The winning Team for a single handed race
Markus Burkhardt- skipper & project manager
A sailing enthusiast and Yachmaster Ocean owner, Markus was "by chance" in La Rochelle at the start of the 2019 Mini-Transat. His eyes started to glaze over and a dream began to take shape. In total it will be four years of project and preparation to be able to participate in this mythical race in 2023: the Mini-Transat. Markus continues to work on the performance and knowledge of the boat, a Nacira built in 2011.
Alan Roura - skipper & parrain du projet
Internationally renowned Swiss sailor, Alan has participated in two Vendée Globe races (2016 and 2020) as the Benjamin of the event. But previously, he participated in the Mini-Transat in 2013 at the age of 20 and in numerous events on IMOCA, Class40 and won the Bol d'Or on a Surprise also in 2013.
Alan holds since 2019 the record for crossing the North Atlantic on a single-handed monohull in 7d 16h 58min 26s on "La Fabrique".
He will be at the start of the Vendée Globe 2024 with one of the best boats in the fleet and with brand new partners.
Philippe Burkhardt - physical trainer
Swiss Champion of light bodybuilding in 2000. Philippe managed a fitness center for a few years and became an excellent amateur cyclist. Today he owns a sports massage institute in Valeyres-sous-Rances in Switzerland.
Anne-Gaël Gourdin - skipper & boat preparer
Anne-Gaël is an engeneer and has participated in the Mini-Transat 2021 on Cassini, a Pogo 2. She is a real MacGyver of sailing: matelotage, electricity, composites have no secrets for her. She and Markus met at the training center of La Turballe and since then she advises him and takes care of the boat when Markus is in Switzerland.
Jules Fougeroux - sponsorship manager
Adventurer since childhood, Jules wanted to settle in France in order to get closer to the world of ocean racing. It was in the quest for partners that he wanted to invest his energy alongside Markus, in order to help him make his dream come true.
Valerie Ducommun- dietitian
Dietician specialized in sports nutrition and passionate, she loves above all the challenge of finding the most adequate nutrition to optimize the physical and mental performance of the sportsmen and athletes she follows... It is a very beautiful challenge to accompany Markus in his preparation and in his food organization on the boat for this Mini-Transat 2023!