From sailing club on holiday to ocean racing
On 8th November 2020, Clarisse Crémer will be setting sail in her first Vendée Globe. However, she was never destined to sail in an IMOCA boat on the seas of the planet. In fact, she discovered sailing in clubs during the holidays and on family cruises.
It was only in business school that she learned to sail and rubbed shoulders with the professional world of ocean racing, notably by taking part in the Tour de France à la Voile in 2010.
Involved in the 2013 and 2015 campaigns of her companion Tanguy le Turquais, she is putting her foot in it a little more. The Parisian company manager then decided to leave the capital for Brittany and accompanied Tanguy on several sailings.
"I've worked less and less to make more and more boats. I discovered the Mini circuit by following Tanguy's two campaigns and I got a good idea of what it was like. I took part in a few convoyings and two double-handed races with him. I continued sailing to think about starting a professional career. I didn't do a lot of sailing and I'd spent very few nights at sea."
Finally, after being bitten by the competition, Clarisse launched her own Mini Transat project. She achieved great results: victory in the Mini Fastnet in 2017 with Erwan Le Draoulec, single-handed victory in the Transgascogne, and 2nd place in the Mini Transat in 2017.
After a stint in the Figaro with Everial - Transat AG2R 2018 and Solitaire du Figaro 2019 - she was invited by Banque Populaire that same year to take the helm of the IMOCA Banque Populaire X?! Just ça?!
Sailing around the world, a fascination
She will be one of the 6 participants to line up at the start of the single-handed round-the-world race.
"The Vendée Globe is a mixture of many things. First of all it's a big challenge. What stimulates me the most is to sail around the world at voile?! I'm fascinated by this means of locomotion, which is the boat and which allows me to go anywhere on planet earth just by sailing. I'm passionate about it.
There is also the solitary side, which is a kind of spiritual retreat. I'm going to see what it's like to spend three months at sea all alone. Competition is also what I do every day. Learning how to manage the weather and strategy and continue to progress, accompanied by the Banque Populaire team. I like this learning process linked to the sport itself and the competition. Of course there is the Vendée Globe objective, but also all the preparation upstream which is a source of motivation, and, an objective in itself.
When I go into a project like this, I like my daily life, I like the hard times."
Banque Populaire X, a reliable and fast frame
For this round the world race, Clarisse will be sailing on the IMOCA Banque Populaire X (ex-Macif of François Gabart, winner of the 2012 Vendée Globe). As the boat had already undergone a major refit when Clarisse took over, the preparatory work for the Vendée Globe focused more on making her more reliable.
"We've changed the winch column direction. Rather than looking ahead or behind when I'm manoeuvring, I'd be on the starboard/port axis, which allows me to develop more strength. We've also installed slide systems to make it easier to masthead, which makes the passage on deck more fluid. It was essentially a project to improve reliability and interior ergonomics. We also added two batteries to avoid any electrical problems."
Although Banque Pop' is not equipped with foils, it is nonetheless a reliable and high-performance boat in its category. "My boat is clearly, on paper, the most reliable. She has sailed quite a bit, but not too much either, she's well prepared, she's fast in the daggerboard class and she's very versatile."
Closing the loop, main objective
The young skier has set herself the goal of completing her race. And that's already a great ambition. " Performance and technique motivate me on a daily basis to keep my boat moving forward. But I don't set my sporting results too high, even if I'd like to finish in the first daggerboard boats. If I'm in the top ten, then that will be the icing on the cake. Above all, I want to sail well and make good trajectories. As long as I finish the race, I'm not disappointed."
With a racing season disrupted by Covid-19, the IMOCA class was only able to take part in the Arctic Vendée to prepare for the race. " I wish I'd sailed more for sure."
Although the young woman has not been able to train as much as she wanted in the pre-season races, she is counting on some of her assets to make the most of her time. "I have less experience than my competitors, but I'm not doing badly in terms of computers, electronics and weather strategy. I'm trying to be positive and I don't think I'll be the one who can handle solo sailing the least."
It is therefore rather serene that Clarisse is getting ready to set off on her first solo round the world voyage.
"Despite the difficulties, which are inherent in a project like this, I hope to sail serenely, without the anxiety of breakage and technical problems. Even if that's what I'm most afraid of. Not being able to deal with the breakage and having to give up or hit a UFO with the same result.
I hope to feel a certain balance, a moment of fullness and to feel like I belong, to have moments of joy and to be happy to be there."
Telling the story of life at sea
Accustomed to social networks - it was through videos that she made herself known and approached her sponsors for the Mini Transat - Clarisse intends to share her adventure once again.
"It's important and it gives a little meaning to everything we're living. I don't know how - news or videos - but I'll try to explain as concretely as possible what we experience at sea."
His prognosis for the podium of the Vendée Globe??
"Question difficile?! L'Occitane en Provence, Apivia, Hugo Boss, Charal... There are so many people who can claim victory. If Sam Davies could win it would be bien?! Everybody has put so much energy into it, that everybody deserves gagner?!"
