Belgium's Gilles Buekenhout sees positive after his disqualification for his third participation in the Route du Rhum. He hopes to put it back in four years with a happier outcome. Interview.
What feeling dominates after this unfinished edition?
It's a little shared. There is a lot of positive and inevitably a little disappointment on the fact not to have gone to the end. Between the boat, which proved to be extra, and having held the shock under these conditions, I am satisfied.
Have you ever encountered such conditions at sea?
No never. For 5-6 days, it was heavy. I had wind gusts up to 47-50 knots (85 to 100 km / h). And especially it was intense, the three depressions were chained one behind the other, without respite.
How did you live it?
It was very hard physically. Especially the first three days. There was fatigue and intense stress. After we get used to it even if we are always afraid to break something. I think we were all in survival mode during this period.
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No. A cleat at 30 euros dropped and dropped my foil as it began to calm down. This resulted in several breaks and forced me to make my second stop in Cascais (Portugal), the one of disqualification. The hardest was past ...
Are you planning a fourth participation in 2022?
Of course there is a taste of unfinished business. After that, it can happen a lot in four years. Psychologically, I want to go back to complete the loop. But this time, I will need a partner. A regional SME that seeks to make itself known. Before that, I have to repair the boat. The goal is to put it back in the water in the spring for the races of the Atlantic facade.
If you had to summarize this rum in one word?
Baston. Just look at the heads of those who have arrived. They were emptied. It's all the more annoying for me that I had done the hard part in the story.