Press release ·
Anthony Marchand becomes skipper of Actual Ultim 3 and will set off on the Solo Ultim World Tour in 2024
Anthony Marchand becomes the skipper of Actual Ultim 3 while Yves Le Blevec takes over the management of Team Actual. At 37 years old, Anthony also becomes the youngest skipper in the Ultim class.
This tripartite decision between Samuel Tual, President of Actual group, Yves Le Blevec, and Anthony Marchand is a first in offshore racing. These developments and the creation of this position were carefully considered and are perfectly in line with the values and businesses of Actual Group: “identify talent and create the framework for them to thrive.” While awaiting the launch of the Ultim, currently in the yard, Anthony will set off on the fully-crewed World Tour “The Ocean Race” on Sunday, January 15, aboard the IMOCA Biotherm skippered by Paul Meilhat.
This development in the structure of Team Actual is positive in more ways than one. It gives a talented young skipper his chance. It offers new development perspectives for the team as well as for its new director, Yves Le Blevec, and for Actual Group as a whole.
“It is interesting today to secure the long-term future of our sailing program by entrusting this skipper position to Anthony. Team Actual first structured itself over the years. This evolution forced Yves to take on several roles: he was skipper, team director, and manager of the entire program all at once. We were reaching the limits of this model, particularly given the sporting stakes of the upcoming world tour (Arkéa Ultim Challenge, setting off on January 7, 2024, Ed. note). For Yves, it is a chosen career advancement. It is the mission of Actual group to identify talent and create the framework for them to thrive. That is what we did with Yves, who will continue to fulfill his potential in this new role. And we will now support Anthony.The story continues, in a different way.”
Samuel Tual
President of Actual group
“I see this new role as a promotion: I am moving from skipper to director andI have plenty of development ideas for Team Actual! Actual Group is a major player in employment in France. There are exciting prospects in terms of knowledge transfer, training, and stories to share that are perfectly aligned with Actual's values. I feel completely capable of leading this… And I am passionate about it!”
Yves Le Blevec
Director of Team Actual
“I am deeply happy and above all touchedby the trust that Samuel Tual and Yves are placing in me; it is very rewarding. I took advantage of the return transatlantic voyage after the Route du Rhum, where I was skipper of the Ultim, to think about it. It was the perfect opportunity to visualize myself, in a very concrete way, in this new role. I needed to reflect personally before committing to this high-stakes program.”
Anthony Marchand
Skipper of Team Actual
Timeline of a carefully considered evolution
2017
Although Yves capsizes south of Cape Horn: there will be a before and an after. “I no longer approached offshore racing the same way. I moved away from a form of carelessness and indestructibility.”
2020
Acquisition of François Gabart's M100 MACIF, which becomes Actual Ultim 3 with a new 4-year sporting project.
2021
Thus, Yves chooses Anthony Marchand as co-skipper for the Transat Jacques Vabre. At the end of this double-handed transatlantic race, Yves shares his thoughts with Samuel Tual on which skipper can go faster, progress, and win. They engage in in-depth discussions on the different possible scenarios.
2022
Yves invites Anthony to stay in Team Actual's performance unit and thus become the replacement skipper for Ultim Actual. At the end of the Route du Rhum, Yves and Samuel Tual propose that Anthony take the helm of Actual Ultim 3 and manage the sporting aspect of the project.
2023
January – March
Anthony is a performance crew member aboard Paul Meilhat's IMOCA Biotherm on The Ocean Race. He will indeed build on this high-level experience to discover the Southern Ocean and thus begin his preparation for the Arkéa Ultim Challenge. Technical refit for Team Actual.
April
Launch of Actual Ultim 3 Spring:
– first sea trials as a team, then solo for the new skipper
– Actual – 2,500-mile solo qualification course
June – July
Training, work on performance
Summer – Autumn
Continued preparation for the solo round-the-world tour
2024
January 7:start of the Arkéa Ultim Challenge, solo non-stop round-the-world tour
Anthony Marchand: high-performer, authentic, humble
“Anthony has extraordinary potential just waiting to be unlocked within the framework of the program we have built. He draws on a rich experience: in Ultim, but also across several boat classes, solo, crewed, and in various race formats: his versatility is very compelling. His personality, behavior, and interpersonal skills are completely aligned with the group's values. We have worked alongside him and watched him evolve for nearly two years within Team Actual: he earned our trust through his commitment, empathy, communication style, authenticity, and high standards. Yves Le Blevec and Actual share 22 years of history and joint development: a long-term partnership that has gone through several development phases and grown alongside the group. Today, in his new role, he will boost the project's performance and support Anthony in his new challenge.”
Samuel Tual
President of Actual group
“Anthony is a performer. He has the potential and the drive. He has a high-level athletic background, including around ten years on the Figaro circuit under his belt. But he knows how to stay humble. That is precious. He is authentic and people-oriented. It's in our team's DNA.”
