PORTRAIT OF THE WINNER Before this Tuesday—and the joy of crossing the finish line in Pointe-à-Pitre—Corentin Horeau had already realized one of his dreams: winning the Solitaire du Figaro. That was in September 2023, a hard-fought victory which came after years of trying and many disappointments.
Indeed after finishing a frustrating second to Jérémie Beyou in 2014 he more or less stood down from the solo multi stage race. But after five years sailing many different craft including on the Sodebo Ultim with Thomas Coville, on Spindrif the giant tri, on Diam 24s sports trimarans he came back to La Soliataire with renewed vigour and a sponsor..
After sailing everything including a Trophée Jules Verne attempt with Spindrift to winning the Tour Voile on the Diam 24 Lorina Limonade with the Mourniac brothers and Kevin Pepponet, Horeau had returned to the Figaro a more mature and a more rounded sailor but the results did not come as he hoped, finishing eighth in 2021 and in 2022, 13th. But he clinched the title in Piriac-sur-Mer finally realised his first dream on his seventh attempt.
In 2023 he had marked himself out as a favourite by winning the early season Maitre Coq race. But suddenly his sponsor withdrew. Banque Populaire stepped in and with their support, one thing he later said made a difference, was a sports psychologist who helped him smooth out his emotional ups and downs.
His nearest title rival for the title was none other than Basile Bourgnon (Edenred) who he passed on the last leg to win, Horeau’s winning margin over Bourgnon was 10 mins 52 secs.
Now three years later, following an unforgiving Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe, it was one small, simple move – backing himself – that made the difference. It was by being aggressive, proactive, and bold that Corentin made the difference—and that is fitting, as this Route du Rhum serves as the perfect illustration of who he truly is. “At sea, he turns into an animal—someone with real grit.” (Bonafous)
Tenacious C
In one word Ireland’s Tom Dolan who had won the first stage of that 2023 La Solitaire into Kinsale, describes ‘Coco’: “Tenacious” “He is a lean, mean sailing machine. He never sits still on a boat, he is always trimming and looking for speed. Like Tom Laperche he is a very good allround sailor"
Élodie Bonafous (Association Petits Princes – Quéguiner) competed in a double-handed transatlantic race with Corentin in 2021, finishing 7th. Despite being focused on her own race, she took a moment to talk about her “very good friend.” “He’s a great guy,” Élodie shares. “But at sea, he turns into an animal—someone with grit, a hunger to win, extreme motivation, and a drive to always push beyond his own limits.”
A few days ago, Baptiste Hulin—aboard his Ocean Fifty, Viabilis Oceans—saw the MACSF “rocket” come charging up in his wake. The two skippers know each other well; they sailed a transatlantic race together, the Route des Terres-Neuvas, in the summer of 2024 (finishing 2nd). “When Corentin joined, he threw himself into the project as if it were his own,” Baptiste recalls. He, too, highlights Corentin’s “ability to never give up” and his willingness to “give everything for the sake of performance.” “He’s always fully dialed in, yet he’s also someone who’s constantly in a good mood and loves to have a laugh.” Baptiste adds, “He’s someone who truly stands out and is a great source of inspiration to me.” Yoann Richomme, who sailed with him last year, echoes this sentiment: “He’s a funny, kind guy—always in a good mood, with a positive energy that’s truly infectious.”
For Corentin, a career in offshore racing was, quite simply, a natural calling. His father, Michel, competed in the 1977–1978 Whitbread Round the World Race and worked for offshore racing teams, including that of Laurent Bourgnon. His mother raced aboard Gauloises III—a 20-meter sloop and a legendary vessel. His uncle, Denis Horeau, was a renowned race director, notably for the Vendée Globe and the Solitaire du Figaro.
Meanwhile, the backdrop for his childhood was already set: La Trinité-sur-Mer, the atmosphere of offshore racing along the docks, and "the great trimarans I could see from my window." "I was immersed in offshore racing from a very young age," he says, with characteristic modesty. In his teenage bedroom, there were posters of sailors. "I was a big fan of Alain Gautier’s Foncia, as well as Franck Cammas and Loïck Peyron—who was the major star of that era," he recounted. "We used to try and snag little autographs on our dinghy life jackets."
The Figaro: A Stepping Stone to the Top
In his youth, his passion for sailing went hand in hand with a love for football. There were matches every lunchtime at school, played with such intensity that "the teacher we had at 2:00 p.m. would tear into us because we’d show up drenched in sweat." Later, he attended the Merchant Navy academy in Saint-Malo—qualifying as an Officer in charge of the engineering watch—while simultaneously competing in a succession of sailing events. These included the Spi Ouest-France and the Tour Voile, followed by the Challenge Espoir (Young Hopefuls Challenge) organized by the Brittany Region and CMB, which opened the door for him to the Figaro circuit. He follows in the footsteps of sailors like François Gabart and Anthony Marchand, and now finds himself competing against major names such as Jérémie Beyou, Yann Eliès, and Charlie Dalin.
Then came a long period of learning and countless hours spent at sea. Corentin possesses both energy and talent; hard work and dedication gradually provided the rest. He is the type of person who never sought to skip steps. The Breton sailor honed his skills primarily in the Figaro class before setting his sights on bigger challenges. It is this level of commitment that led MACSF to entrust him with the helm of their new project. Here, too, Corentin insisted on a gradual approach, spending a year working alongside Yoann Richomme to get to grips with his boat—the former Paprec Arkéa.
"He’s a fantastic team player, a great personality, and someone who adapts exceptionally well," says Yoann, who also highlights "a wonderful story of passing the torch with MACSF."
Sailing alongside Yoann, Corentin finished second in The Ocean Race Europe last summer—a crash course in offshore racing between Kiel and Montenegro. Despite his positive mindset and self-sacrifice, Corentin had yet to see any real success in the IMOCA class. There was a collision with a buoy at the start of the Transat Café L’Or last year (finishing 10th), followed by a broken chainplate during the Vendée Arctique this past June (forcing his retirement). Like all top-tier athletes—and, incidentally, like a true PSG fan—"Coco" knew that his luck would eventually turn. And it happened at the perfect moment: during the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe.
Corentin Horeau’s competitive record:
2012: 3rd (rookie category) in the French Offshore Racing Championship
2014: 3rd in the French Offshore Racing Championship
2018: 1st in the Tour Voile
2023: 1st in the Solitaire du Figaro; 3rd in the Transat Paprec (Figaro class)
2025: 2nd in The Ocean Race Europe (IMOCA Arkéa Paprec)
2026: Winner of the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe (IMOCA MACSF)