31 years old, Achille Nebout has the rightness of those who want to constantly learn and discover the practice they cherish. It was after being diagnosed with a growth disorder that he left the soccer cleats to put on the deck shoes.
Kito de Pavant as a fatherly best friend
Achilles tells us about his career like this: " I started in Montpellier with summer training courses in Optimist, when I was 10 years old. I used to play soccer, but my health decided otherwise. If my family has never been a great sailor, my father's best friend is Kito de Pavant. If I didn't practice, I hung out on the pontoons, feeling that there was something attractive there ".
The rest is classic " no sooner had I started edging than I felt the passion within me. I quickly wanted to start competing, not to get glory, but to get to know my level compared to others ".
With success, Achille has been awarded several prizes:
- 2019: 14th in the Solo Maître Coq (FIGARO)
- 3rd of the Sardinha Cup (FIGARO) with Xavier Macaire
- 2018 : SB20 World Champion
- 2017 : 4th in the Tour Voile
- 2014 : French Match Racing Champion
- 2011 : European Vice-Champion Youth in 470
- 4th World Youth Championship
- 2008 : French Champion in 420
On the difficult cohabitation of studies and practice
In 2008, Achille entered the INSA of Lyon, where he studied engineering. He travels back and forth between Lyon and Marseille, where he has joined the FFVoile's youth center. Brilliant on the podiums as well as in his academic training, Achille will have to make a choice in his career objectives. This will be the case when Achille graduates.
His professional life will be maritime or it will not be: " The things I learned in my engineering training are assets for the management of a boat, constrained par excellence by the forces of physics. Steering a racing boat requires a real mastery of the wind. I find the mathematical and Cartesian aspect that I learned. And I add a lot of sensations. I love being on the ocean and seeing the real images that you see on TV, that's part of the fun. "
Besides, according to the skipper, what is his main strength in sailing?
" I think I'm pretty much whole in a lot of areas " he begins. " The fact of having approached different media gave me a different feeling. The rigor of engineering also brought a cooler, more concrete look. And I am stubborn. I built this project from scratch, starting from nothing, I am quite stubborn. "
Learning, again and again
One thing is obvious in Achilles' past - and probably future - career: he wants to learn and confront what he knows in theory with the reality of the field. This is certainly the reason that leads him to multiply the supports. " In 2014, I leave the 470 after 6 years of practice "explains the skipper. " I wanted to try something else, learn new techniques and go beyond my limits then."
Passage through the Figaro 3 with " A mini budget at the beginning. And the pride of staying in the top 10 of all the competitions I have run " adds the navigator.
In 2018, Achilles becomes world champion in Hobart in SB 20, a 6.50 meter monohull keelboat class. Then in 2019, he climbs on the podium of the Tour de France à la voile.
Transat Jacques Vabre with Kito de Pavant
That same year, Achille will take the start of the Transat Jacques Vabre aboard a Class 40 skippered by Kito de Pavant . A race that is not well underway, about which he explains " Despite a dismasting shortly before the start, we arrived in seventh place ". An unexpected opportunity for the Montpellier native to assimilate a new thing, the management of incidents.
Always projects in mind
The Montpellier native takes advantage of his energy to carry out many projects. He loves music and makes sure to link his nautical projects to musical staves. He explains his approach: " I listen to a lot of music. I connect with myself through music. It allows me to think about something other than the race. I listen to all styles, I am particularly electro at the moment. "
Achilles continues, " For two years, I have linked my figaro project to culture. I try to associate music with my projects. I contacted French 79 who is a huge fan of sailing in 2020 for a collaboration. We made a documentary ( solitaireS ) which presents our two common passions. "
Music, video, voileeuros Achille is always trying new things. What are his major projects?
Fourth season Figaro en Vue
Achilles will take over the Figaro. " A demanding and exhausting class, the Figaro is an excellent laboratory for training and confronting one's limits. I want to start a fourth season. I want to make solo sailing a reality " he comments. " I would love to aim for the Route du Rhum, but I don't have the level yet, the places are extremely expensive. I need to cut my teeth solo and ensure my skills beforehand."
Always this search for validation of the engineer's own knowledge within him. " For the moment, I am doing extremely well and I am studying a lot of things in Class40 "says the skipper. " I don't see myself going into IMOCA for the moment, it's too much for me. Too big, too expensive, too fast and, above all, too demanding. "
And in a more distant future?
" I would like to go into architecture later on. One of my dreams, once I have learned enough, would be to design a Class 40 or even an Imoca. Ideally mine. I would like to succeed in sailing and designing boats at the same time. "
Settle down and live
And when he's not on a pontoon, how is Achilles' life?
" I arrived in Lorient 18 months ago " he begins. " The boat is 5 minutes from my house, what more could you ask for! I am well in my life, balanced and stabilized. Now I want to settle down and build my career and think about the two moments of my professional life, the race and its continuation. "
If, for the moment, Achille Nebout's name is not the most known in the world, there is no doubt that the hindsight, the coolness and the learning capacity of the young skipper will make him climb the steps of success when he is convinced that he has the skills. In the meantime, the sailing engineer that he is, is taking the time to convince himself of his skills, without burning his wings. This is undoubtedly how talents are formed!
