INTERVIEW
Since November 3, 2019, a trimaran bank has left the port of Brest, carried by winds and currents, as part of the sailing competition Brest Atlantiques. The ultims, this class of offshore racing trimaran, must make a loop of 14,000 miles from Brest to the Brazilian coast to return to the city Finistere through Cape Town to the southern tip of Africa.
Among the sailors involved in this event is the Frenchman François Gabart. With his team stamped Macif, he has recently experienced some setbacks: "We had small technical problems, when we sail at these speeds, as soon as we hit something in the water, it quickly creates damage". Result: a temporary loss of speed for the trimaran.
"A different strategy from competitors"
The 2017 solitary world tour record holder maintains a close relationship with Matthieu Noël, the flagship host of the Wild Team on Europe 1, to such an extent that he sent him a message from his trimaran to wish him his birthday a few days ago. A message that makes him ironic about the delay he has taken in the race: "We have to stop the boat so that the sound is good for the song! Fortunately this is not your birthday every week! "
More seriously, to try to make up for the first, François Gabart and his crew have opted for "a strategy a little different from the competitors". "We will get closer to the Brazilian coast, he explains, we have observed this possibility for almost a week, following the weather continually."