Team

Sailing Team

Benjamin Dutreux

Raised on the Île d’Yeu in the Atlantic, a passionate sailor, a materials technician in the yacht building industry, a committed campaigner for marine conservation: Benjamin Dutreux is a maritime enthusiast. The 32-year-old learned to sail from his grandfather, competed in his first regattas as a teenager and advanced to the French national squad. In his student days, he switched from beach catamarans to match racers and eventually discovered his passion for offshore sailing. In 2015 to 2018, he sailed in the French stage race Solitaire du Figaro. He made a splash in his first participation in the Vendée Globe, finishing ninth in January 2021. Shortly after, he was hired by Offshore Team Germany and was part of the winning team in The Ocean Race Europe.

Robert Stanjek

The son of a successful sailing and rowing family, Robert Stanjek lays the foundation for a career as an Olympic sailor at Yachtclub Berlin-Grünau, one of Germany’s most successful sailing clubs. Stanjek opts for the Star boat, becomes European champion in 2008, and is named Germany’s Sailor of the Year in 2011. In 2012, he sails to sixth place at the Olympic Games, and finally crowns himself Starboat World Champion in 2014. With the Olympic retirement for the Starboat, the now 41-year-old switches to offshore sailing, completes the training for the Volvo Ocean Race 2014/15 in the Dutch “Team Brunel”. The chance to sail once around the world becomes his passion. Consistently, he builds a campaign with Jens Kuphal and opened the door to participate in The Ocean Race.

Annie Lush

Olympic competitor, two-time circumnavigator and four-time match race world champion: Annie Lush is a prime example of an all-rounder in sailing – but not just sailing. Born in Poole on the south coast of England, the 42-year-old also won the famous rowing race against Oxford University during her university days in Cambridge. But sailing is where all her passion lies. In 2004 she became match race world champion for the first time and in 2012 she was able to participate in the Olympic Games in her home country Great Britain. She then switched to offshore sailing, taking part in two Volvo Ocean Races. In 2014/15, she was part of Team SCA, the first all-female team to win a leg of the Ocean Race. In the 2017/18 edition, she sailed with Team Brunel and is now aiming for her third world race.

Phillip Kasüke

As 2016 Junior World Champion and 2020 German Champion in the Finn Dinghy, Phillip Kasüske was considered one of Germany’s hopeful Olympic talents. But after the Corona Shutdown, the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics and the elimination of the Finn Dinghy for the Olympic future, the 28-year-old Berliner has realigned his focus. The powerhouse focused entirely on sailing, was part of the winning team in The Ocean Race Europe. Kasüske is characterized by a special combination of sensitivity and power. On board the Imoca, the passionate cyclist not only brings the necessary horsepower to the grinder. The youngest member of the sailing team can also take the helm when it counts thanks to his experience in Olympic sailing.

Sébastien Simon

Raised in the Vendée department and brought to sailing by his father, Sébastien Simon began racing in the Optimist, winning World Championship bronze in the 420 in 2013. In the same year, he prevailed in the CMB selection process. This success secured his participation in the Figaro Circuit. A distinction he repaid when he won the La Solitaire URGO Le Figaro in 2018. In 2020/21, he competed in his first Vendée Globe. After 25 days of racing, he participated in the rescue search for missing Kevin Escoffier. Shortly after, he himself had to abandon the race with damage to the foils. In Team Guyot Environnement – Team Europe, the 32-year-old joins his good friend Benjamin Dutreux, with whom he once shared university accommodation in Nantes.
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Támara Echegoyen

The sailing vita of 38-year-old Támara Echegoyen is filled to the brim with the highest successes. The Spaniard brings Olympic Gold Glory, World Championship titles and Ocean Race experience to Guyot Environnement – Team Europe. The highlight of her sailing career to date has been the 2012 Olympics, when Echegoyen won the gold medal in match racing off Weymouth. Among her opponents was her current teammate Annie Lush. After that, the Spaniard raced on several tracks: In the 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race she was part of the strong Spanish Mapfre team, and in the skiff she developed into an outstanding athlete. In 2016 and 2020 she became 49erFX World Champion, and at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo she narrowly missed the podium in fourth place.
Anne-Claire joins the GUYOT environnement - Team Europe. Gauthier Lebec / GUYOT environnement - Team Europe

