The Vendée Globe, a passion from a very young age
Sébastien Simon is a child of the Vendée Globe. He grew up with a dream in mind, to take part in the solo round the world race, non-stop and without assistance. It is moreover this passion that guides him towards a career as an ocean racer: Optimist, 420, J80, M34 and Solitaire du Figaro.
"I was born a bit with the Vendée Globe. The first one started in 1990, the year I was born and I was born in Les Sables-d'Olonne. This race has always motivated me, made me dream, pushed me into my career as an ocean racer. It was in order to take part in the Vendée Globe that I won the Solitaire du Figaro in 2018 and won the title of French Elite Ocean Racing Champion.
It keeps me on the edge of my seat, I think about it day and night, on weekends and holidays. I've been living with it for a little while and it's finally becoming a reality. It's something from incroyable?!"
This race which gives him a rather intense emotion, he will finally participate, at just 30 years old. He, who has always followed him as a spectator, will finally be able to experience it from the inside.
"Is it because I'm passionate, is it because it's a race out of commun?? Given the emotion that the Vendée globe gives me as a spectator, how will it be as participant?? It's a sporting challenge, but also a personal one. It's a technological sport that fascinates me. Nevertheless, I have built a boat to take part in the Vendée Globe?! It's a dream that a lot of kids have and today I'm going to take my first start."
Not to live a failure
After years of climbing the ladder of competitive sailing and joining the IMOCA circuit in 2018, Sébastien could not bear to fail.
"I really hope to enjoy myself, to go through with it no matter what. "Otherwise it would be a failure and I don't know how I'd get over it. I've had my share of bad luck so far (Editor's note: his IMOCA Arkéa-Paprec has suffered several damages recently). I want to face up to all the competitors, I want to make those around me and my partners, who have supported me in this project, proud. But also to do this for me."
New, stronger foils for the round-the-world trip
It is aboard Arkéa-Paprec, a latest-generation foil IMOCA designed by the architect Juan Kouyoumdjian, that he will set off on his first circumnavigation of the globe. The boat has been fitted with new, stronger foils to circumnavigate the planet.
"Those few consecutive broken foils were a real blow and a hindrance to my preparation. Under certain conditions, I feel less trained than some of my competitors. We've nevertheless had a good phase of progress, the boat is showing its reliability. We were able to bounce back in the best possible way. I want to set off with my weapons, the worst is last me and the best is yet to come. We've learnt a lot from the breakage and tried to sail as much as possible over the past few months.
These new foils will give us all the confidence we need. They have the same radius of curvature and the same shape as the previous ones, but with structural modifications for strength.
Ergonomic details have also been fine-tuned. These boats are actually better than before, and that's the opposite of comfort and well-being."
A page to turn
In spite of the hard blows, Sébastien leaves more determined than ever and rather serene. Invested in this project for 3 years, he has only one desire, which is to be able to close this chapter, to open a new one in 4 years.
"It's a boat with extraordinary potential, but it's very demanding. Below 20 knots, she is really capable of showing her full potential, but beyond that she is demanding and hard to steer. We'll deal with it and I think we'll be able to make the most of it. I think that after having had two knees on the ground after the foils broke and a preparation full of boulders, I've shown resilience. I am more determined than ever and surprisingly calm, confident and happy.
I could be under a lot of pressure. That's always the state of mind I'm in before the start of a race, but right now I want to write this page, tick it off and turn it. I've been living with this project for 3 years and it's tiring. I want to go there, to have fun and enjoy it all. I want to do this project, which has given me so much strength."
Want to start a business
However, the young skipper does not intend to end his IMOCA career there. Very young when he started out on this project, he has since gained enough experience to undertake it on his own.
"I'd like to go back in four years, but with a more serene, sportier preparation. That's what I've missed. I've gained enough experience to be autonomous in my projects, to do things when I feel them. I was only 27 years old when I was offered the Vendée Globe. It was an incredible opportunity and it happened quickly. I was young. Today, I feel ready to change hats. The Vendée Globe will always make me dream, it's a race that clearly starts from home. It's also an incredible opportunity to meet people from all walks of life, other entrepreneurs. I'm passionate about entrepreneurship and communicating a lot."
Going around and having fun
Aware of his weaknesses for this first start, following his preparation, which was marred by the damage to his boat, Sébastien did not set himself an unreachable goal.
"Surely one day I'd like to win and then go back there. Now I'm aware that I'm not as well trained as some of my rivals, even if that's not necessarily the case, because we've made a lot of progress. Above all, I want to finish what is not an easy task. If we finish, the result will be there. I'll be there without regret and more determined than ever to do it again. It's an incredible challenge, an incredible adventure."
A stressful period
This year 2020 may not have been the easiest for Sébastien Simon, between the breakage of his foils and the health crisis, which has delayed the progress of the project.
"Our two transatlantic races were cancelled and I had to abandon the Arctic Vendée qualifying race on the first day. The delivery of the foils was delayed as we couldn't control the supplier deadlines. We had to organise ourselves internally. It was a stressful period. Everything was very well defined, everything was called into question.
It is certainly the most technologically advanced generation of boats ever designed for the Vendée Globe, but it is also the generation of boats that has sailed the least. It's amazing, but we're going to make it."
Be grateful by sharing your adventure
Apart from the obligation to deliver videos and photos to the Vendée Globe organisers, as well as to his partners, throughout the race, Sébastien would like to share his dream with as many people as possible.
"I want to share my adventure with the greatest world. I'll try to do the best I can. I'll do it with my words, my desire, and I'll try to do the best I can. Besides, on my own, I couldn't have lived my dream. It's a way of being grateful as I should be."
His prognosis for the podium of the Vendée Globe??
"Jeremie Beyou, Charlie Dalin and Alex Thomson. Also Thomas Ruyant and Armel Tripon."
