Profile

Naturally welcoming, Manuel Cousin has, at first glance, the profile of a passionate sailor. But that would be a reductive view of this 55 year old sailor from Normandy, based in Les Sables d'Olonne, his boat's home port. For him, the competition is at all levels of the ranking. With a strong technical background, Manuel, who comes from the Class40, has been lining up in all the races on the IMOCA calendar since 2017. Finisher, 23rd in the 2020 Vendée Globe, he crossed the line in 103 days with a broken keel ram! His boat has since benefited from major improvements: mast, boom, ballast tanks, rudders and daggerboards have been completely transformed. Determination and performance will be his two driving forces in the next Vendée Globe.

Achievements

2024

  • New York Vendée - Les Sables d'Olonne

    23rd

2023

  • Retour à la Base

    25th
  • Transat Jacques Vabre

    25th
  • Rolex Fastnet Race

    23th

2022

  • Route du Rhum

    32th
  • Défi Azimut

    22th
  • Vendée Arctique - Les Sables d'Olonne

    Abandon
  • Guyader Bermudes 1000 Race

    18th

2021

  • Transat Jacques Vabre

    18th
  • Défi Azimut

    Abandon
  • Vendée Globe

    23th (103d 18h 15min 40s)

2020

  • Vendée Arctique - Les Sables d'Olonne

    15th

2019

  • Transat Jacques Vabre

    22th
  • Défi Azimut

    18th
  • Rolex Fastnet Race

    11th
  • Bermudes 1000 Race

    12th

2018

  • Route du Rhum

    14th
  • Monaco Globe Series

    6th
  • Bermudes 1000 Race

    4th

2017

  • Transat Jacques Vabre

    11th
  • Rolex Fastnet Race

    14th

2016

  • Quebec Saint-Malo - Class40

    14th

2015

  • Transat Jacques Vabre - Class40

    7th

Coup de Pouce

  • Former names : Paprec-Virbac 2, W Hotels, ESTRELLA DAMM, WE ARE WATER, Le Bateau des Métiers by Aerocampus, La Mie Câline, La Mie Câline – Artipôle, Groupe Sétin, Giffard Manutention - Coup de Pouce
  • Architect : Farr Yacht Design
  • Construction : 2007, Southern Ocean Marine, NZ
  • Launch date : 03 Février 2007
  • Lenght : 18,28 m
  • Beam : 5,80 m
  • Draught : 4,5 m
  • Weight : 8,4 t
  • Mast height : 27,80m
  • Upwind sail area : 300m2
  • Downwind sail area : 560 m2

Coup de Pouce is the leading national association for preventing children from dropping out of school in the first years of nursery and primary education.

Commitment

Since 2018, Manuel Cousin has been the national patron of the COUP DE POUCE Association, an association that promotes equal opportunities for all at school and prevents early school leaving. The association works alongside schools and in support of parents to encourage every child to develop a taste for learning.