Bretagne Sailing Valley took over the Bourse ferry terminal in the “Cité Corsaire,” on the sidelines of the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe, for a morning dedicated to the younger generation and the appeal of careers in competitive sailing.

Kicked off by Anne GALLO-KERLEAU (Vice President of the Brittany Region) and Marion BOUVET (Deputy Mayor for Sports in the City of Saint-Malo), the discussions explored the relationship between young people and our industry through three captivating roundtable discussions.

Skipper Kieran Le Borgne’s Unconventional Journey

Ahead of the roundtable discussions, young skipper Kieran Le Borgne reflected on his journey—an unconventional one that took him from kitesurfing to ocean racing via a career shift into composite materials, followed by the completion of projects to renovate abandoned boats.

Already having gained his first Class40 experience during the 2022 edition, Kieran is returning this time for the 2026 Route du Rhum with a project named Aïto, driven by the values of simplicity and mentorship. At the heart of this adventure is a boat with an exceptional pedigree: a legendary IMOCA, the only one in the world to have won the Vendée Globe twice, but which has spent the last thirteen years abandoned in the port of Brest.

The current project is therefore driven by a focus on recycling and sustainability, which has won over partners such as Armor Lux and Le Finistère. This project opens up new possibilities for the future of vintage boats in ocean racing and offers young people a different path to follow.

Is ocean sailing accessible to young people?

The panelists—skippers Tom Goron and Sophie Faguet, as well as Boris Javayon from the SNBSM—have very different backgrounds (young high-performing sailors who quickly secured sponsorship versus a more gradual path involving studies and competitions alongside sailing) but agree that success depends heavily on an individual’s ability to reach out to their network and learn on the job. Young people’s access to ocean racing remains challenging, primarily for financial reasons (high cost of competition, lack of training in project development and sponsor acquisition) and structural reasons (a drop-off in participation around age 17, few dedicated federal programs compared to dinghy sailing, and a focus on individual rather than collective projects).

Stakeholders have identified several key strategies :

The key role of an initial supporter or sponsor in launching a young talent
The value of creating bridges between dinghy sailing and cruising/IRC sailing to allow young people to sail on existing boats, and to foster intergenerational connections and the transfer of expertise
The importance of equipping young people with non-athletic skills (communication, budget management, proposal writing).
The development of models based on the shared use of nautical resources, hangar space, accounting, and communications, enabling multiple projects to grow together. A combination of initial public support and long-term sustainability through private funding.

Conférence Jeunesse et course au large industrie

The professional integration of young people into the ocean racing sector, the industry’s recruitment challenges, and the importance of environmental concerns among younger generations.

A lively roundtable discussion with Yann Penfornis (Multiplast), Guillaume ARNAULD of the LIONS (Federation of Nautical Industries), and engineers Lola Danioux (VPLP Design) and Margot Pelet (MerConcept).

When it comes to career integration, the ocean racing sector is still subject to a few specific characteristics that are important to understand:

Passion and a degree are considered important but not always sufficient: hiring needs depend heavily on the project lifecycle (e.g., IMOCA projects are four-year campaigns, with greater needs during the project and boat design phases than at the end of the cycle).
The sector is seen as cyclical, with a strong emphasis on networking: “You have to meet the right people at the right time.” Job postings do exist, but word of mouth and personal connections play a key role.

The roundtable discussion highlighted:

a persistent disconnect between the very positive image that sailing and ocean racing project to young people and the actual lack of awareness regarding the technical professions that make up this sector;
well-documented recruitment challenges in certain roles (composite technicians, electricians/electronics technicians, maintenance and repair technicians, etc.);
a growing professionalization of the ocean racing sector, with a gradual standardization of working conditions and compensation—which are still perceived as lagging behind those of other comparable industrial sectors (defense, energy);
a genuine and growing awareness among younger generations of environmental issues, which is gradually becoming a factor in choosing an employer, although it is not always the primary concern expressed upfront;

Discover the “Équipe Nautique Recrute” program, which aims to inform and attract young people to sustainable jobs in the industry.

Conférence Jeunesse Course au large voies royales

Pathways to Ocean Sailing

What are the paths to joining Sailing Valley? A multi-perspective look at the career paths and skills of the future with Adrien Perrault (Brest Bretagne Nautisme), Bastien Seantier (Université Bretagne Sud), and skipper Samantha Davies.

This roundtable discussion provided an overview of the various paths to ocean racing, whether academic (programs ranging from two-year post-secondary degrees to doctoral programs at institutions such as ENSTA Bretagne, Université Bretagne Sud, INB, etc.), athletic (Olympic training programs, clubs, and springboards), or professional (internships and direct recruitment by teams).

The speakers agreed that there is no single “royal road”: the sector remains accessible through multiple and varied paths, but passion and personal motivation are key factors—sometimes more so than degrees alone—for successfully entering the field.

The new ocean racing hub project led by Brest Bretagne Nautisme in Brest, as well as the new investment by the Brittany Region and EDEIS to strengthen the sailing and ocean racing hub in Saint-Malo, appear to be initiatives bringing a breath of fresh air, aimed at creating new stepping stones between traditional sports pathways and involvement in ocean racing, accompanied by a strong economic, social, and environmental dimensions.

Liste non exhaustive de formations académiques en Bretagne qui permettent de travailler dans la course au large et le nautisme :

A non-exhaustive list of academic courses in Brittany that lead to careers in ocean racing and sailing:

Master’s in Eco-Design of Polymers and Composites – University of South Brittany

Master’s in Mechanical Engineering and Materials – University of South Brittany

Master’s in Marine Engineering – University of South Brittany

Master’s in Mechanics, Materials, Civil Engineering and Mechatronics – University of South Brittany

Master’s in Embedded Systems / Integrated Systems – University of South Brittany

Professional Bachelor’s Degree in Shipbuilding and Ship Industry Professions – University of South Brittany

Professional Bachelor’s Degree in Maritime Professions: Water Sports and Recreational Boating Specialisation – University of South Brittany

Specialised Master’s in Marine Engineering / Naval and Offshore Architecture – ENSTA

Engineering Programme in ‘Embedded Systems’, via apprenticeship – Ensta

Engineering Programme in Mechanical Design, via apprenticeship – Ensta