Anne-Claire le Berre

Anne-Claire Le Berre, the 40-year-old Frenchwoman, joined the crew squad earlier this year. The mother of two boys was born in Brest, lives in the French Imoca stronghold of Lorient, has been sailing since the age of seven and switched to yachting ten years ago after Olympic ambitions in the 470 (2000-2004), yngling (2008) and match racing (2012).
She also knows her way around the high-performance Imoca class racers. In 2014, she joined the yacht designers at Finot-Conq, working for Initiatives Coeur’s Imoca campaigns – most recently as project manager for Sam Davies. She has already completed two transatlantic crossings with Imocas, and also sailed to third place in the 2021 Mini Transat. Le Berre will take over the pit job and add to the ranks of strong women on board.

Charles Drapeau

25-year-old Charles Drapeau combines two passions with his job as Onboard Reporter for GUYOT environnement – Team Europe: sailing and videography. The Frenchman has been sailing on various boats since he was ten years old and has celebrated successes in yacht regattas on the French Atlantic coast. For five years, Charles Drapeau has been staging sailing as a media man and has already received awards for his work. He has been closely associated with skipper Benjamin Dutreux since the Vendée Globe 2020/21. With his great understanding of sailing on Imoca Open 60, his technical expertise due to his engineering studies and his experience with the crew during the return of the yacht from Guadeloupe across the Atlantic to Spain, Charles Drapeau will find the right angle to capture the most emotional moments on board.

Management Team

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Jens Kuphal

Years of experience in team and production management, together with an unrelenting passion for ocean sailing, allow Jens Kuphal to create the necessary framework and structures for Offshore Team Germany’s long-term success.

With the victory in The Ocean Race Europe, the partnership grew with Benjamin Dutreux, so that he now leads Team GUYOT environnement – Team Europe into The Ocean Race together with Alice Potiron.

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Alice Potiron

For Alice Potiron, being involved in the team is not just a sailing campaign, it’s a family affair. Because the 31-year-old has dedicated her life with her husband Thomas and her son Gustave entirely to traveling with the team. She occupies a central position in the team management, holds the strings of the organization in her hands and coordinates the activities of the communication as director of the Comms Team. She has already been at Benjamin Dutreux’s side for six years in the organization of his sailing campaign.

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Marion Cardon

Marion Cardon joined the team because of her great passion for any kind of sport – even without a sailing background. The 39-year-old from Concarneau in Brittany is a graduate expert in marketing and event management and dived into the Ocean Race world in 2006 through her involvement with Multicup. She has been associated with sailing on the marketing side for 16 years. In 2020, she managed the Vendée Globe campaign of Sébastien Simon, and when Simon was hired by GUYOT environnement – Team Europe, Marion Cardon also joined the team.

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Ludger Gawlitta

Ludger Gawlitta, joined the team in August 2022 and brings his experience as Operational Manager. His focus is to manage all logistics – from transportation and base setup to flight bookings for the team. “I like crazy people, so I like this team,” says the 47-year-old.

Technical Team

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Thomas Cardrin

Former training partner and competitor at La Solitaire du Figaro, since the preparation for the Vendée Globe 2020/21 firmly at the side of Benjamin Dutreux: Thomas Cardrin built up the first racer for Dutreux, leads the Tech team and now manages it after the purchase of the former “Hugo Boss 6” with a dedicated crew, small budget and a lot of work that the team goes to the start of The Ocean Races. The goal of the 35-year-old is the second participation of Benjamin Dutreux in the Vendée Globe in 2024/25.

