Four-time world champion and 2016 Olympian Billy Besson announced as helmsman for the France SailGP Team.
Part of the new global racing league due to begin in February 2019, the French team also features Marie Riou, SailGP’s first female onboard crew member.
The five members of the France SailGP Team are:
Besson, 37 (helmsman), Matthieu Vandame, 36 (wing trimmer), Riou, 37 (flight controller), Devan Le Bihan, 35 (grinder) and Olivier Herledant, 38 (grinder).
In addition, Timothé Lapauw, 22, will serve as the reserve grinder.
They will be racing against teams from Australia, China, France, Great Britain, Japan and the United States on identical wingsailed F50s – capable of exceeding 50 knots (60mph/100kph).
The SailGP event in Marseille (September 20-22, 2019) will also serve as the league championship.
It will include a third day of racing, highlighted by the season-ending winner-takes-all US$1 million match race between the season’s top two teams.
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