Who are these sailors who are committed to fight against multiple sclerosis, to spread Parkinson's disease ... or to help sick children? How do the associations invest with them?
Many skippers associate with causes. Some bear the name of the boat: Towards a world without AIDS (Érik Nigon), Solidaires in peloton-Arsep (Thibault Vauchel-Camus), Parkinson's sailing team (Florian Guéguen), Time for oceans (Stéphane Le Diraison) ...
Others write big on a sail or small on a mast: Action childhood (Loïck Peyron), Dreams of clown (Erwan Le Roux), Thousand and one smiles (Gilles Lamiré) ... And there is the project of Skipper Samantha Davis on Initiatives Coeur, built entirely around sponsoring and patronage, since 2012.
The association gives no euro
"There have always been humanitarian projects in sailing, but not in this way," says Lucie Hardy, in Samantha's team. We are proud today to see so many projects that bear a cause, and to have inspired this movement. Three companies, Initiatives, K-Line and Vinci Energies - financially support the navigator but also Mécénat cardiac surgery. "This association makes it possible to have children with cardiac malformations who can not get treatment in their country. "
For each euro given, the three sponsors of the boat donate one euro to the association as part of the 1-click operation 1 heart. Knowing that a cardiac procedure costs 12 000 €. "Thanks to the project Initiaves Heart, 155 children could be operated. "
A collective of 50 patrons
The Thibault Vauchel-Camus Multi 50 is also named after one cause: the Arsep, the Multiple Sclerosis Research Grant. "To talk about this incurable, autoimmune, disabling, poorly known disease and raise public awareness. "
Behind him, a collective of about fifty patrons, who finance the cost of the project (boat, technical team, communication ...). "The association does not give any euro. Among them, some are more sensitive to racing offshore, to the sea. And others to the disease. "But all are in the excitement of a sporting feat. "
Cancal Florian Gueguen also wants to make known a disease. Parkinson's, who touched her grandfather, and change the look on her. "It's not an elderly disease. The average age of diagnosis is 58 years old. "
Credibility to the project
Again, this association of patients does not bring money to the skipper. "But it gives credibility to the project with the partners. Of my ten sponsors, more than half support me because there is a cause behind. "
All these causes, defended by the skippers, start from a personal step, apart from any financial interest. Except for helping an association. "Quit to wear colors, as much as it is used for something," stresses Loïck Peyron speaking of the Fondation Action enfance. Like Gilles Lamiré, who supports Mille et une smiles. "I find it a shame to put so many ways just for my personal pleasure. It was important for me to join a cause so that she could also enjoy it. "