Skippers : Karen Leibovici

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Karen Leibovici

Lives in La Rochelle
Age : born on the 5th May 1971
Situation : Single
Vendée Globe achievements
First time she has taken part in the Vendée Globe

Sponsor

Presentation

A sea lass

She has a christian name dedicated to the sea and to boats. She has, moreover, already passed this name on to a fine boat, "Karen Liquid", a 6.50 m craft, whose construction she was heavily involved in. This prototype then became famous, when it won the Mini-Transat on two occasions, a race specially designed for these rocket ships. It was in this class and at the helm of boats that are renowned for forging the best single-handed temperaments that Karen, originally from Paris, made her entry into the world of sailing competitions. Having fallen in love with the sea at a relatively late age, Karen suddenly decided to drop her fine art studies to set sail for new horizons involving sailing and voyages of discovery. She only had one thing in the back of her mind: she wanted to become an ocean racer and yachtswoman above everything else. And it did not matter if these jobs were not really designed for women. With her determination she would ensure that she remained on track.

In the intimacy of the boats
So everything began on the small boat circuit, where the young skipper would spend four years without a break. From the boatyards to the heavy Atlantic swell, Karen gave herself over to ocean racing. Initially, she was to get involved in the construction of the high-tech wonder that was to set the sparks flying back in 1997 and 1999. During all those years, Karen was able to discover all the secrets of the latest technologically advanced prototypes from the wings. She built up a good technical grounding that she was to expand on later with the monohull that French legend, Jean-Luc Van Den Heede was to take around the world against the winds and currents. She also prepared Swiss sailor, Steve Ravussin’s trimaran, on which she took care of every detail. In the shadows of the boatyards, Karen got up close to the boats, which no longer held any secrets for her. As for sailing, she took to sea whenever she could in order to build up her understanding of ocean racing. In 2001, she took the helm of the Mini she had built herself, and gained her first titles. With a win in the Mini Fastnet under her belt, Karen was less successful in the 6.50 m Estival Transat, when her boat was damaged. Having finished the Transat in 9th place, Karen understood she had just one real dream: to sail single-handed around the world. She stepped up the pace and did more sailing with some of France´s top sailors: Isabelle Autissier, Catherine Chabaud and Jean-Luc Van den Heede. With the latter, she achieved the Channel crossing record in Adrien.

In September 2003, Karen, who had never found the financing she required to fulfil her ambitions, got her hands on Van Den Heede´s old red cigar-shaped boat. The boat with five round the world trips behind her is not that modern, but has always brought her skippers home safely. Always on the lookout for new sponsors to live out her big adventure, the turning point came for the young skipper during The Transat. She managed to qualify in a race, which had posed severe difficulties for the some of the best sailors. Everything worked out at just the right moment and Karen netted a sponsor. It is obvious that she figures among the hot contenders on this race around the three capes. Her goal : to become the third woman to finish the Vendée Globe.

Achievements

2002 - Channel crossing record aboard Adrien with Jean-Luc Van den Heede
2001 - Transat 6.50 (La Rochelle-Salvador de Bahia) : 9th
Mini Fastnet : 1st
2000 - Mini Barcelona : 1st
Triangle du Soleil: 2nd
Cross-Channel: 1st
1999 - Mini-Transat : forced to retire due to a leak and dismasting
1998 - Estival Mini: 1st
Three transatlantic crossings, including one aboard Isabelle Autissier’s Open 60