Bertrand Guillonneau

Surgeon and sailor. Now that's something! And yet, this is what qualifies Bertrand Guillonneau, alumnus of Sorbonne University, to entered into the next Transat Jacques Vabre, under the flag of Movember¹... and Sorbonne University.

As a teenager, Bertrand Guillonneau never imagined becoming a doctor.... "After my A-levels, I didn't have any specific ideas about what I wanted to do. I went into medicine by chance. I thought it would give me time to think about my future...."

He admits to not being a brilliant pupil, but he excelled in his medical studies at Sorbonne University (formerly Paris VI). “I did my first semester on the Pierre et Marie Curie campus and the second semester at the Faculty of Medicine just a stone’s throw from there. I was staying in a maid's room in Cluny. I spent most of my student life in this area."

With his diploma in hand, this native Parisian decided to leave the capital for the Cité des Ducs in Nantes... and get closer to the sea. "When I chose Nantes for my internship, I thought I'd take the opportunity to go sailing! But in the end, I never sailed less than during that period.” And with good reason: during these very intense years, he studied surgery, then specialised in urology, all while doing applied research. That's all there is to it!

Ten years later, back in Paris. Bertrand Guillonneau is developing laparoscopic surgery techniques. "I was one of the first to perform laparoscopic prostate surgery. Today it's commonplace and has evolved into robotic surgery, but at the time it didn't exist. For this work, I was awarded the Accreditation to Lead Research by Sorbonne University in 2001."

This discovery opened doors for him, including those of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York—one of the world's leading cancer hospitals—where he practised for ten years. He was also at Cornell University (New York State), where he was appointed Professor of Urology. “My American experience was fantastic! But I missed Europe and decided to return with my family. For four years now, I've been working in Berlin at La Charité hospital." With his academic background and international career, Bertrand Guillonneau is clearly not the average surgeon.

Heave-ho!

When asked: "Where does this passion for boats come from?" Bertrand Guillonneau responds: "When I was 15, my father, who was looking for something I could do with my time, asked me if I wanted to take a beginners’ sailing course. I accepted without batting an eye, and by the end of the first morning, I was hooked!"

As for boat racing proper, that came much later, in the 2000s. One of his friends told him about his transatlantic crossing experience... and passed the virus on to him.

“In 2006, I attended the start of the Route du Rhum and absolutely loved it. When the sailors set off, I said to myself 'I need to do that!"

And he did. Four years later, the surgeon, now skipper, completed his first Route du Rhum in 21 days.
"When I started out, I knew nothing about racing boats; it was a different world. I had to learn. I did what I could and had a great time." He would go on to take part in other major ocean races such as the Transat Jacques Vabre in 2013 and the Québec Saint-Malo in 2016.

In 2019, after moving to Berlin, he decided to quit... but the Covid pandemic would thwart his plans. "Like many people, I hated the lockdown. Every night I dreamt I was sailing. It was a sign!"

So he set to work on a new project and placed an order for a high-performance racing boat. "It was a long process. I had been in regular contact with the person who supervises the yard, those handling the electronics, the sails, the mast... Everyone has their own speciality. Then there's the whole process of adjusting and sharing all the equipment."

"It seemed only natural for Sorbonne University to come on board alongside me."

On Bertrand Guillonneau's log: setting off double-handed in the Les Sables - Horta yacht race at the end of the month, competing in the Transat Jacques Vabre from Le Havre to Fort-de-France in November, and other races over the next two years leading to the famous Route du Rhum in 2026... if all goes as planned and the skipper can find the right partners!

Although he competed for himself at the very beginning of his career as a yachtsman, this time he decided otherwise.
"When I decided to embark on this adventure once again, I thought long and hard about the messages I wanted to convey. I wanted to discuss medicine, of course, and the Movember association is the perfect vehicle. But I also wanted to discuss education. I had in mind what is done in the United States: competing for your university and promoting your university education. Let's be honest, I owe my professional success to Sorbonne University," explains the surgeon.

And he adds: "It seemed only natural for the University to come on board alongside me. So when I found out that it was Europe's leading maritime university, I thought it was a good opportunity to let as many people as possible know about it. One thing led to another and I was put in touch with the Ocean Institute and associate professor François Ravetta². He suggested taking a cloud analysis sensor on board the boat, so the data collected could be used by his students." Quite a plan!

You know the quote: "The important thing is taking part." However, the skipper doesn't appear to agree. He has victory in his sights. "When I compete, it's to win. That being said, I'm no fool, I know it's unlikely that I'll win these ocean races, but I can’t rule out a stroke of luck. I'm going to do everything I can to win."

We'll be keeping a close eye on him!

1 : Movember is a not-for-profit organisation that raises awareness of male cancers
2 : François Ravetta is a researcher at the Atmosphères, Observations Spatiales laboratory (CNES/Sorbonne University/CNRS/Université de Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines).