Can you explain what the latest weather forecasts tell us?
It's gonna be really cool. The Bay of Biscay will be in the right direction, there's sunshine...[Laughter]
More seriously, it's quite terrible what's happening to us from Tuesday[Editor's note 2 days after the start on Sunday, November 4]. There is a first low that will be easily passed at the exit of Brittany, then we will engage in something really not simple. Everyone was a little tense at this morning's briefing. Some are not reassured, especially the race management. Everyone will be confronted with these difficult and manly conditions. There could be a lot of damage. We hope we've done a good job on the boat, reinforced it enough to make it go well, that the sails will hold, that the equipment will resist.
With 24 hours to go, a lot of things can still happen on the forecast side. We'll wait for tomorrow's last weather files before we establish a strategy. We have a vague idea of what we're going to do, but in such a strong wind we can't go fast: whatever the boats or the route we're going to take. It will take a few hours of round back work to get through this first difficulty before resuming the race towards the sun and the trade winds.
Despite your experience, do you fear these kinds of conditions?
Exactly, even more so with my experience! I know that bad weather is not a pleasure and that there is a risk of breaking equipment and compromising the result of the race. You have to remain zen, adapt the sail to the conditions. It will be necessary to pass the storm storm and storm sails at the right time. It is not an easy thing to do. These are complicated manoeuvres, if we do it too late it is all the more complicated and if we do it too early we will lose ground. You have to manage the right timing.
Last day ashore, what is the program?
Today it's easy. The weather is fine[Editor's note: we conducted this interview on Saturday morning, the day before the start].
Yesterday it was fast, we had a lot of people: media, partners... Today it's cooler.
We will start with a briefing with the team to agree on all phases. Complete the preparation. The food and bags arrive this morning on the boat. I'll take a nap; find the latest weather files to think about the race and the start. The Start should go well because we will have good conditions. Before leaving I will try to see my family and children for a while. From 4pm there is the boat parade: departure from the pontoon, waiting in the locks. Then we'll meet out to sea. From there, it's time to race...
