Olivier de Kersauson
- Nationality
- France
- Born
- 20 July 1944(82 years old)
- Gender
- Man
Biography
Olivier de Kersauson de Pennendreff was born on 20 July 1944 in Bonnétable (Sarthe, France), the seventh of eight children. Drawn to the sea, he first sailed around Morlaix and La Trinité-sur-Mer. In 1964, during his national service in the French Navy, he joined the schooner Pen Duick III at Éric Tabarly's request; he later regarded Tabarly as his master.
He became one of Tabarly's favourite crewmates and served as his second-in-command on several Pen Duick boats from 1966 to 1974. He then began an independent career: in 1975 his boat Kriter II suffered damage during the London-Sydney-London race, and he finished fourth in the first Route du Rhum in 1978.
In 1986 he had the trimaran Poulain built at the CDK yard. He placed second in the 1987 Tour of Europe and in 1989 set the solo round-the-world record in 125 days, 19 hours, 32 minutes and 33 seconds. From 1992 he focused on speed records around the world.
In 1997 he won the Jules Verne Trophy aboard the trimaran Sport-Elec in 71 days, 14 hours and 22 minutes, and won it again in 2004 aboard Géronimo in 63 days, 13 hours and 59 minutes. In 2005 and 2006 he added further records, including the circumnavigation of Australia and the Los Angeles-Honolulu and San Francisco-Yokohama passages.
Alongside sailing he is a radio columnist (Les Grosses Têtes on RTL from 1981, later Europe 1) and the author of many books. An Officer of the Légion d'honneur, he is also a member of the Académie de marine, his election to which was approved in 2022.
Timeline
Boats, teams, races and records, year by year.
2004
Record · 2004
Jules Verne Trophy
Won the Jules Verne Trophy aboard Géronimo in 63 d 13 h 59 min 46 s.
1997
Record · 1997
Jules Verne Trophy
Won the Jules Verne Trophy aboard Sport-Elec in 71 d 14 h 22 min.
1989
Record · 1989
Solo round-the-world record
Solo round-the-world record in 125 d 19 h 32 min 33 s aboard the trimaran Poulain (renamed Un autre regard).
1944
20 July 1944
Born
Page reliability
4 sources · updated 6 Oct 2026