Racing the Route du Rhum 2022 in an Ocean Fifty
Volvo Ocean Race (now The Ocean Race), Transat Jacques Vabre, Monaco Globe Series, Transat AG2R La Mondiale, Tour de France à la Voile, Solitaire du Figaro... Eric Péron has distinguished himself in the world of sailing on several supports. He is now embarking on a new project, racing the Route du Rhum 2022 in an Ocean Fifty.
"While I was racing in the Figaro, I had found in 2017, a sponsor to do the Vendée Globe 2020/2021. But the IMOCA project fell through. With the French Touch Ocean Club (Editor's note: a project whose objective is to bring together and promote French companies by promoting their know-how, and to democratize sailing sponsorship), we always had in the back of our minds the idea of doing the Vendée Globe. Unfortunately, the necessary budgets, coupled with my ambition of performance, do not allow us to enter the circuit now. The Ocean Fifty was the best compromise to participate in the Route du Rhum" explains the skipper.
A 2009 boat to optimize
For this new project, Éric Péron bought the former trimaran Ocean Fifty from Gilles Lamiré, winner of the Route du Rhum 2010 with Lionel Lemonchois. This Irens - Cabaret design was built in 2009 at Marsaudon Composites in Lorient and will undergo a major refit to bring it up to the level of the other Ocean Fifty boats on the grid.
"It's a boat built in 2009, which has always operated with side daggerboards and two rudders on the floats. It never evolved after the authorization to add foils to these boats. The platform is sound, voluminous, suitable to be a single-handed ocean racing boat, so we might as well take advantage of this upgrade. It's a big job, requiring a big investment, but it's worth it." explains Eric Péron.
Thus, the boat, which is based in Brest, will be equipped with foils, a centerboard and will undergo work on the rudders. In the meantime, the Breton skipper intends to sail with his boat as is, to get to know it and see what needs to be optimized. The boat will enter the yard after the Solitaire du Figaro, which Eric will race aboard his Figaro French Touch. Thus, for the moment, no race is on the program for 2021, the boat will be used for public relations programs to raise funds.
Find a lead partner
"French Touch Ocean Club brings together about fifteen partners and contributes between 20 and 25% of the desired operating budget. We are still looking for 80% of the budget with a title partner who would take the name of the boat." develops Éric Péron.
After his boat is relaunched at the beginning of 2022, the navigator will start with a period of fine-tuning before probably going on to a transatlantic race and solo sailing. A good preparation for his final goal, the Route du Rhum 2022.
"The Ocean Fifty is a human-sized boat, it's a sporty trimaran, which goes quite fast. Attention is constantly needed. It's on projects like this that we have fun, while doing our job. The Route du Rhum was a sporting challenge, on any boat, which I absolutely wanted to take part in. I've never done it. I might as well choose a boat where the fleet is homogeneous and the challenge that the competitors bring is beautiful."
The 2024 Vendée Globe still in sight
However, Eric Péron does not deny his desire to participate in the Vendée Globe 2024. He still keeps in mind this desire to integrate the IMOCA circuit and to participate in his first solo round the world race in 3 years.
"It's an intermediate step towards an IMOCA. I've already done three Transat Jacques Vabre races in an IMOCA, I've been a substitute skipper for the Vendée Globe three times... I've sailed a few miles on these boats. Today, not having an IMOCA in my hands, the Ocean Fifty was the best compromise. I didn't want to sail on an IMOCA in degraded mode either, I'm a great competitor" concludes Éric Péron.
