Twenty-two years with Team Actual, from the Mini 6.50 to the Ultime
Yves Le Blévec sailed under Actual’s colors from 2001 to 2023 without ever changing teams. He competed across all offshore racing classes during this period: Mini 6.50 in his early days at 35, Multi50 in the 2000s–2010s, then Ultime from 2016 onward. A longevity with a single team without equivalent in the sport.
From the Mini-Transat to ocean racing
Born on July 15, 1965 in Palaiseau, he switched late to offshore racing: his first Mini-Transat was in 2001, at age 35. The same year, he won the Transgascogne 6.50 in prototype class.
Between these two events, he sailed as crew on Bruno Peyron’s maxi-catamarans: Orange in 2002 (Jules Verne Trophy in 64d 8h 37min, crewed round-the-world record at the time), then Orange II in 2005 (50d 16h 20min). Not skipper on these records, he was crew—one of the thirteen.
Multi50 Actual: the decade of reference
On the Multi50 trimaran in Actual colors, this was the densest period of his career. Transat Québec-Saint-Malo in 2008 with Franck-Yves Escoffier, triple Grand Prix de Douarnenez + Tour de Belle-Île + Vendée-Saint-Petersburg in 2010, Transat Jacques Vabre 2011 with Samuel Manuard. He finished 4th in the 2014 Route du Rhum in Multi50, then switched to Ultime two years later.
The knockdown at Cape Horn
In 2016 he moved to Ultime Actual and finished 3rd in his first singlehanded Transat. The following year, he attempted the solo round-the-world record the wrong way (east to west). On the night of December 13–14, 2017, off Cape Horn, a crossbeam failed and the trimaran capsized. Helicopter rescue by the Chilean navy; boat lost. Team Actual later purchased the ex-Macif to build Actual Ultim 3.
He came back: 3rd in the 2019 Brest Atlantiques with Alex Pella and Ronan Gladu, 4th in the 2021 Transat Jacques Vabre with Anthony Marchand, 2nd in the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race, 5th in the 2022 Route du Rhum on Actual Ultim 3.
The handover in 2023
In January 2023, at 57, he retired from racing and took over as head of Team Actual. Anthony Marchand became skipper of Actual Ultim 3. The project continued; he moved to the other side of the operation.
Career highlights
- 2001 — 1st Transgascogne 6.50 (prototype)
- 2002 — Jules Verne Trophy crewmember on Orange (skipper Bruno Peyron): 64d 8h 37min, crewed round-the-world record at the time
- 2005 — Jules Verne Trophy crewmember on Orange II (skipper Bruno Peyron): 50d 16h 20min
- 2007 — 1st Transat 6.50 La Rochelle–Salvador (prototype) and 1st Transgascogne 6.50 (prototype)
- 2008 — 1st Transat Québec-Saint-Malo in Multi50 Actual with Franck-Yves Escoffier
- 2010 — 1st Grand Prix de Douarnenez, 1st Tour de Belle-Île, 1st Vendée–Saint Petersburg in Multi50
- 2011 — 1st Transat Jacques Vabre in Multi50 Actual with Samuel Manuard
- 2013 — 2nd Transat Jacques Vabre in Multi50 with Kito de Pavant
- 2014 — 4th Route du Rhum in Multi50, 1st Armen Race
- 2016 — 3rd The Transat (English Transat) singlehanded on Ultime Actual
- 2017 — Capsize off Cape Horn (Dec 13–14) during solo round-the-world record attempt the wrong way; crossbeam failure; helicopter rescue by Chilean navy; boat lost
- 2019 — 3rd Brest Atlantiques on Ultime with Alex Pella and Ronan Gladu
- 2021 — 4th Transat Jacques Vabre with Anthony Marchand, 2nd Rolex Fastnet Race
- 2022 — 5th Route du Rhum on Actual Ultim 3
- 2023 — Retired from racing, took over as head of Team Actual
