Two Transat Jacques Vabre wins and the first scow non-stop circumnavigation
Born on 24 August 1975 in Vannes, Antoine Carpentier trained as an engineer. He has won the Transat Jacques Vabre twice in Class40 (2017 and 2021) and completed the first scow non-stop circumnavigation in April 2026 on theClass40 Crédit Mutuel #158 as part of the Globe 40 2025–2026.
From Multi50 to Class40
Carpentier came to offshore racing via multihulls. He competed in Multi50 (now Ocean Fifty) — including a victory in the Transat Québec–Saint-Malo with Gilles Lamiré on theGroupe GCA — and won the Tour de France à la Voile three times as part of a crew. His switch to monohulls was not impulsive: he moved to Class40 and built, support by support, a record that places him among the very small group of skippers to have won the TJV twice in the class.
The two TJVs: 2017 and 2021
In 2017, with Maxime Sorel on theV and B, he secured the most notable victory in recent Class40 history on the Le Havre–Salvador course: course record beaten by more than 5 days, and a 24-hour Class40 record at 377 nautical miles. Four years later, in 2021, he did it again with Pablo Santurde del Arco on theRedman (Mach 40.4), and finished the year as Class40 champion. In between, he also won Les Sables–Horta 2021 with Mikael Mergui.
The Globe 40 2025–2026
As lead skipper Ian Lipinski’s crew, Carpentier sailed the prologue and stages 1, 4, 5 and 6 of the Globe 40, a stopover round-the-world in Class40. Arrival in Lorient on 15 April 2026, with victory. It is the first scow to complete a non-stop circumnavigation — a strong industry signal for the class, where round-bow designs remain young.
Skysat preparation
Skysat is preparing the Class40 Redman and the Class40 Crédit Mutuel #158. 2026 programme underway, with an entry in the CIC Normandy Channel Race in May on Custo Pol.
Career highlights
- 2026: winner of the Globe 40 2025–2026 in Class40 Crédit Mutuel (with Ian Lipinski), arrival in Lorient on 15/04/2026 — first scow to complete a non-stop circumnavigation.
- 2023: 1st in the Défi Atlantique on Crédit Mutuel; 2nd in the CIC Normandy Channel Race.
- 2022: 5th in the Route du Rhum in Class40 on Redman.
- 2021: winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre Class40 on Redman with Pablo Santurde del Arco; Class40 champion; winner of Les Sables–Horta on Redman with Mikael Mergui.
- 2018: 7th in the Route du Rhum in Class40 on Custo Pol (first solo participation).
- 2017: winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre Class40 on V and B with Maxime Sorel — Le Havre–Salvador course record beaten by 5+ days, 24-hour Class40 record at 377 nautical miles; winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race.
- Multi50: winner of the Transat Québec–Saint-Malo with Gilles Lamiré on Groupe GCA.
- Tour de France à la Voile: three-time winner as part of a crew.
