Louis Kerdelhué announced this morning his decision to retire from the 2026 Golden Globe Race due to ‘the limits of his health and physical condition,’ according to race organisers.

In a Facebook post, he writes:

I’m writing to you from Recife, where I’ve just come ashore.

First of all, I want to thank the organisers, Dominique, my family and friends, who have supported me unfailingly, and each and every one of you for your messages and encouragement, which I’m only now getting to enjoy reading.

I have decided to withdraw from the Golden Globe Race. I’ve reached the limits of my body and am no longer in a condition to continue. Speak soon!

Louis Kerdelhué onboard IE Charge. Photo by Viveka Herzum

Louis arrived in Recife on 24 October and completed his mooring without assistance, intending to conduct necessary repairs to his furling-system and resolve an unusable main water tank and other onboard issues.

On 25 October, he moved IE Charge from the mooring to a marina berth at Recife, but had not yet declared whether he intended to continue in the Chichester Class.

Further plans following the announcement of his retirement have not yet been made public.

Louis Kerdelhué’s GGR so far

Photo by Louis Kerdelhué / GGR 2026

Louis Kerdelhué Golden Globe Race journey so far has been characterised by unstable conditions, frustrations, and communication difficulties.

He left Les Sables d’Olonne with the rest of the fleet on 06 September.

At the Marina Rubicón film drop on 18 September, he managed a spinnaker wrap during his approach.

A passing boat raised the alarm after seeing no one on deck, before Louis was able to establish contact and confirm he was safe aboard.

In the following weeks he was exposed to strong winds and difficult seas along with the closest members of the fleet, Gunnar Christensen and Matt Woodside.

Slow movement and a series of missed daily safety messages prompted further concerns about his safety, leading to the preparation of a possible Code Orange alert.

The alert was ultimately not activated, and Kerdelhué resumed contact with the race managers.

He accepted a 24-hour time penalty after a telephone call to his shore manager on 12 October, to be served in the North Atlantic later in the race, and was pressing on in light winds when he communicated his intention to stop in Recife.

The GGR’s youngest ever-sailor

Louis Kerdelhué (France) sails into the Marina Rubicón film drop at 11:00 UTC on the 18th September 2026. Photo by Rob Havill / GGR2026

True to his nickname of ‘Last-minute Louis,’ we first saw the young skipper come (literally) crashing through the window once the farewell press conference in Les Sables D’Olonne was already underway.

He was doing laps on the pontoons to get his ducks in a row until the last possible moment, before being hurrahed off the mooring by his equally fresh-faced friends.

At just 21, Louis Kerdelhué is the race’s youngest entrant yet.

He comes from a sailing family and a dinghy racing background and only turned to yachting when he first heard about the ‘race for madmen’.

He started preparing for the GGR while he was still finishing his university degree, got his Yachtmaster Offshore in 2023, and had been busy racking up solo miles since.

He entered the 2026 Golden Globe Race with  a Biscay 36 Masthead sketch called IE Charge, previously known as Nuri.

The boat was originally refit for the 2018 GGR, and went around with Michael Guggenberger in 2022/23.

What’s next for Louis Kerdelhué

Louis Kerdelhué (France) sails into the Marina Rubicón film drop at 11:00 UTC on the 18th September 2026. Photo by Rob Havill / GGR2026

No official announcement has been released by Kerdelhué or the race organisers regarding his intentions.

For now, the young skipper is resting in Recife, where he was reached by his race manager, as he evaluates his next steps.

Enjoyed reading about Golden Globe Race skipper Louis Kerdelhué?

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