Olivier Herlédant

SailGP
The experienced Olivier Herlédant returned to the France SailGP Team in Season 2, alongside fellow grinders Timothé Lapauw and Matthieu Vandame.

Youth
Herlédant began sailing at six years old in Concarneau, Brittany and started match racing competitions while studying at the Centrale School in Nantes. With a physique mirroring an American football player, he was soon noticed on the world stage and called up to the World Match Racing Tour.

Career
The Douarnenez native found himself in the thick of medal contention during the 2010 ISAF Match Racing World Championship as a member of French M.R. Team, falling just short of British entry TEAMORIGIN helmed by fellow SailGP competitor Ben Ainslie, to take home the silver medal.

Since then, Herlédant competed in an America’s Cup campaign alongside his SailGP teammate Matthieu Vandame with Groupama Team France representing Yacht Club de France in the 2017 edition of the competition.

Personal
Herlédant has a PhD in fluid dynamics and an engineering degree in naval hydrodynamics. He has also installed a grinder in his home to help hone his skills.

He and his wife, Armelle, have two children and he’s now stepping into a new role in the sport – Opti dad. His oldest daughter recently started racing the small dinghies, and he's proud to cheer her on as she follows in his footsteps. When he’s not spending time with his family, he enjoys fishing and is an avid gardener, growing fruit trees in his backyard.