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Jimmy le Baut

Jimmy Le Baut is a French professional sailor and skipper, who just celebrated his 50th birthday. Born in Nantes, he now lives in Les Sables d’Olonne. In November 2022, he takes over the role as the Boat Captain for the GUYOT environnement – Team Europe yacht. He now brings his expertise from different boat classes to the care of this Imoca.

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Jean-Noël Souchet

Jean Noel Souchet brings a lot of boatbuilding experience to the team. He has worked on former America’s Cupper and has been part of the Tech Team since October 2022, and his expertise in composite boatbuilding is much needed at an Imoca. The Frenchman celebrates his 55th birthday on the start day of The Ocean Race.

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Axel Levesque

Axel Levesque has been part of the Tech Team since Benjamin Dutreux’s first Vendée Globe campaign. The rigging and fitting specialist is the master of 2 km of ropes on board. He loves the atmosphere of the team members, who all have the same mind-set and love to work with the racing boat. A point that must be said about the 26-year-old Frenchman from his point of view: He loves pizza!

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Tristan Estèves

Tristan Estèves comes from Les Sables d’Olonne – from the Vendée region. The boat builder joined the team a year ago and loves working in this young, ambitious and dynamic team. Over the past few months, the 27-year-old has put in a lot of work helping to build the yacht after its purchase.

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Pierre Boulbin

Foiling boats are the great passion of Pierre Boulbin. This allows the 25-year-old to transfer his experience from the fast 69F boats and the 26-foot foiling catamarans ETF26 to this campaign, in which he has been involved in composite boatbuilding for a year. He has extensive experience with the processing of carbon parts.

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Mateo Le Calvic

Mateo Le Calvic is one of the young guys in the technical team. The junior boat builder, in addition to the campaign for The Ocean Race, is also pursuing his own career, has a project underway for the Mini Transat.

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Clovis Gautier

At just 23 years old, Clauvis Gautier is already a graduate internship engineer who has been putting his academic expertise directly to work on one of the highest performing boat classes. He joined the team in September 2022. 

Logistic and Hospitality

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Mathilde Tredaniel

Mathilde Tredaniel, 31 years old, has been part of the team since October 2022 and makes daily life on board a little easier by making mattresses, but also other accessories for the yacht like foils covers, rudder covers and other stuff.

During the race she also acts as hospitality manager and helps with logistics. Helping each other and sharing moments in the team are the things that drive her.

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Belinda Jane Robinson

Belinda Jane Robinson joined the team only in December and has been warmly welcomed. As a chef, the Scot makes sure that the mood gets into shape several times a day. At 54, there are few places in the world that Belinda has not sailed. With GUYOT environnement – Team Europe she has found one of her nicest jobs yet.

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Carolin Schaaff

As support for the logistics part – especially the accommodation of the team – Carolin Schaaff joined the team in December 2022. The 23-year-old from Berlin is thrilled by the amazing people excelling at their sport and the passionate team working hard behind the scenes. 

Communication Team

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Felix Diemer

Felix Diemer presents sailing seasons in collaborations with magazines, events and professional teams from around the world. He is there to document the success of crews, and the emotional highs and lows during their campaigns. Since 2016, Felix has been based in London and continues to operate from the UK’s capital as a freelance photographer and photojournalist. However, as a passionate sailor himself, he is always happiest when spending time on the water, either sailing or photographing.

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Gauthier Lebec

Starting the race, Gauthier Lebec joins the team as the second Onboard reporter. The 29-year-old comes from Baie de Quiberon – La Trinité sur Mer, masters photography and videography especially in offshore sailing.

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Zoé Chauvineau

The 22-year-old Zoé Chavineau comes from the Vendée region and has been part of the team for a year and a half. Within the communications team, she has taken on the role of social media manager.

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Aurélie Denieul

Born near St. Malo, 24-year-old Aurelie Denieul joined the communications team in November 2022. There, she takes care of content production herself and assumes the role of community manager

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Clara Piacentini

Clara Piacentini has been part of the team since the yacht arrived in Alicante. The 22-year-old comes from Corsica and has the role of community manager in team communications.

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