Only 18 years old, Carla Jain has a good head on her shoulders and a great mind. She sailed single-handed from the Côte d'Azur to Corsica on a production Laser Radial. She answers our questions, a few hours after the success of this extraordinary sail.
How did you come to want to cross the ocean on a dinghy?
The idea for this project came to me when I read about Violette Dorange's crossing of the English Channel. I found her story very inspiring, and wanted to take on a similar challenge myself. I wanted to explore the open sea, to see what it was like.
I started building the structure of my project two years ago. As a member of SNLP, the Société des Loisirs Nautiques de Porticcio, I fine-tuned my training on the water and on land, to prepare myself as well as possible for this challenge. I also approached partners and was soon contacted by an IMOCA skipper who announced his support. But two weeks before the start, he withdrew from the project without giving me any explanation. It was a real blow, because we had to cancel everything and resume our search for sponsors.
It took me another year to bounce back and find new partners. But in my misfortune, this extra year was very beneficial. All the more so as the sailing turned out to be very physical, and no-one had ever managed such a feat on this type of support.
In order to give meaning to this navigation, I raised funds via a kitty the proceeds will be donated to Sea Cleaners, Yvan Bourgnon's association, and Mare Vivu, a Corsican environmental organization.
Was this your first ocean sailing trip?
Yes, I'd never been offshore before. I started Optimist when I was 7, and did several seasons before switching to Laser.
Which route did you take?
I set off from Cap d'Ail, in the Alpes Maritimes, at around 2am. The routing predicted a distance of 91 miles. The forecast did not turn out as expected. By the evening of the first day, I'd only covered 30 miles. It was a mental game, not easy to manage.
Then the wind picked up in the middle of the night, slamming up to 25 knots. It was sporty, but these invigorating conditions kept me awake.
How was your safety assured?
I was followed at a distance by a 45-foot sailboat with my coach and a skipper on board. They were there to intervene quickly if necessary. But they didn't have to. There were no supplies on the entire crossing.
On board my Laser, I carried hand-held lights, a flashlight, a headlamp, a VHF, a GPS and an emergency beacon.
Were supplies on board your Laser?
Yes, I'd packed 9 liters of fresh water, cereal bars and sandwiches in waterproof bags. It had to be quick and simple.
How did the rest of your crossing go?
The second part was a little calmer, with alternating phases of calms and light thermals. I had to fight sleep deprivation on the second night, as it's impossible to take a nap on a Laser. Then, at around 6am, I arrived at the tip of Revellata, near Calvi. I was exhausted, and didn't really realize that I'd succeeded in my gamble. It took me 28 hours and 31 minutes to complete the crossing, which makes it a benchmark time, as I'm the first person to have done it.
Are you going to continue sailing Laser?
No, this crossing is a culmination, as I've spent several years on this support. But it reinforced my desire to continue in ocean racing. I'd now like to turn to the Figaro circuit. I love competition and the level on this circuit is really impressive.
