The Ocean Race 2022-23. 07 January 2023, The Ocean Race 2022-2023 Crew portraits, Sébastien Simon, Guyot Environment - Team Europe
GUYOT environnement - Team Europe

Sébastien Simon

Crew Member

France

Brought up in France’s Vendée region and first introduced to sailing by his father, Sébastien Simon started racing in Optimists before graduating to the 420 dinghy in which he finished third at the 2013 world championship in Valencia crewed by Pierre Rhimbault.

After turning his attention to offshore racing – and the professional Figaro circuit in particular – Simon won the 2013 Challenge Espoir Région Bretagne – CMB selection process. That success secured him a boat and funding to compete on the Figaro circuit – an award he took full advantage of by five years later winning both the 2018 La Solitaire URGO Le Figaro and the French Elite Offshore Racing Championship title.

Those performances led to him taking on his first Vendée Globe in 2020-21 with ARKÉA PAPREC. Sadly, after 25 days of racing in the top group and shortly after diverting to help with the search for marooned fellow competitor Kevin Escoffier, Simon was forced out of the race with foil and hull damage following a collision with a UFO.

Taking on his first edition of The Ocean Race with GUYOT environnement - Team Europe, reunites Simon with his long time friend and Figaro rival Benjamin Dutreux, with whom he once shared university accommodation in Nantes.

Previous participation in The Ocean Race:
Taking part in The Ocean Race for the first time.


  • Brought up in France’s Vendée region and first introduced to sailing by his father, Sébastien Simon started racing in Optimists before graduating to the 420 dinghy in which he finished third at the 2013 world championship in Valencia crewed by Pierre Rhimbault.

    After turning his attention to offshore racing – and the professional Figaro circuit in particular – Simon won the 2013 Challenge Espoir Région Bretagne – CMB selection process. That success secured him a boat and funding to compete on the Figaro circuit – an award he took full advantage of by five years later winning both the 2018 La Solitaire URGO Le Figaro and the French Elite Offshore Racing Championship title.

    Those performances led to him taking on his first Vendée Globe in 2020-21 with ARKÉA PAPREC. Sadly, after 25 days of racing in the top group and shortly after diverting to help with the search for marooned fellow competitor Kevin Escoffier, Simon was forced out of the race with foil and hull damage following a collision with a UFO.

    Taking on his first edition of The Ocean Race with GUYOT environnement - Team Europe, reunites Simon with his long time friend and Figaro rival Benjamin Dutreux, with whom he once shared university accommodation in Nantes.

    Previous participation in The Ocean Race:
    Taking part in The Ocean Race for the first time.