Yves Le Blevec
Director of Team Actual
“When you're offered such a massive project, your first instinct is to say yes! However, I wanted to give myself time to think it over. I really wanted to do it, but I wanted to be sure of my choice, to be sure I was the right person for this program, for Actual, for Yves, for the team. I took advantage of the return transatlantic voyage after the Route du Rhum, where I was skipper of the boat, to think about it. It was the perfect opportunity to visualize myself, in a very concrete way, in this new role. I needed to reflect personally before committing to this high-stakes program. I hadn't sailed on the Ultim for a long time. We had rough conditions with heavy seas, thunderstorms, facing 35-knot gusts… In short, ideal conditions to ask myself fundamental questions: Am I happy on board? Do I feel I can perform? Be safe? Etc. Every time, I answered ‘yes’. Before committing, I needed to check off lots of little boxes, lots of little ‘yeses’ before the big ‘yes’. I gave my final answer upon arrival from that delivery trip in La Trinité-sur-Mer. I'm leaving for a world tour in a few days… Two consecutive world tours seem huge, but it will happen step by step, naturally. I can't wait to discover the Southern Ocean aboard IMOCA Biotherm. It will be invaluable learning for the Ultim round-the-world race. Looking from afar, there's a mountain to climb, but up close, it's just lots of small hills to cross. I prefer to take things one step at a time. There's no point in putting unnecessary pressure on myself. And I'm going to be supported by Team Actual. I'm not left to tackle this challenge on my own. I'm surrounded by highly competent and experienced people, starting with Yves, who knows better than anyone what awaits me.”
Anthony Marchand
Skipper of Team Actual
Track record ofAnthony Marchand
37 years old – Based in Lorient – Born March 4, 1985 in Saint-Brieuc
9 Solitaire du Figaro – 7 double-handed transatlantic races including 2 Transat Jacques Vabre
2022
ACTUAL ULTIM 3
4th Finistère Atlantique – Challenge Action Enfance (skipper Yves Le Blevec)
1st ArMen Race Uship (skipper Yves Le Blevec)
2021
4th Transat Jacques Vabre, co-skipper on Actual Ultim 3 skippered by Yves Le Blevec
14th Transat en Double Concarneau – Saint Barth in Figaro skippered by Fabien Delahaye
2020
Ultim Actual navigator for the Drheam Cup
2019
3rd La Solitaire URGO Le Figaro
Transat Jacques Vabre in IMOCA on Prysmian Group skippered by Giancarlo Pedote
2018
2nd French Elite Offshore Racing Championship (Figaro Beneteau circuit)
2nd La Solitaire URGO Le Figaro (2 leg victories)
5th Transat AG2R LA MONDIALE in Figaro with co-skipper Alexis Loison
2016
6th French Solo Elite Offshore Racing Championship (Figaro Beneteau circuit)
13th Solitaire du Figaro Eric Bompard cachemire
1st Solo Maître CoQ (Figaro Beneteau circuit)
2015
4th Volvo Ocean Race (MAPFRE) Helmsman / Trimmer
Performance Manager for IMOCA SMA
2013
5th French Solo Elite Offshore Racing Championship (Figaro Beneteau circuit)
15th Solitaire du Figaro Eric Bompard cachemire
4th Transat Bretagne – Martinique (Figaro Beneteau circuit)
2012
5th Transat AG2R La Mondiale (Figaro Beneteau circuit), his 8th Atlantic crossing at 27 years old.
2010
15th Solitaire du Figaro – 1st rookie on Bretagne – Crédit Mutuel Espoir
2009
Winner of the Challenge Bretagne – Crédit Mutuel
2007
9th in the Tour de Bretagne with Ronan Treussart (Figaro Beneteau circuit)
10th in the Cap Istanbul with Ronan Treussart (Figaro Beneteau circuit)
Sailing season – Mainsail trimmer – Antoine Koch's Trimaran Sopra Group
2006
4th Select 6.50
Rigging Manager on Trimaran Brossard
2005
9th French Olympic 470 Championship
4th National 470
2003
Winner National Laser Radial
22 years of offshore racing between Yves Le Blevec and Actual
Mini 6.50
2007:1st in the Mini Transat
Multi50
2009:1st Prince de Bretagne Trophy – Saint Quay Portrieux
2010:1st Vendée – Saint Pétersbourg
2011:1st in the Transat Jacques Vabre with co-skipper Samuel Manuard
2012:1st Défi du Prince
2013:2nd in the Transat Jacques Vabre with co-skipper Kito de Pavant
2014:4th in the Route du Rhum
Actual Ultim
2016
3rd in The Transat Bakerly
1st Record SNSM
2017
Attempted Westward Round-the-World Record
4th in The Bridge
Actual Leader Ultim
2019
3rd in Tour de Belle-île
3rd in ArMen Race Uship
4th in Rolex Fastnet Race
3rd in Brest Atlantiques double-handed with Alex Pella