SailGP
He may be the youngest member of the France SailGP Team, but Timothe Lapauw showed in Season 1 that his wealth of experience translates to strong on-water results. His fine performances meant he returned to the crew for the following campaign.
Youth
Born on Reunion Island, Lapauw grew up in Antibes in the south of France, where he discovered sailing, although he didn’t need to look far in the family for inspiration. Both his grandfather and father competed at the Olympic Games and his mother is an eight-time French field hockey champion.
Inspired by his family, Lapauw began sailing at the age of eight on an Optimist, and eventually made a name for himself on the youth circuit by winning three amateur French championship titles.
In 2017, he was selected as a member of Groupama Team France for the youth America’s Cup in Bermuda, and although his crew finished in fifth-place, Lapauw gained invaluable experience on the AC45 class boats that were the foundation of SailGP’s F50 catamarans.
Career
The Antibes native joined Alinghi in 2016 and just a year later helped the team defend its Extreme Sailing Series title. Lapauw also contributed to the team’s tour victories in 2018 and 2019 and has competed on the GC32 circuit.
In 2018, as a crew member of Decision 35 Mobimo, he helped put on a master performance with patience and tactical execution to win the 80th edition of the Bol d’Or Mirabaud in Switzerland.
Personal
When fans are watching a SailGP event, they should be on the lookout for Lapauw’s feet as he has an impressive sock collection and wears a different pair in each race.
Outside of sailing, Lapauw enjoys playing the piano and dreams of one day traveling to the North Pole.