Raphaëla le Gouvello

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Departure and arrival ports of long-haul journeys (the ports are only connected for better visibility, which does not correspond to the exact routes)

Raphaëla le Gouvello (born May 4, 1960 in Paris ) is a French windsurfer who, among other things, explores the Atlantic, Pacific ( Peru - Tahiti ) and Indian Ocean on 7.50 to 7.80 m long and approx. 75 cm flat surfing equipment has crossed. She has recorded her experiences on the crossings in three books so far.

The veterinarian who specializes in aquaculture (fish farming and rearing other aquatic animals) is committed to environmental protection and sustainable development, also with her windsurfing trips.

Windsurfing background

In 1976 le Gouvello started windsurfing, competed in competitions from 1977 and has been teaching as a windsurf instructor since 1978. From 1980 to 1982 she managed to increase her performance in all open competitions ("Open") up to seventh place among French women windsurfers. Since 1984 le Gouvello has also regularly devoted himself to the funboard .

From February 25th to April 24th, 2000, she was the first woman (and third windsurfer ever) to cross the Atlantic alone, without an escort ship, on a surfing device. The 7.5 m long and 1.3 m wide surf “board” was designed by Guy Saillard for Stéphane Peyron , who in 1987 was the first windsurfer to cross the Atlantic alone and advised le Gouvello on their crossing. In the flat “boat hull”, which was used instead of the usual surfboard, there was space for sleeping and provisions, five spare sails and, at night and in bad weather, the sail and rig that was brought in (see web links for photos). For the 2,750 nautical miles (a good 5,000 km) long stretch from Saly Portudal in Senegal , south of Dakar , to Le Diamant on the Caribbean island of Martinique , it took 58 days, 10 hours and 11 minutes; Peyron had only needed 49 days to travel from New York to La Baule in France , roughly 3,500 nautical miles. The unexpectedly long duration of le Gouvello's crossing was due to unusually weak winds over two and a half weeks at the start of the voyage and forced the Frenchwoman to ration her supplies in the last third of the voyage; nevertheless, she had to have food supplies brought to her from a French naval ship from Guyana . There was also excitement on April 17th when le Gouvello fell off her surf device; However, the safety line carried by her kept her connected to the “board” and could easily get back on.

The French woman's next goal was to cross the Pacific. For this purpose, she had a new windsurfing device manufactured from 2001 to 2002, which in turn was made by Saillard. The 7.80 m long, 1.30 m wide and up to 75 cm thick hull offers space for a second sail, sleeping accommodation, a desalination system, sufficient provisions and various navigation devices; the maximum sail area is 7.4 m².

In order to test the device and prepare for the Pacific, le Gouvello first set out to cross the Mediterranean - as the first windsurfer ever. However, on her first attempt, which began on July 25, the French woman capsized and had problems straightening the surfing device. On the second attempt, however, from August 25 to September 7, 2002, she managed to cross the Mediterranean for the first time on a surfing device, covering the 550 nautical miles (a good 1,000 km) long distance from Marseille to the Tunisian Sidi Bou Saïd for 10 days, 1 hour and Took 38 minutes. The new surf device was faster than the previous one, and more reliable.

In 2003 she became the first windsurfer to cross the Pacific on her own. The journey from Lima in Peru to Papeete in Tahiti is 4,455 nautical miles (approx. 8,250 km) the longest distance the Frenchwoman has covered to date and took 89 days and 7 hours from August 5th to November 2nd.

From April 10, 2006 to June 8, 2006 le Gouvello crossed the Indian Ocean as the first and so far (as of 2008) only windsurfer. The French woman needed 60 days, 2 hours and 1 minute for the 3541 nautical miles (over 6,500 km; direct route 3,262 nautical miles) from Exmouth in Australia to Le Port on the French island of Réunion off Madagascar . During the journey, le Gouvello had to struggle with seasickness, gastritis, injuries and changing weather conditions.

