© Gitana S.A.
Born 1 December 1959 in Nantes (Loire Atlantique)
Lives in Le Pouliguen
General Manager of the Gitana Team
Son of an oil supertanker captain and younger brother of round-the-world yachtsman Bruno and adventure windsurfer Stéphane, Loïck Peyron has tried his hand at everything in sailing: single-hulled and multi-hulled, Formula 40, Mini Transat, Figaro, Vendée Globe, Orma trimarans, Maxi-catamarans… His expertise, versatility and experience in both Grand Prix and solo events on multi-hulls made him a natural choice for the post of General Manager of the Gitana Team, a role he has occupied since April 2006.
At 18, Loïck Peyron set out on his maiden crossing of the Atlantic in his first mini-Transat on a 6.50m monohull that was barely fit to cross his home bay of La Baule. Nevertheless, the voyage sparked an insatiable passion for sailing solo, whether in a Figaro or multi-hull, as well as racing in a crew, where he progressed from Formula 40 through to match racing. With funds limited, he rediscovered multi-hulls towards the end of his career, reaping the rewards of his endeavours to take to the podium with the ex-Vital, Ker Cadelac, Steinlager and Fujicolor . Carefree and as comfortable in front of a microphone as he is at the card table, Loïck's hobbies include video games, winter sports, rally driving, golf and Kite surf. Loïck Peyron is a sailor of good humour, a man of many talents, he is also an author in his spare time and a committed protector of the environment.
At the helm of Fujicolor II and Fujifilm, the Frenchman amassed trophy after trophy, becoming a two-time winner of the Europe 1 Star, a four-time winner of the Course de l'Europe, and almost untouchable in the Orma Grands Prix. Loïck Peyron missed the 2000 circuit on account of the Fujifilm being under construction and his participation in the round-the-world The Race, and was deeply affected by the loss of his trimaran, pulverised by a ravaging sea during the Route du Rhum 2002. Undeterred, however, he bounced back to help and advise other talented sailors: assisting Jean-Luc Nélias on Belgacom, which would become Gitana 11, during the Transat Jacques Vabre 2003, before switching to monohulls with Jean-Pierre Dick to take the last ever title of this Brazilian transat following a year spent attempting to set up a project for the Americas Cup.
Still looking for new ventures, and always simmering with enthusiasm, Loïck Peyron's appointment in April 2006 has brought the Gitana Team his incredible experience of more than 25 years racing on all types of yacht and in every format. It has also reunited him with a number of former collaborators including Hubert Corfmat et Bernard Pointet. In June, he was named skipper of Gitana 11 during a Grand Prix at Marseille, then Peyron contest the Grand Prix du Portugal and de Fécamp, where he finished in a creditable second place just a few lengths behind Franck Cammas's Groupama-2. With the Multi Cup Championship over, he shared his solo experience with the two skippers from the team who were contesting the Route de Rhum, Lionel Lemonchois and Thierry Duprey du Vorsent. Seven days later, Lionel Lemonchois presented the Gitana Team with its finest ever victory, smashing the existing record to smithereens in the process!
After having overseen all the work carried out in 2006 on Gitana 13 - the ex-Innovation Explorer on which he finished 2nd in The Race in 2001 - Loïck Peyron will also serve as helmsman/navigator aboard the team's new maxi-catamaran as they bid to break several records this year.
