Whilst he has not yet been in the southern oceans, Kito de Pavant does know many of the world´s seas after years of racing, delivery trips and charter voyages. Although not very well known by the general public, this discreet and funny guy from the Med is setting out on this Vendée Globe with many assets.
Your sailing career was not very well known, before your first time in the Figaro in 2000…
«I have raced since I was very young, but in races that did not get a lot of media coverage. I have never stopped sailing since my childhood: I did a lot of racing on a Moth Europe dinghy, before turning to cruising races. I returned to light boats, when my son took up Moth racing: I accompanied him on my own boat, as I enjoyed racing with him rather than watching from the shore… He didn´t go much on that. Maybe because I always finished ahead of him!»
Eight years ago, you took to the Figaro circuit, which opened up your horizons afterwards...
«I had never done that: I had wanted for a long time to sail alone, as this boat is very demanding, but I wasn´t much good at finding the money. Moreover, I had my job on the beach in l’Espinette in the summer, as I had to look after my kids and family. My partner, Françoise encouraged me to go for it by looking after my summer activities. All worked out well the first time, as I ended up on the podium in the third leg and for my third attempt in 2002, I won!»
That was a first step, but from there to sailing around the world...
«It all happened around the same time, as in the 2000 race, I followed Bernard Gallay´s Vendée Globe, as I was highly motivated to sail on these 60´ monohulls. He took me out on the 2001 Transat Jacques Vabre, which went quite well, and I was so pleased, even if I wasn´t really thinking of sailing around the world… However, I also met some Figaro racers, who encouraged me to make the move: Jean Le Cam, Philippe Poupon, Jacques Caraës.»
You managed to get a lot of experience by sailing on larger boats…
«With Jean Le Cam, I did the Orma trimaran circuit with a Transat Jacques Vabre in 2003. We got to know each other and became friends over time… Then, as it had gone so well, we did the next edition of the race, but that time on an Imoca monohull. It was then that I thought about going a step further. Solo multihull racing didn´t really appeal, but the Vendée Globe ...I began to imagine it was possible… »
Is it reasonable to set sail from les Sables d’Olonne to return to les Sables d’Olonne?
«It may seem absurd, especially as there are no stopovers and you hardly ever see land, but what interests me is the race that this route entails… There´s going to be a huge naval battle! For the time being, it is the most extreme and the longest single-handed ocean race. Sailing around the world is already quite something… »
Why do you want to sail around the world?
«Good question. I ask myself that every day; I´m asked the very same thing each day and I never know how to reply. Maybe I´ll know more when I return to Les Sables d’Olonne. I´m looking for something I haven´t yet found. Today, there´s a mixture of fear and excitement, as I´m well aware of the difficulty in the four months ahead. However, in spite of my experiences of ocean racing, there is still something unknown. Those, who have already done the race know what to expect, but that is not the case for me. I´m probably trying to tick off something I haven´t yet done. In particular, I´m looking for a great story I can tell others, for Groupe Bel who offered me so much trust and all those, who invested in this project.
There´s a huge amount of pressure on me, but I hope I can enjoy myself doing things that will make me dream for years to come.»
What is your greatest fear?
«The pace the race imposes on us. We know there will be thirty of us galloping away on a difficult course and that the pace may well be faster than is reasonable, as many of us are not in fact reasonable. It´s going to be quick and tough to get through… »
What would you be pleased with after this race?
«There are a number of goals: the first is to complete the voyage, which is not that easy. I know that if I manage to get all the way around, I´ll be in with a chance. I really have a lot of confidence in this boat and in this project, as we have made some really nice choices. I try to console myself with that idea. The best thing would be to end up on the podium in this Vendée Globe, but that will be very difficult.»
Then, there´s the fascination of the Southern seas that you don´t yet know…
«Yes, even if I have sailed on almost all of the world´s seas except down in those latitudes! It is a bit exciting to think about going down there… Besides, I´m doing my first Vendée Globe in excellent conditions! I have a very enthusiastic partner, who gave me all the means to really do something. I am extremely lucky.»
For your food, will you be taking some Babybel cheeses?
