The Karver engineer turned Class40 world champion
Guillaume Pirouelle, 32, is a naval engineer at Karver since 2019 (INSA Rennes graduate). Born in Rouen, trained in Le Havre, he designs and tests racing hardware all week — then races on weekends. This dual role is far from anecdotal: it is the exact profile that wins today in Class40.
From 470 junior to Figaro
Multiple European titles in 420 and 470, twice 420 world vice-champion, then 470 youth world champion in 2015 in Thessaloniki with Valentin Sipan. He then moved to crewed one-designs: winner of the 2019 Tour de France à la Voile in Diam 24. The Normandy Region selected him in 2020 to helm the Normandy Region Figaro Beneteau 3.In his first Solitaire du Figaro in 2022, he won the second leg (finish in Royan) and finished 2nd overall
The Le Havre duo on Sogestran – Seafrigo
In 2023, he teamed up with Cédric Château on the Class40 Sogestran – Seafrigo (FRA 197, Sam Manuard Mach 40.5 built by JPS Production). Two Le Havre sailors on a boat backed by two Le Havre groups (Sogestran and Seafrigo): the project’s coherence is not a marketing detail, it is what enables a dense schedule to be maintained without political friction. 2025 season: Class40 world champions. In July 2024, during the Transat Québec – Saint-Malo, the Pirouelle / Loison / Ducelier crew set the Class40 24-hour distance record at 440.2 nautical miles (average 18.34 knots).
Jules Verne Trophy on Sodebo Ultim 3
Thomas Coville included him in the crew of the Sodebo Ultim 3 for the Jules Verne Trophy, starting December 15, 2025. The maxi-trimaran (Coville, Schwartz, Denis, Leboucher, Pirouelle, Troussel, Legrand) completed the circumnavigation in 40 days 10 hours 45 minutes 50 seconds, averaging 29.17 knots over 28,315 nautical miles, and reclaimed the record on January 25, 2026. Switching from Class40 to Ultime in the same winter is the kind of leap entrusted to someone who knows how to read a boat.
Palmarès
- 2026 Jules Verne Trophy (crew member on Sodebo Ultim 3, Coville) — 40 days 10 hours 45 minutes 50 seconds, world record
- 2025 Class40 world champion with Cédric Château on Sogestran – Seafrigo (Mach 40.5 FRA 197)
- Winner Transat Café L'Or 2025 (Le Havre – Fort-de-France) with Cédric Château — 19 days 2 hours 34 minutes, 7 minutes 21 seconds ahead
- Class40 24-hour distance record (July 2024, Transat Québec – Saint-Malo, with Loison and Ducelier): 440.2 nautical miles, average 18.34 knots
- 2nd CIC Normandy Channel Race 2025
- 3rd Les Sables – Horta 2025
- 5th Rolex Fastnet Race 2025
- 2nd Solitaire du Figaro 2022 (winner of Leg 2, finish in Royan) on Région Normandie
- Winner Tour de France à la Voile 2019 in Diam 24
- 2015 470 youth world champion in Thessaloniki with Valentin Sipan
- Multiple European titles in 420 and 470, twice 420 world vice-champion
