Lorient (AFP)
"It feels good!": The English sailor Samantha Davies spent her first night at sea in 7 months after resuming training like the vast majority of the 35 candidates for the next Vendée Globe, a race around the world alone, which must start November 8.
"We feel everyone super happy to return to work with goals. It is a huge motivation to have a real competition in sight. Everyone is hurrying to get back in the water, we are making up for the two lost months "said AFP Samantha Davies (Initiatives-Coeur) on Friday, returning to the port of Lorient (North-West) after 24 hours at sea.
"I hadn't spent any night at sea since the Transat Jacques-Vabre (November 2019), it's the longest wait of my life!", Continues the skipper, whose boat was put back in the water on deconfinement day (May 11).
The Briton recounted the excitement that reigns at the port while most of the sailors who are candidates for the legendary Vendée Globe have taken back their boats.
The latest generation boats from Jérémie Beyou (Charal), Charlie Dalin (Apivia), Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut), Sébastien Simon (Arkea-Paprec), Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss), Armel Tripon (L) have already returned to the water. 'Occitane en Provence) and Nicolas Troussel (Corum L'Epargne).
But also the monohulls of Fabrice Amédéo (Newrest-Art & Fenêtres), Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ), Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline-Artisans Artipôle), Manuel Cousin (Groupe Sétin), Clarisse Crémer (Banque Populaire X), Kevin Escoffier (PRB), Isabelle Joschke (MACSF), Miranda Merron (Campagne de France), Alan Roura (La Fabrique), Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG Mori) and Maxime Sorel (V and B-Mayenne).
Vendée Globe candidates should be able to line up for a prologue-shaped race, Vendée-Arctique-Les Sables d'Olonne, which is still awaiting a green light for a start on July 4.
The 9th edition of the Vendée Globe - a solo, non-stop round-the-world race played on Imoca (18 m monohulls) - should start in Les Sables d'Olonne on November 8.
© 2020 AFP