«All of the competitors will be getting a little bag from my sponsor: a great mimolette! It´s a cheese that keeps well, but they won´t have to bring it home: I don´t think it improves at sea, as some people say wine does! Moreover, I don´t know if anything improves by going around the world. I doubt it, even as far as the men are concerned. Maybe they change, but I´m not sure if they are more "zen", when they get back! I think they may even be crazier than when they set out… »
«I have raced since I was very young, but in races that did not get a lot of media coverage. I have never stopped sailing since my childhood: I did a lot of racing on a Moth Europe dinghy, before turning to cruising races. I returned to light boats, when my son took up Moth racing: I accompanied him on my own boat, as I enjoyed racing with him rather than watching from the shore… He didn´t go much on that. Maybe because I always finished ahead of him!»
Eight years ago, you took to the Figaro circuit, which opened up your horizons afterwards...
«I had never done that: I had wanted for a long time to sail alone, as this boat is very demanding, but I wasn´t much good at finding the money. Moreover, I had my job on the beach in l’Espinette in the summer, as I had to look after my kids and family. My partner, Françoise encouraged me to go for it by looking after my summer activities. All worked out well the first time, as I ended up on the podium in the third leg and for my third attempt in 2002, I won!»
That was a first step, but from there to sailing around the world...
«It all happened around the same time, as in the 2000 race, I followed Bernard Gallay´s Vendée Globe, as I was highly motivated to sail on these 60´ monohulls. He took me out on the 2001 Transat Jacques Vabre, which went quite well, and I was so pleased, even if I wasn´t really thinking of sailing around the world… However, I also met some Figaro racers, who encouraged me to make the move: Jean Le Cam, Philippe Poupon, Jacques Caraës.»
You managed to get a lot of experience by sailing on larger boats…
«With Jean Le Cam, I did the Orma trimaran circuit with a Transat Jacques Vabre in 2003. We got to know each other and became friends over time… Then, as it had gone so well, we did the next edition of the race, but that time on an Imoca monohull. It was then that I thought about going a step further. Solo multihull racing didn´t really appeal, but the Vendée Globe ...I began to imagine it was possible… »
Is it reasonable to set sail from les Sables d’Olonne to return to les Sables d’Olonne?
«It may seem absurd, especially as there are no stopovers and you hardly ever see land, but what interests me is the race that this route entails… There´s going to be a huge naval battle! For the time being, it is the most extreme and the longest single-handed ocean race. Sailing around the world is already quite something… »
Why do you want to sail around the world?
«Good question. I ask myself that every day; I´m asked the very same thing each day and I never know how to reply. Maybe I´ll know more when I return to Les Sables d’Olonne. I´m looking for something I haven´t yet found. Today, there´s a mixture of fear and excitement, as I´m well aware of the difficulty in the four months ahead. However, in spite of my experiences of ocean racing, there is still something unknown. Those, who have already done the race know what to expect, but that is not the case for me. I´m probably trying to tick off something I haven´t yet done. In particular, I´m looking for a great story I can tell others, for Groupe Bel who offered me so much trust and all those, who invested in this project.
There´s a huge amount of pressure on me, but I hope I can enjoy myself doing things that will make me dream for years to come.»
What is your greatest fear?
«The pace the race imposes on us. We know there will be thirty of us galloping away on a difficult course and that the pace may well be faster than is reasonable, as many of us are not in fact reasonable. It´s going to be quick and tough to get through… »
What would you be pleased with after this race?
«There are a number of goals: the first is to complete the voyage, which is not that easy. I know that if I manage to get all the way around, I´ll be in with a chance. I really have a lot of confidence in this boat and in this project, as we have made some really nice choices. I try to console myself with that idea. The best thing would be to end up on the podium in this Vendée Globe, but that will be very difficult.»
Then, there´s the fascination of the Southern seas that you don´t yet know…
«Yes, even if I have sailed on almost all of the world´s seas except down in those latitudes! It is a bit exciting to think about going down there… Besides, I´m doing my first Vendée Globe in excellent conditions! I have a very enthusiastic partner, who gave me all the means to really do something. I am extremely lucky.»
For your food, will you be taking some Babybel cheeses?
«All of the competitors will be getting a little bag from my sponsor: a great mimolette! It´s a cheese that keeps well, but they won´t have to bring it home: I don´t think it improves at sea, as some people say wine does! Moreover, I don´t know if anything improves by going around the world. I doubt it, even as far as the men are concerned. Maybe they change, but I´m not sure if they are more "zen", when they get back! I think they may even be crazier than when they set out… »
