Ian Lipinski is one of the most renowned skippers in Class40. In 2019, he broke new ground by entrusting the design of his Crédit Mutuel boat to David Raison. He launched the first scow in the class and won his first Jacques Vabre.
You won the Défi Atlantique and finished second in the CIC Normandy Channel Race. Do you think Crédit Mutuel can still stay in the game, even though it's not so new?
Absolutely! The technical problems I encountered on the big races gave me the impression that it relieved us a little of all the pressure of the "flagship" boat at the start. It's still a high-performance boat with its advantages. I'm quite serene. I have no doubts that we'll be able to fight our way to the front. In the Transat Jacques Vabre 2021 and the Route du Rhum 2022, I still managed to hold on despite the breakages. On the Route du Rhum, my keel sail was deformed and I sailed with an airbrake, but it didn't go too badly for me. For the first few days, I was at the front of the pack.
This is your last race on your current boat. How do you manage optimizing your current boat and building a new one?
There have been no major modifications to the boat. We're continuing to work on the sails, performance and performance analysis. With the technical problems I've encountered in recent major races, we've reinforced the keel sail a lot. The aim is to continue to have a healthy boat and to anticipate problems that could slow us down, like in 2020.
The new Crédit Mutuel is under construction. It's still a David Raison design and an evolution of my current boat. We're going to gain in a lot of areas. The hull structure is infused at Gepeto and the deck at Mer Concept. In-house, we manufacture parts such as ballast tanks. We're much more into detail than my current boat. We hope to launch her next spring.
What are your objectives for this Jacques Vabre? Knowing that Antoine Carpentier could win his 4th consecutive victory.
Ian: The aim is to win, of course, but that's no pretension. Of course, with 5 days to go, we're in 5th place, but we're not going to let that stop us! That's why we're here. When you take part in a game, the aim is to win. It's the same for a race.
Antoine: Winning, of course! Crédit Mutuel would be the first boat to win the Jacques Vabre twice, and I'd win my 4th in a row. They say you can't have two without three, but you can never have three without four!
What are Crédit Mutuel's assets for the Jacques Vabre race format?
Antoine: It's a reliable boat. Ian's been racing her for a few years now. The Raison designs are fairly versatile boats. She's not the fastest, but she's one of the fastest boats in the fleet. The versatility of its hull means it's best suited to heavy seas. It's the most seaworthy of the scows if there's a low-pressure system to get through at the start of the race. She has the ability to stay at the head of the fleet. Its big advantage is downwind or upwind breezes.
The risk is on the Cape Verde - West Indies section. If there's less than 15 knots, it's going to be a bit tricky. But we've done a lot of work on the spinnakers to deal with this medium wind.
You chose Antoine Carpentier to accompany you this season and in the Jacques Vabre. How does your partnership work?
Ian: There was a coincidence in that his project was coming to an end and I was looking for someone who could follow me throughout the year. I used to change partners for each race. Antoine has a lot of Class40 experience, and that's where I met him. We forged a bond during the Trophée Mer et Montagne, which I take part in every year. It's a great way of getting to know each other.
We started sailing together in the Atlantic Challenge. The results were there, as we won the race. But we also got on really well. Things happen naturally. We have the same vision of things. We have a connection that makes us want to do things at the same time. When it comes to the basics, we're in perfect agreement. In terms of organization, it's fluid. And what's more, Antoine is very good!
Antoine: The team is great, the boat is still performing well and the atmosphere is great. We've been able to work a lot on the sails to improve performance. In short, it's been really pleasant.
This was already the case for the last edition, but what do you think of the dedicated courses?
Antoine: It's good to have this more grouped finish, especially for the Class40s, which are the slowest in the fleet. We're arriving at the same time as the others. In previous editions, the Ultims arrived well ahead of us, and we suffered a little from the lack of big media coverage, which had already left. So from a media point of view, it's a good thing. And arriving within two or three days also means we can celebrate with the others!
Ian: From a sporting point of view, the Class40 route, especially on this stretch to Cape Verde, is top-notch! Then there's the crossing of the trade winds. That splits the race in two, with a fast-paced, highly technical first leg. There are a lot of changes and moves to make. The passage towards the Canaries is really nice, along the coast of Africa, you can pass between the Cape Verde islands. It's a place I love. The only problem is the sargasso.
What do you think of the level of the Class40 field?
Ian: It was already very high in the Route du Rhum and remains very high. It's a constant now. The class is very experienced. There are about ten boats that can win.
Antoine: It's clear that Class40 racing is at a high level. Today, there are fifteen or so pro projects and a good ten who are in with a chance of winning.