In spring 2007 le Gouvello circled Great Britain windsurfing. She made stops in 26 ports, where she campaigned for environmental protection in general and the protection of the British coast in particular through educational work. She also let windsurfers with basic experience ( planchistes confirmés ) try out her windsurf device .

Le Gouvello is still using the surfing device that was completed in May 2002 (as of 2008). In 2003, she had a so-called “airbag” installed by Saillard together with ESA , which further simplifies the erection of the device after capsizing; Since then, the inflation of a large air bag at the rear end of the surfing device can be triggered both from the inside of the fuselage and from the outside. In 2005 the electrics, electronics and painting of the device were overhauled.

Private and professional career

Le Gouvello has nine brothers and sisters.

As a veterinarian, the Frenchwoman has specialized in aquaculture (fish farming and rearing other aquatic animals). After graduating from high school in 1978, le Gouvello studied veterinary medicine and graduated in 1985 with a French doctorate , for which she wrote her doctoral thesis in 1984 on aquaculture in Taiwan. In 1986, she earned a Master of Sciences in the degree program resources ( Natural Resources ) at Humboldt State University in California. In 1987 she devoted herself to the breeding of Chinese and Indian carp and the management of lakes in Bangladesh . A year later a project on ichthyopathology ( pathology of fish) and water techniques in France followed.

From 1987 to 1990 le Gouvello worked for a food manufacturer for aquaculture, then until 1993 in the aquaculture program of a veterinary laboratory. In 1994 the Frenchwoman founded Stermor , a company that advises on food, health and hygiene in aquaculture; le Gouvello runs the company in her home town of Pénestin in the French Morbihan (Brittany).

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Raphaëla le Gouvello: Curriculum vitae of Raphaëla le Gouvello. Retrieved June 5, 2020 (French).
  2. ^ Curriculum vitae of le Gouvello, on their website raphaela-legouvello.com ( PDF file; French; accessed March 12, 2008; 139 kB)
  3. ↑ Richard Henderson (1992). Singlehanded Sailing: The Experiences and Techniques of the Lone Voyagers , second edition. McGraw-Hill Professional (p. 47) ISBN 0070281645
  4. ^ Samuel Abt (April 21, 2000). Atlantic Crossing / A 'Little' Excitement and a Lot of Grit: Windsurfer Is Bearing Down on Her Dream. International Herald Tribune (accessed March 12, 2008)
  5. ↑ Il était une fois , section 2002: la Méditerranée , on the pages with le Gouvellos Internet reports respectocean.com ( Memento from May 17, 2006 in the web archive archive.today ) (French; accessed March 12, 2008)
  6. ↑ Portrait on the website of le Gouvello (French; accessed March 11, 2008)

Publications by le Gouvello

  • Raphaëla le Gouvello: Dialogue avec la mer. Retour en terres de Bretagne . Les Editions du Toucan / TF1. 2007. ISBN 978-2-916780-46-7
  • Raphaëla le Gouvello: Au cœur du Pacifique. L'odyssée du vent . Glénat collection Neptune. 2004. ISBN 2-7234-4870-3
  • Raphaëla le Gouvello: Development and availability of medicines for fish . In João Coimbra (ed.): Modern Aquaculture in the Coastal Zone: Lessons and Opportunities. (NATO Science Series. Series A: Life Sciences - Vol. 314) IOS Press. (Pp. 155-180) 2001. ISBN 0967335566
  • Raphaëla le Gouvello, Hélène André and Guy Saillard: Vent debout. Première traversée de l'Atlantique en planche à voile par une femme en solitaire. Glénat collection Neptune. 2001. ISBN 272343737X

Web links

Commons : Raphaëla le Gouvello  - collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Gouvello, Raphaëla le
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Gouvello, Raphaela le
SHORT DESCRIPTION French windsurfer
DATE OF BIRTH May 4th 1960
PLACE OF BIRTH Paris