
  7. ^ "FFV Sailors Database Entry". Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  8. ^ "News - Father Son And The Sea, Escoffier on Escoffier - Vendée Globe - En". www.vendeeglobe.org.
  9. ^ "Kevin ESCOFFIER".
  10. ^ Wollaston, Sam (December 1, 2020). "'Just terrifying': Vendée Globe sailor rescued after yacht breaks in half". The Guardian – via www.theguardian.com.
  11. ^ "Escoffier 'safe and sound' after rescue". BBC Sport.
  12. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Onboard video - Rescue of Kevin ESCOFFIER (PRB) by Jean LE CAM | YES WE CAM! - 01.12 (2). YouTube.
  13. ^ Visio - Emmanuel MACRON, Jean LE CAM & Kevin ESCOFFIER - 02.12. Vendee Globe TV - YouTube. 2020-12-02. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  14. ^ "Kevin Escoffier: 'The boat folded at 90 degrees'". www.yachtsandyachting.com. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  15. ^ "Vendée Globe rescue: Kevin Escoffier on his sinking and recovery". 9 February 2021.
  16. ^ "News - Relieved Escoffier Speaks About His Rescue by Jean le Cam - Vendée Globe - en".
  17. ^ "Ranking - Vendée Globe - en".
  18. ^ https://www.ffvoile.fr/ffv/sportif/ClmtCompetDet.asp?ClId=161561 [bare URL]
  19. ^ "Spindrift Racing wins 2012 Krys Ocean Race | the Daily Sail".
  20. ^ "Spindrift Racing clinches victory at 28 knots average speed across the Atlantic in the Krys Ocean Race for Yann Guichard's team". 2021-02-16. Retrieved 2012-07-12.
  21. ^ https://www.ffvoile.fr/ffv/sportif/ClmtCompetDet.asp?clid=163007 [bare URL]
  22. ^ a b "Standings". www.defi-azimut.net. Archived from the original on 26 December 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  23. ^ "Sailing Results".

External links[edit]

Media related to Kevin Escoffier at Wikimedia Commons


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