Team members: Nicolas Renouf & Delphine Collin
Hometown: Boston, MA, USA
Race vessel: J/24
LOA: 24′
Human propulsion: Pedal (Prop)
Connect: instagram
They’ve got charts, strategy, and enough spare parts to rebuild half a J/24 mid-race. This next team of French ex-expats is betting on seamanship over size, trust over tech, and a 36-year-old boat that didn’t ask for this.
The Race to Alaska Podcast
Episode 3: Team Moana MoProblems, Team Nothing To Sea Here, Team French Connection Sailing
→ Listen on Spotify
→ Listen on YouTube
→ Listen on Apple Podcasts
First things first, why Race to Alaska?
For us, the Race to Alaska is the kind of challenge that actually means something. No engine, no support, no easy way out—just you, your teammate, and your boat. That simplicity is exactly what draws us in. It’s real sailing, the way we like it: you rely on skills, preparation, and good decisions, not equipment or shortcuts.
We’re doing R2AK because it combines everything we enjoy on the water: strategy, seamanship, endurance, and the constant need to adapt. It forces you to think, to stay sharp, and to push yourself in a way that regular races simply don’t.
But the real “why” is personal. We want to see what we’re capable of as a team. Two French sailors living in Boston, taking a J/24 across some of the most demanding waters in North America—there’s something exciting and meaningful about that. It’s an adventure we’ll remember for the rest of our lives, and a chance to prove to ourselves that we can take on something this big.
That’s why we’re doing it. It feels right, it feels like us, and we’re ready.
What’s the one piece of advice you’re absolutely going to ignore?
“Bring a bigger boat.”
People love to remind us that a J/24 is too small, too simple, too uncomfortable for a race like this. And sure, a bigger boat might make some things easier—but that’s exactly the point. We chose Scorpion because we know her, we trust her, and we believe the boat you understand is better than the boat you just wish you had.
So yes, we’ve heard the advice. And no, we’re not taking it. We’re doing this our way, on the boat that fits who we are and how we sail.
Confidence Level (%)
85
Friendship Survival Rate (%)
100