Published on 04.11.2026
A Commitment Born from an Encounter
Pierre Leboucher’s Class40 is sponsored by ARMEN, a company chaired by Dominique Gaillard, a member of the Imagine Institute’s Campaign Committee. At his initiative, the boat was named Institut Imagine and flies the Institute’s colors.
Pierre Leboucher enthusiastically agreed to champion this cause. He visited the Institute twice to meet with the researchers and teams and to learn more about their work.
What struck me most during my visits was the enthusiasm of the researchers and the entire staff, and their passion for finding solutions to genetic diseases. I will be very proud to represent the Imagine Institute, and in difficult times, I will think of them often.
I would like to thank Pierre for his commitment to the Imagine Institute and for championing the cause I have supported for the past five years as part of its Major Donors Campaign, alongside Anne and Henri de Castries, the campaign’s co-chairs.
More than 8,000 genetic disorders have been identified to date. They affect 3 million people in France, and every day, 64 children are born with one of these disorders.
Sailing and Research: The Same High Standards
For both the skipper and the Institute’s research teams, these two worlds share a common culture of adaptability and perseverance.
On the water, you have to constantly adapt to changing conditions. Genes, too, evolve. My job is to find the best settings and the best course; for researchers, the process is exactly the same.
By choosing to sail under the colors of the Imagine Institute, Pierre Leboucher is doing much more than just wearing a logo: he is raising awareness for researchers, children, and families who face the challenges of a genetic disease every day. These diseases are not rare in our society: they affect nearly 3 million people in France and often provide a valuable key to understanding much more common diseases.
The Route du Rhum, a legendary race
Established in 1978, the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe connects Saint-Malo to Pointe-à-Pitre every four years. The sailors race solo over 3,542 nautical miles—more than 6,500 km—without stops or assistance.
The 13th edition will set sail from Saint-Malo on Sunday, November 1, at 1:02 p.m. It will feature 117 sailors competing in six categories, ranging from Ultim trimarans to Class40 monohulls.
Pierre Leboucher, an accomplished sailor
An engineer by training, Pierre Leboucher represented France at the 2012 London Olympics in the 470 class. A stage winner on the Solitaire du Figaro, he holds the Jules Verne Trophy record with the Sodebo Ultim 3 crew. In 2025, he won the Les Sables–Horta–Les Sables race in the Class40 class alongside Fabien Delahaye. He will compete in his first Route du Rhum in this category, one of the most competitive with 49 boats entered.
The message I want to convey to children, families, and researchers is that you should never give up. Despite the challenges and any setbacks, as long as you haven't crossed the finish line, you don't give up.
Press Contacts
- Corinne de Conti – Directrice de la communication et des affaires publiques
corinne.deconti@institutimagine.org – 06 72 38 76 42 - Jordane Galera – Responsable communication digitale
jordane.galera@institutimagine.org – 06 82 72 45 75