- The Nordist Thomas Ruyant will be at the start of the Vendée Globe on November 8, 2020 in Les Sables d'Olonne.
- He unveiled the name of the company he will carry on his boat this Wednesday during this solo round the world trip.
- The Linkedout social network, intended for people in insecurity looking for a job, will support them during their journey.
A world tour in solidarity. In full preparation for the Vendée Globe, the famous solo round the world sailing, which should start in Les Sables d'Olonne on November 8, Thomas Ruyant has reached a milestone. The northern skipper, who will line up for the second time at the start, now knows the name of his boat.
Main partner of the navigator for two years, the company Advens, specialized in cybersecurity, decided to offer the name and the visibility of its boat to LinkedOut, the network "of those who do not have one". Launched by the Entourage association, this social network aims to relaunch the precarious people on the job market. A commitment that makes Thomas Ruyant proud to make Linkedout known on all the seas of the globe.
Your boat will therefore wear the colors of LinkedOut on the Vendée Globe. What does it do to you?
It is in line with what we have tried to do with Alexandre Fayeulle (president and founder of Advens) for two years. We set up a project, built a beautiful boat, made a beautiful Transat Jacques Vabre (5th), we also qualified for the Vendée Globe. So this project with LinkedOut is a continuity which gives even more meaning to the project and more meaning to performance. I find it great to be able to bring together this world of business, the societal subject and the world of sport, by putting everything in place to be competitive. Everything is there to do something really cool.
LinkedOut works for the professional reintegration of people in very precarious situations. What does it mean for you to carry this message to the seas of the globe?
We contacted Linkedout just last November. I met the street committee, namely people in very precarious situations who actually make decisions in the Entourage association. It was a pretty strong moment. The subject of isolation was already extremely present at the time. We already wanted to give this name to the boat before confinement. And with the current situation, this subject of isolation was even more present.
There is this very important background message but it is done with positive technology, with super modern means and I like it. It is very close to the DNA of Advens, a box of the new economy. It is also very close to what we do with our boats. We are innovative and that's what LinkedOut does with this platform. It is an innovative message.
A few months before departure, is your Vendée Globe budget now complete?
Today the budget is secure whatever happens with the Vendée Globe. Then, the more we are, the more impact we will have. So the door is open to other partners who would like to experience an adventure like this from the inside. We want this project to be sustainable and not just a blow to the Vendée Globe. We want to lead this project in the longer term and why not go to the Route du Rhum 2022 or even the Vendée Globe 2024. Anything is possible.
What has changed the confinement in your preparation for the Vendée Globe?
We had to adapt strongly in our organization. The schedule was strongly impacted. We had two deckchairs planned for the spring. There was in particular a return trip to the United States in early May which was canceled. With the other members of the Imoca category, we could now participate in a race which would start in early July "behind closed doors", that is to say without starting village and without arrival village.
Everyone leaves their port to cross the finish line. It makes it possible to make a beautiful course with a loop which would pass by Iceland then the Azores and that especially allows to confront, to navigate. We are still preparing to leave on November 8 for the Vendée Globe. We are still far from the deadline but I know that the organizers and the different classes are all aligned to participate. Even if I imagine that there will be some adjustments in view of the current context.
When you're a sailor and you can't really train, how does it work?
Initially, we had a launch scheduled for early April. We are finally going to put the boat back in the water in mid-May so we are shifting by a good month. It itches to go back to sailing but I have nothing to complain about. I took the opportunity to advance on other files. We take turns at the shipyard in Lorient with the employees. Everyone is equipped with visors and masks to work. We had to dismantle everything and check everything. When we see the speeds we reach with this type of boat and the impact that there can be on the equipment, we should not leave anything to chance.
And then, we also work a lot on life on board with ergonomics. The way to stand, to rest, to get into the boat. This can be one of the keys to the next Vendée Gobe to make the most of the space. We have also designated a second version of the foils for installation in early September.
What is the difference between confinement on land and confinement on sea?
It’s very different. When you are alone in a boat, you are prepared for that. It is something that we chose and not at all something that is imposed on us. And above all, when I am on my boat, I don't have the impression of being in confinement at all. I rather have a feeling of total freedom than the opposite. On the other hand, there are similarities like the way of communicating with the outside or even a restricted space of life. In this life, you have to succeed in having days that are well paced with a schedule. We must not let go.
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