THE BOAT

PORTRAIT

In 1993, for the first Transat Jacques Vabre solo race; Parlier, Peyron and Gautier were among the starting monohull skippers. And so was a young yachtsman sporting a classic haircut who, at the age of 21, was sailing across the Atlantic for the first time on Maitre Coq and who eventually finished the race despite major water ingress. The other competitors praised the exceptional tenacity of the young skipper – who had just had his first taste of offshore sailing – but few of them realized that Riou would win the Vendee Globe some years later thanks to his immense talent.

« Vincent the Terrible », only former winner

At the age of 40, Vincent Riou has become one of the most symbolic figures of the Vendee Globe. His history in that race started in 2000 with his first circumnavigation… on dry land. Riou was then in charge of preparing Michel Desjoyeaux’s PRB and greatly contributed to the Vendee boat’s final victory. The sponsor then chose to trust the young, discreet and gifted man with their monohull for the 2004 edition.

The Brittany-born yachtsman won the race on his very first participation after an epic fight with Jean Le Cam, finishing only seven hours ahead of Le Cam, who called him “Vincent the Terrible”, a nickname that is not unlike the name of a nuclear submarine. Riou then started working on the construction of a new monohull on which he competed in the 2008 – 2009 Vendee Globe. After 57 days at sea, his path once again crossed Jean Le Cam’s as Le Cam capsised off Cape Horn and was finally rescued by Vincent, who damaged his rigging in the process. The mast held on for a few hours but eventually broke before the boat could reach Tierra del Fuego. Riou had to retire but the jury decided to grant him the third place of the race. He is the only former Vendee Globe winner to race in the 2012-2013 edition.

WINS AND PERFORMANCES

2012
Winner of the Europa Warm’Up

2011
Winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race 
Winner of the Artemis Challenge
3rd place in the Transat B to B

2010
2nd place in the Tour of Spain
5th place in the Route du Rhum

2009
7th place in the Transat Jacques Vabre (with A. Boissières)
3rd place in the Vendée Globe
Winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race
Winner of the Calais Round Britain Race

2005
Yachtsman of the year

2004
Winner of the Vendée Globe


2003
Winner of the Calais Round Britain Race
2nd place in the Rolex Fastnet Race
4th place in the Transat Jacques Vabre (with J. Beyou)