Pierre Brétéché

Pierre Brétéché had a dual life, working as a renowned surgeon in Nantes and a competitive international sailor. At a young age Brétéché was introduced to the sport by his father, who was also a surgeon, with them sailing from the pontoons at the Sport Nautique de l’Ouest (SNO) headquarters. After World War II had ended he became the French champion in the Moth sailing dinghy in 1946.

Brétéché then took a prolonged break from the sport to concentrate on his studies, before eventually returning to the water in the early 1960s. Now competing in the 5.5 metres class, he earned a place on the French Olympic team for the 1968 Mexico City Games. Along with crewmates Gilles Buck and Roger Tiriau, the French team finished 10th overall. During this time Brétéché also served as the President of the SNO from 1965 to 1974.