A highly-regarded sailor in the French offshore racing scene, Richomme’s recent victories include the 2018 Route du Rhum and his second La Solitaire du Figaro triumph in June 2019 – an absolutely incredible feat.
Richomme started his career in crew racing while studying naval architecture at the University of Southampton. He raced with a student team in the Tour de France à la voile for the four years of his study before returning to his native France.
Moving to Lorient, the spiritual home of French ocean racing, Richomme fully immersed himself in the culture of French offshore racing, which has produced legends of the sport including Eric Tabarly, Loïck Peyron, Jérémie Beyou, and previous Ocean Race winners Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier.
Since taking over the helm, Yoann has been leading a number of sailor trials, offshore training sessions and two victorious regattas to select his crew for the inaugural edition of The Ocean Race Europe.
About
Role
Skipper
Nationality
French
Date of birth
12 July 1983
Languages
French, English.
Sailing career highlights
Winner Solitaire du Figaro (2019)
Winner Route du Rhum, Class40 (2018)
Winner Solitaire du Figaro (2016)
Yoann on his crew
I am really proud of the crew we have assembled. For quite a young team we have a lot of experience - many of the sailors that have already competed in The Ocean Race are still under 30 years old.
As a team we fit in really well together. We have completed a number of training and racing sessions that have gone really well and I’m looking forward to putting this team under pressure in a bigger racing environment on an international stage.
It is a real pleasure to race with all of them and I’m really proud of the campaign we are building and the atmosphere on the boat. That makes for a very motivated and effective team and I can’t wait to get to the start line this summer for The Ocean Race Europe.
Q&A
What was your first sailing memory?
Sailing as a child during the summers in Brittany.
Who inspires you?
I am inspired by Laurent Bourgnon, Frank Cammas and my crew mate and long-time friend Nicolas Lunven
What is your favourite food?
It will be no surprise as a sailor that I love to eat fresh seafood wherever I go.
What items do you always take with you when you go sailing?
I always take my headphones as I really like to listen to podcasts about all kinds of topics while I sail.
What hobbies do you have when not sailing?
I like woodworking. As a sailor, even when I'm out of the water, I like to use my hands and it is satisfying to create something.
Give us an example of a sustainable attitude to life - what do you do for a better world?
Simple habits in the home can make a big difference. Turn off lights, recycle and make good decisions about the things you are buying, so that they are useful and will last a long time.
What advice would you give to young sailors to protect our planet?
Our sport has the change to be one of the cleanest in the world, using just the power of nature. As sailors, we have a responsibilty to inspire people to preserve our planet before we lose it.
Next race: The Ocean Race Europe
The Ocean Race Europe will be a great event. A race around Europe is always a great impact and means a lot to all of us. We will be racing against some of the best teams in the world and sharing our message 'Racing for the Planet' everywhere we go.