Aurlien Gard

I was born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland, on the shores of Lake Geneva. Born to a father who was a former ocean racer, I was quickly put on a boat, but it was not love at first sight. I was afraid and had a slight contradictory spirit. So I preferred the cold of ice rinks, the stages of theaters and the sound of bass in the evening.

In 2020, the forced cessation of my musical activity freed up my time and I felt a desire for change, a kind of calling. I got back on a racing boat to replace an absentee in my father's crew and there: It was a revelation. No more fear, just sensations and dreams that emerged at breakneck speed. Since then, I have focused on this sport. I train with the Regatta Training Center (CER), watch all the training videos imaginable and try to immerse myself as much as possible in this environment. I am lucky enough to sail in Brittany in preparation for the Tour de France à la Voile, which only increases my desire for the open sea! The desire to join the Mini class, known for being the gateway to solo offshore racing and cross the Atlantic Ocean on a very small boat of 6 mothers 50, like my father, Marc Houlmann, did in 1987.

At the same time, I am pursuing my Bachelor's degree in social work, which I will obtain in July 2025. I had the chance to work with people with multiple disabilities during my apprenticeship and would like to specialize in supporting young people who, like me during my adolescence, are experiencing a school, family or social breakdown. Today, I feel ready to put into practice what I preach to the people I support: believing in their dreams and following through on them.

It is therefore time for me to throw myself body and soul into this project and allow myself this break in my life as a social worker, as the skipper of an ocean racing boat!