Franck Cammas

Franck Cammas

Franck Cammas in 2012.
Personal information
Born	22 December 1972 Aix-en-Provence, France
Sailing career
Class(es)	ORMA, AC45, VO70, F18
Club	Yacht Club de France

Franck Cammas (born 22 December 1972 in Aix-en-Provence) is a French yachtsman.^[1] He has lived in Brittany since his victory in the Challenge Espoir Crédit Agricole in 1994. After completing a two-year maths course for the ‘Grandes écoles’, as well as a piano academy, Franck Cammas finally opted for a career in sailing. In 1997, at the age of 24, he won the Solitaire du Figaro and a year later helmed his first trimaran christened Groupama. Despite his late entry into competition, he is one of the most talented and respected sailors in the Ocean Racing Multihull Association world.

Later, Cammas was skipper of the 60-foot (18 m) trimaran Groupama 2, with which he won five ORMA championships. His last trimaran, the 103-foot (31 m) Groupama 3 was designed to break ocean racing records. Groupama 2 holds the record for being the fastest yacht in a transat Jacques Vabre race and Groupama 3 once broke Jules Verne Trophy, which she held for nearly two years.

After winning Route du Rhum and the Jules Verne Trophy in 2010, Cammas has switched from multihull to monohull racing and won the 2011–12 Volvo Ocean Race^[2] with the Open 70 Groupama 4.

Cammas is the father of two girls and practices other sports including skiing, boardsports and cycling.

Race wins

• Winner of the Formula 18 St Barths Cata Cup in 2013
• Winner of the Nacra 17 French Elite Championship in 2013 at La Rochelle
• Winner of the French Match Racing Championship in 2013
• Winner of the International C Class Catamaran Championship (Little America's Cup) in 2013
• Winner of the Tour de France à la voile in 2013
• Winner of the Volvo Ocean race 2011-2012
• Overall winner of the 2010 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland race, on Groupama 70 (Open 70 ft monohull)
• Winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre in 2001, 2003 and 2007
• Winner of the Route du Rhum 2010 aboard Groupama 3, ultimate category
• Winner of the Transat Québec-Saint-Malo in 2000
• Winner of all the ORMA Grands prix in 2005 and 2006
• 5 ORMA World Champion titles (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2007)
• 2 Fico-Lacoste World Champion of skippers titles (2000 and 2004)
• 1 Multi-Cup (2006) World Champion title
• Winner of the Solitaire du Figaro in 1997
• Winner of the Trophée Clairefontaine (2000, 2006 and 2009)
• Winner of the Spi Ouest-France 2007 in Open 7.50
• Winner of the Bol d'or (Lake Geneva) 2008, aboard Zebra 7 (D35)
• Vice world champion of Formula 18 2008

Records

• Transat Jacques Vabre (Trimarans ORMA): 10 days 38 minutes and 43 secondes with an average speed of 19,18 knots (2007).^[3]
• North Atlantic crossing (east to west) also called the "discovery route" (Cádiz - San Salvador): 7 days 10 hours 58 minutes and 53 secondes (1 May 2007)
• Miami - New York : 1 day 11 hours 5 minutes and 20 secondes (4 June 2007)
• 24 hours distance record: 794 milles (average: 33.08 knots) (20 July 2007) >> A record held from 21 July 2007 to 1 August 2009
• North Atlantic crossing (west to east): 4 days 3 hours 57 minutes 54 secondes (23 July 2007) >> A record held from 24 July 2007 to 2 August 2009
• Round Britain and Ireland, on monohull, in 5 days 21 hours 26 minutes and 55 seconds. (23–29 August 2010)^[4]
• Mediterranean crossing record (Marseilles - Carthage): 17 hours 08 minutes and 23 seconds (15/16 May 2009) >> A record held from 16 May 2009 to 15 May 2010
• Jules Verne Trophy: in 48 days 07 hours 44 minutes 52 seconds, 20 March 2010, a record held for nearly two years.

References

1. Franck Cammas' biography, official Franck Cammas website
2. "Volvo Ocean Race: Groupama secure second French win". Retrieved 2012-07-21.
3. Official Transat Jacques-Vabre website.
4. "ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards : WSSRC Ratifies Cammas Round Britain and Ireland Record". Retrieved 11 June 2012.

External links

• Official Franck Cammas website
• Franck Cammas at the International Sailing Federation