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As the start of the Transat Café l'Or 2025 approaches, excitement builds on the quayside in the port of Le Havre. Among the Class40s lined up, Centrakor Hirsch is preparing to cross the Atlantic with an experienced and engaging tandem on board: Mikael Mergui, a committed Mediterranean sailor, and Kéni Piperol-Dampied, a Guadeloupe sailor with seven crossings under his belt.
A duo that knows each other
When asked to describe their team-mate in a single word, the answers come thick and fast, from teasing to complicity. One confides something he's never dared to say, the other evokes a flaw he'll have to live with for the next thousand miles. This question-and-answer game sets the tone: these two know how to laugh at themselves and share.
Between gris-gris and rituals
On board, everyone has their own habits. One person slips a lucky charm under the bunk, another doesn't take off without his music. And then there are the little treats, precious when fatigue strikes or the sea calms. And a dream dish on arrival? Nothing exotic: simple, real, home-cooked.
A crossing is also a question of values
Beyond performance, Mergui and Piperol talk about commitment. They think about ecology both at sea and ashore. The Class40 is a small space where everything counts, where every resource has its weight. In this interview, they also recall the three values they defend at sea, those that carry them as much as the trade winds.
Memories, idols and a favorite port of call
They look back on their first memories on the water, the sailors who inspired them as children, and those stopovers that remain engraved long after the last mile. A breath of fresh air in the heart of a sometimes bitter competition.
An interview to watch in its entirety
In just two minutes, we discover what makes a crew tick: sharing, complementarity and a touch of madness. A must-see video to better understand what unites two skippers on the eve of an ocean challenge.
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