Timothé Polet

The Le Havre sailor completing his master's degree remotely between two Class 40 transatlantic races

Thimoté Polet — born in 2000, 25 years old, trained at a club in Le Havre from age 6. First Class 40 races in 2021, aboard the Entraide Maritime #100 with Nicolas Lemarchand. Since 2023, he has been skippering the ZEISS Class 40 and teaming up with Pierrick Letouzé for double-handed races. Target set on the 2026 Route du Rhum solo race.

The boat: Mach 40.6 #208, Sam Manuard design, launched Nov. 2024

The current ZEISS is a Mach 40.6 hull #208, Sam Manuard design built by JPS shipyard and launched in November 2024 in La Trinité-sur-Mer. ZEISS has been the main partner since 2023, with the sponsorship running through 2026. Before this boat, he completed his first transatlantic in 2021 on the #100 Entraide Maritime, then the 2023 Jacques Vabre on the #172 ZEISS-WeeeCycling.

The 2025 season: stepping up with Letouzé

The year lived up to expectations with the duo with Pierrick Letouzé. First Class 40 podium in September on the 40 Malouine La Trinquette (3rd), flanked by a 4th place in the Rolex Fastnet Race (with Alexandre Demange as part of a reinforced crew), a 6th in the Normandy Channel Race and a 6th overall in Les Sables-Horta. The season concluded with the Transat Café L'Or, finishing 14th in 20 days 16 hours 56 minutes — his third Atlantic crossing in competition.

Student at GEM in parallel

Alongside his racing seasons, Thimoté is completing a specialized Finance master's degree at Grenoble École de Management, via the high-level athlete distance-learning program. The 5-year curriculum is due to finish in April 2027. This explains the tight schedule: boat preparation and exam revision in the same week.

Achievements

• 2025 — Transat Café L'Or (Le Havre - Fort-de-France): 14th in 20d 16h 56m 22s, double-handed with Pierrick Letouzé on Class 40 ZEISS (3rd transatlantic)
• 2025 — 40 Malouine La Trinquette: 3rd with Pierrick Letouzé, first Class 40 podium
• 2025 — Rolex Fastnet Race: 4th with Pierrick Letouzé and Alexandre Demange
• 2025 — Les Sables - Horta: 6th overall (outbound double-handed with Pierrick Letouzé, return solo)
• 2025 — CIC Normandy Channel Race: 6th with Pierrick Letouzé
• 2024 — The Transat CIC (solo): retired due to dismasting
• 2023 — Transat Jacques Vabre: 21st on Class 40 ZEISS-WeeeCycling #172, with Pierrick Letouzé
• 2021 — Transat Jacques Vabre: 32nd on Class 40 Entraide Maritime #100, with Nicolas Lemarchand (1st transatlantic)
• 2021 — European Match Racing Championship: winner
• 2026 — Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe (Nov. 1, solo): entered, main season objective

Official website: thimotepolet.fr.