with less than a month to go before the start, what is your state of mind? What are your ambitions for this Transat Jacques Vabre? Especially after your victory in the Pro Sailing Tour?
We want to win that's for sure! We are preparing as well as possible. We've checked everything to make sure we have no problems at sea. We're clearly going for victory. After that, the class is homogeneous and other boats are capable of winning.
We won the Pro Sailing Tour, but a transatlantic race is not the same. We will do things right. We try to prepare everything to win. And if it is not the case, we will try to understand why to do better afterwards.
How far along are you in getting to grips with your boat?
It is positive. There are surprises. We chose this boat because it is more adapted to transatlantic races. Winning on the Pro Sailing Tour was not expected, but it's quite positive. It's a fairly versatile boat. We didn't really have any problematic moments or speed problems compared to the fleet. We weren't always the fastest, but rarely the slowest.
We have very little experience of the big conditions at the start of a transatlantic race. There will be more waves, wind and extreme conditions. The only way to progress is to experience these conditions of regatta and storm. We have already done this on other boats so it's not too worrying. We hope that it goes as well as in the other conditions.
After the circuit, did you do a job on Leyton and what did it consist of?
We did a little work in August, right after the Pro Sailing Tour. We didn't change anything about the performance. We are in a constant optimization perspective. We didn't even take the boat out of the water. We put a roof back on to be protected during the watches and to gain in performance. It will be almost the same as on the Pro Sailing Tour. We just optimized for life and comfort on board and did some major checks.
You will be paired with Aymeric Chappelier, can you tell us about this choice and the strengths of your pair?
Aymeric knows the boat well, he is also a team manager. He is also the team manager, so he is very involved in the project. We took the boat in hand together and we were together on the Pro Sailing Tour. It's reassuring to have someone involved in the project. Especially when it's a new boat for us and we're learning. He's also a sailor who's done some good performances. So he has a good base.
What are the constraints and advantages of a double-handed race format compared to solo or crewed racing?
There are fewer people than on a crew. It requires more attention. We also leave for longer than on the Pro Sailing Tour. We must be well placed at the end of 2 weeks. You can't pull too much on the boat. You need strength and endurance. You have to manage yourself and the boat throughout the race. It's not just a 24-hour race like the Pro Sailing Tour. After that, Leyton is also made for small crews. The cockpit is small, the helm stations close to all the controls. It's good for that. It can also be too much fun in the sea and be scary. But we trust her, she is reassuring.
What do you think of the new race courses? What will it change?
The first two thirds are exactly the same. Two years ago, we passed close to Fernando de Noronha. On the other hand, crossing the doldrums again opens up more navigation options. We'll also have to manage the Amazon currents as we pass along the South American coast. It opens up more possibilities. In the past, when we left the doldrums and went directly to Salvador de Bahia in Brazil, there wasn't much going on. This one is more open. It is also a part of the world that we do not know. We don't sail much here. There is no transatlantic race that passes through here. It's the first time I'm going to sail in this area. We'll see how it goes and what the priorities are.
How do you feel about the competition, both in personal and material terms (boat)?
The line-up is very versatile. Each boat, each team, each navigator has its strong points. There are only 7 boats. We can finish 4 or 5 e and it won't be surprising either. We want to win and we will do it.
Thibaut Vauchel-Camus has almost the same boat as us and knows it very well. Erwan Le Roux has won everything in the Multi50 class. Even if he has a new boat, he knows how to go fast. Lalou Roucayrol is the most experienced of the group. Sébastien Rogues knows his boat well, even if he is older, he is still going strong. Gilles Lamiré won the last transatlantic race even if he is taking on a new crew member with Yvan Bourgnon.
We're not going to get carried away. We played for the title with Arkema on the Pro Sailing Tour. Everyone is capable of doing things right.
After the Transat Jacques Vabre, what are your plans?
After the Jacques Vabre, we'll turn around fairly quickly after Martinique to bring the boat back for delivery. We're going to do a winter refit and prepare for the Route du Rhum fairly quickly. We will try to sail as much as we can, while preparing for the Pro Sailing Tour and the Route du Rhum. It's going to be a new challenge to set off alone on this boat in a transatlantic race. And for that, we need to get out to sea as soon as possible rather than being in the yard.
