Gaston Morvan : "the combination of competition and exploration makes this race unique"

Gaston Morvan is part of a rising generation that is preparing methodically and determinedly to take on the greatest challenge in ocean racing. After shining during four seasons on the Figaro Beneteau circuit – 7th and first rookie in 2021, 5th in 2022, 4th in 2023 and then 3rd in 2024, crowned French Elite Offshore Racing Champion – he is now extending his experience in IMOCA. In 2023, he competed in the Transat Jacques Vabre with Giancarlo Pedote on Prysmian Group. This season, he excelled with a 2nd place finish in the Course des Caps, a victory in the Rolex Fastnet Race with Élodie Bonafous (Petits Princes – Quéguiner), then embarked on Paprec Arkéa for two legs of The Ocean Race Europe alongside Yoann Richomme. These are all milestones in an upward trajectory focused on a single goal: to be at the start of the 2028 Vendée Globe. 

The IMOCA spark

Coming from dinghy sailing – with a European title in Laser and 7th place at the World Championships in 2017 – Gaston found a school of excellence for offshore sailing: the Figaro circuit. However, when he joined Giancarlo Pedote on Prysmian Group, the idea of a solo round-the-world race began to take shape. "It was a real catalyst. Getting a taste of this boat, its technology, the foils... it immediately reminded me of my early days in Figaro: the intensity, the desire to push the project to the limit." In early 2025, he increased his sailing time on Élodie Bonafous' IMOCA Association Petits Princes – Quéguiner: "It wasn't just a gig, that's what I liked about it. I was able to take part in training, in the development of the boat, and we really had the same desire to progress together." The result: second place in the Course des Caps and a resounding victory in the Rolex Fastnet. More recently, aboard Paprec Arkéa for two legs of The Ocean Race Europe, he experienced what high intensity means. 

A dream becomes a credible goal

For a long time, the Vendée Globe was ‘in the back of my mind’. "I was focused on the Figaro. I didn't dare to think it was possible," he admits. But his first miles in IMOCA changed everything. "Now that I've had a taste of these 60-foot monohulls, I think it might be the perfect challenge for me." He is attracted as much by the sport as by the adventure. "The level of competition has exploded. The fleets are compact, every day is a battle, it's all about mental strength and attention to detail. That's what I love: feeling that there's no margin for error, that you have to be precise all the time. But what also makes me dream is rounding the three capes. It's this combination of competition and exploration that makes the race unique." However, the Breton remains clear-headed:

Legacy and ambition 

Growing up in the Abers region of northern Brittany inevitably means growing up to the rhythm of the tides and stories of the sea. As the son of Gildas Morvan, a well-known figure on the Figaro circuit, Gaston was no exception to this influence. "My father dreamed a lot about this round-the-world race without ever managing to get the project off the ground. I always sensed a slight frustration in him. Perhaps subconsciously, this held me back from thinking about it myself for a while." Today, he has a different outlook. His four solid performances in the Solitaire, steady progress and experience gained in IMOCA give him new confidence. "What I've built allows me to say that it's possible. The big global loop is a clear goal. I have the time, and above all the desire to build a solid project." At 27, Gaston Morvan is moving forward with method and determination. The foundations are in place to take him soon to the most legendary of starting lines, off the coast of Vendée. The Vendée Globe is no longer a distant idea, but a very real horizon.