Tom is a passionate sailor! Born in 2006, he set foot aboard an Optimist at just two years old, but it's from the age of 8 that he really gets hooked on the sport. He trains in Saint-Suliac, the nautical center of Rennes, and goes on with competitions. In particular, he took part in the interleague last May in Suliac and finished 8th out of 110 in the general ranking, but also in the Brittany Cup, the last qualifying event for the French championship. He finished 6th out of 60 and is the only one from 2006 in the Brittany League to qualify.
Now, Tom is embarking on a new challenge: crossing the Channel in an Optimist, from the Needles (Isle of Wight, Great Britain) to Cherbourg. A record held since 2016 by another young moss - Violette Dorange, 16 years old at the time - who completed the 60-mile (111 km) crossing in 14 hours and 56 minutes. It will go into stand-by on June 26th.
Tom is supported by his family in his attempt, as his father, Nicolas Goron, explains it "We've put a safety system in place for Tom to try and beat this record: we'll be on a support boat less than 300m behind him to let him make his own way. We'll also have a RIB in tow so we can intervene if necessary. Tom will have an A.I.S. beacon, a personal satellite beacon, a VHF radio and flashing lights. He will also be equipped with distress flares and a foghorn in case of fog."
Tom has been preparing for this record for two years now and is more than motivated. After his crossing, he will be sailing for 3 weeks in a row. He has qualified for the French Minime Championship, which will take place in Martigues from July 6 to 12, and will take part in the International Summer Cup, which will take place from July 14 to 20 in Carcans-Maubuisson.
