‘It can be brutal’ - Meet Gauthier LeBec, the onboard reporter for the winning Ocean Race Europe team Biotherm

For years in offshore racing - decades even - sailors would disappear from one port, to reappear in another, and what happened in between… well, that came down to each person’s version of events. 

Each Ocean Race Europe team consists of four sailors and one onboard reporter (OBR). The first reporter role (previously known as ‘media crew members’) was introduced back in 2008, and has since evolved into a vital part of the race’s identity.

Whereas back in the day, media crew member recruitment was an afterthought for some, today, OBRs are carefully handpicked with precision and major consideration. After all, this role is the gateway to delivering the team’s stories back to shore via satellite and to a global audience.

It has become a prestigious and challenging job in the environment of extreme sport, and is sought after by many adventure reporters.

The role is not just about skill - although a multitude of skills are required - it is also about the personality fit on the boat.

Offshore sailors live and breathe what they do, there are highs and lows onboard, personal exchanges, dips in mood and moments of frustration - this is why the sailors need to trust the person with the camera documenting their every move.

The OBR is the linchpin between the sailors and the outside world. They paint a picture of what is happening onboard, running a completely different schedule to the sailors and, critically, they are not allowed to participate in racing. 

The stories to come out of The Ocean Race over the past 50 years have been nothing short of iconic, the type that only life-risking circumstances can provide, but it’s only really over the last 17 years they have been truly brought to life, thanks to the introduction of the onboard reporting role. 

An OBR’s role is a busy one. Their schedule is dictated by life onboard, and simultaneously, the 24/7 deliverables to their media team and the organisation itself back at Race HQ in Alicante, to enable those onshore to share the story. 

So what exactly does the role entail? 

Firstly, multimedia skills are a must. From editing, to drone piloting to blog writing to photography, all content must be produced to a high level. 

Then it gets turned up a notch. All content must be shot and edited in conditions that are harsh: filming in cramped, wet spaces while the boat slams off waves, editing on a laptop that’s sliding across a carbon floor, or recording interviews with crew members as water pours over the deck. Sleep comes in short bursts, meals are freeze-dried packets eaten on the go, and there’s no escape from the noise, spray and constant movement of the cramped living environment.

Each boat is fitted with a sequence of cameras that film the crew, and the OBR is responsible for their use, as well as the management of the complex onboard technology system to send content back to shore. 

Troubleshooting from a laptop behind your desk? Try troubleshooting from inside a washing machine! 

Onboard Paul Meilhat’s team Biotherm - winners of The Ocean Race Europe 2025 - it’s a young man named Gauthier LeBec who carries this responsibility. 

"I tell the story of the race from the inside, through different lenses and formats - photography, video and even writing, because I love to write," he explains.

"It’s tough, intense - sometimes you just can’t film because the boats are so extreme - but there’s something so exciting about working on Biotherm. With a full crew in action, the manoeuvres in brutal conditions are full-on - and that makes for amazing footage."

Gauthier is a passionate sailor and talented content creator with a Master’s degree in photography and videography. He is as much part of the crew as the sailors, his responsibilities just differ. And if skipper Meilhat is arguably one of the most likeable sailors in the race, that is partly due to Gauthier’s work.

"It would be so hard for me to pick my favourite moment from The Ocean Race Europe," he explains. "Pushing the drone to take off is always cool. Life onboard can be brutal, but there’s always a story to tell.

"Most of the time, I wake up and have no idea what my work day will look like, but the ocean is always changing. And between the ocean and the sailors onboard, I will always get something good." 

Gauthier’s work has been followed by thousands of fans, and whilst Biotherm are the winners, the racing isn’t over yet. 

This Saturday, the Ocean Race Europe reaches its conclusion in the unique setting of Boka Bay, Montenegro, with the final points-scoring opportunity - a coastal race - that will close the 2025 edition for the teams. The OBRs will once again be live, cameras rolling, capturing every moment as Team Holcim PRB and Team Paprec Arkea battle it out for second place to complete the podium. 

On 20 September, The Ocean Race Europe fleet will take part in a short coastal race in Boka Bay, Montenegro - the final points-scoring opportunity for the teams. This will be streamed on TNT Sports and discovery+.