In the world of offshore racing, innovation often goes hand in hand with the construction of ever more technologically advanced new boats. Yet, at 27, Brest-based skipper Kieran Le Borgne has chosen to buck this trend for his next major challenge: the 2026 Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe in the Vintage Mono category.
Already boasting a first experience in Class40 during the 2022 edition, Kieran returns this time with a project called Aïto, driven by values of simplicity and passing on knowledge. At the heart of this adventure is a boat with an exceptional pedigree: a legendary IMOCA, unique in the world for having won the Vendée Globe twice, but which has spent the last thirteen years abandoned in the port of Brest.
Honoring the past to commit to the future
Can you present your project?
Kieran: So, the project we called Aïto is about restoring a former IMOCA, the only one to have won the Vendée Globe twice. It's a pretty legendary boat that was abandoned for over 13 years in Brest, at the Château marina. Ever since I was young, I've seen this boat lying around, rotting away near my home. We'd been thinking about getting it for several years, and we finally had the opportunity. We're restoring the boat to get it back in the water and show that it has potential. Our project is the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe with this legendary boat.
Why did you choose this particular boat?
Kieran: It's a boat I grew attached to because I saw it almost every day. Its history is legendary: there's only one boat in the world that has won the Vendée Globe twice. It's a superb build, a simple yet high-performance hull that incorporated many innovations for its time. We don't regret this choice at all.
Where are you currently in the renovation process?
Kieran: There's still a huge amount to do. The boat was abandoned for half its life (it's from 2000 and spent 13 years laid up). It was practically a wreck. We took it out of the water, removed everything on board, and now it's just a bare hull. We've finished the repairs and are currently finishing sanding and painting it. The next step is to completely refit it. The advantage is that we'll know it inside and out. At the same time, we're also looking for partners and sponsors.
A collective and human adventure
You use plurals a lot ("one"). Who makes up your team?
Kieran: We put this project together as a group. There's my father (Jean-Jacques Le Borgne), with whom I sailed the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe four years ago, and who is the core of the project. There's also my former boat preparer, who is now fully committed to the project, and a former company director who is a shareholder. We're a core group of four people, plus one or two boat preparers and lots of volunteers who come to lend a hand whenever they can at the shipyard.
© Sylvie Beekandt
What message do you want to convey through Aïto?
Kieran: We're really focusing on a message of reuse, resource efficiency, and recycling. We want to show that you can create beautiful projects with old hulls that still perform very well. It's also a project open to the public through volunteers, and we hope to get as many people sailing as possible once the boat is in the water. The more we use what already exists, the less we produce, and the better we protect the ocean.
The report on the Route du Rhum 2026 - Destination Guadeloupe
You already did the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe in 2022. What does this race represent for you?
Kieran: For me, it's a legendary race, the one that represents French, even world, offshore racing since I was a kid. It was the first race start I ever witnessed. My memory from four years ago is very moving: the atmosphere in Saint-Malo, the crowds... And then the race itself was grueling but incredible. It was my first major solo race and my first solo transatlantic crossing. Arriving in Guadeloupe after that is magical.
The preparation
At 27, you're one of the youngest to participate in this race. How are you preparing?
Kieran: I place enormous importance on the technical aspects and preparation of the boat. For me, when you're alone in the middle of the Atlantic, the most important thing is to know your boat inside and out to reach the finish line and perform well. So I spend a lot of time in the boatyard. Besides that, I do a lot of sports (ice hockey in particular) and I'm starting my mental preparation.
What are the next steps before the big departure?
Kieran: I'd like to do the Dhream Cup in July. It would serve as a qualifier for the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe and would allow me to validate the boat in solo conditions. Everything will depend on the refit schedule. Whatever happens, we'll have two phases: a crewed phase to stabilize and understand the boat, then a solo racing phase to prepare myself.