An exceptional sailing track record
Orma Championship Record
3rd in Multi Cup 2006
2nd: Grand Prix de Fécamp
2nd: Grand Prix du Portugal
3rd: Grand Prix de Marseille
1st: Championnat 9 TELECOM 2002
Abandoned: Route du Rhum (Fujifilm)
2nd : Grand Prix du Port de Fécamp (Fujifilm)
1st: Grand Prix de Belgique (Fujifilm)
1st : Course des Phares - Calais - Calais (Fujifilm)
2nd : Grand Prix du Pays de Lorient (Fujifilm)
5th : Championnat 9 TELECOM 2001
3rd : Transat Jacques Vabre (Fujifilm)
8th : GP du Port de Fécamp (Fujifilm)
3rd : GP de Cagliari (Fujifilm)
6th : GP du Cap d'Agde (Fujifilm)
Missed Championnat Orma-9 TELECOM 2000
1st : Championnat Orma 1999
1st: GP de Vendée (Fujicolor II)
1st: GP de Marseille (Fujicolor II)
1st: Course de l'Europe (Fujicolor II)
1st: Fastnet Race (Fujicolor II)
2nd: GP du Port de Fécamp (Fujicolor II)
1st: Transat Jacques Vabre (Fujicolor II)
2nd: Championnat Orma 1998
1st: GP de Vendée (Fujicolor II)
1st: Course des Phares (Fujicolor II)
1st: GP de La Trinité/mer (Fujicolor II)
1st: GP de Royan (Fujicolor II)
5th : Route du Rhum (Fujicolor II)
1st: Championnat Orma 1997
1st: GP du Port de Fécamp (Fujicolor II)
1st: Course de l'Europe (Fujicolor II)
1st: GP de La Trinité/mer (Fujicolor II)
3rd : Transat Jacques Vabre (Fujicolor II)
1st: Championnat Orma 1996
2nd: GP de Brest (Fujicolor II)
1st: GP du Port de Fécamp (Fujicolor II)
1st: Europe 1 Star (Fujicolor II)
1st: Québec - Saint-Malo (Fujicolor II)
1st: GP de La Trinité/mer (Fujicolor II)
Sailing honours
Transat Jacques Vabre 2005: 1st on Virbac-Paprec with Jean-Pierre Dick
Bol d'or 2005: on OKALYS D 35
Transat Jacques Vabre 2003: 2nd on Belgacom with Jean-Luc Nélias
Transat Jacques Vabre 2001: 3rd on Fujifilm
The Race 2000-2001: 2nd on Innovations Explorer
Transat Jacques Vabre 1999: 1st on Fujicolor II
Course de l'Europe 1999: 1st on Fujicolor II
Route du Rhum 1998: 5th on Fujicolor II
Course de Phares 1998: 1st on Fujicolor II
Transat Jacques Vabre 1997: 3rd on Fujicolor II
Course de l'Europe 1997: 1st on Fujicolor II
Québec - Saint-Malo 1996: 1st on Fujicolor II
Europe 1 Star 1996: 1st on Fujicolor II
Course de l'Europe 1995: 1st on Fujicolor II
Twostar 1994 : 2nd on Fujicolor II
Transat Jacques Vabre 1993: 3rd single-hull on Fujicolor III
Course de l'Europe 1993: 1st on Fujicolor II
Europe 1 Star 1992: 1st on Fujicolor II
Vendée Globe 1990-1991: 2nd on Lada Poch III
Lorient - Saint Barth - Lorient 1989: 1st on Lada Poch III
Québec - Saint-Malo 1988: 2nd on Lada Poch II
C-Star 1988 : 3rd on Lada Poch II
La Baule - Dakar 1987: 1st on Lada Poch II
GP de Boulogne (Formule 40) 1987: 4th on Lada Poch
Route du Rhum 1986: 5th on Lada Poch I
Solitaire du Figaro 1986: 4th on Lada Poch
Tour de l'Europe 1985: 1st on Lada Poch I (Class III)
Québec - Saint-Malo 1984: 5th with Mike Birch on Formule TAG
La Baule - Dakar 1983: 4th on Lada Poch I
Lorient - Les Bermudes - Lorient 1983: 5th on Transat TAG Québec
Route du Rhum 1982: 17th on La Baule-Teletota
La Rochelle - New Orleans 1982: 9th with Bruno Peyron on Jaz
La Baule - Dakar 1981: 21st on Accoustique HRC
Mini Transat 1979: 26th on Sogeport-Alcor
