Vendée Globe

Nine am in Les Sables d’Olonne and Alex Thomson and the shore team for Hugo Boss are trying to overcome their final hurdles to ensure the British solo skipper sets off on Sunday in the best possible shape.

In a modest apartment overlooking the port another discussion is breaking out. While experts arrive from around the world to do their work on the Hugo Boss, the light hearted banter revolves around the best way to cut a tomato. It’s a trivial issue in the great scheme of things, with two days before the start, but Pete and Anne Thomson – Alex’s parents – are sleeves up and up to their elbows making sandwiches for the full Hugo Boss team. At the moment they are making more than 90 sandwiches a day as well as, with a little help, seeing all of the team sit down to a proper meal each evening.

It is more than a simple coping ritual or about makign themselves useful, it’s become an important part of the team spirit, making sure that everyone, from Alex to the hard working riggers and builders, are properly fed.

“It started during the build up to the Barcelona World Race,” recalls Anne, “Then we were there in our camper. It was in quite a nice area and the crew started coming every day for lunch so they weren’t wasting time and got a reasonable lunch and it has gone on from there. And also it meant the crew got together.”

“When Alex had his problem we got up to 90 rounds of sandwiches and our share of making dinners was about 25 dinners and when the guys were completely full on they would turn up with their washing for Anne at seven in the morning, we’d shop for the baguettes.”

Anne has also been organising all the accommodation for the many Hugo Boss supporters and friends who turn up, nearly 100 rooms in all.

“Most of them have been to every race that Alex has done, there are about a dozen of his original Clipper Race crew,  going back 10-12 years. They have gone to the Velux, the Barcelona, the last Vendée four years ago.” Says Pete. “In Barcelona there were three Spanish boats in the race but Hugo Boss still had the biggest supporter group, and I would not be surprised if he still does now.”

“We are still a bit concerned about the boat after the accident, but I am so proud of the way Alex has dealt with it. We know how devastated he was and when we came here we did not bring our gear for going on RIB’s and things like that because we were convinced he would not be going.” Alex’s dad, a former search and rescue pilot says, “It is just a whole big turnaround. I will be a little more concerned this time around, because of the past as well. And of course his brother is out there as well doing the Portimao Global Challenge race as well, so we will have them both down in the Southern Ocean at the same time."

Pete explains: "It is going to be hard for us, no doubt. The last race we were living on a boat ourselves so it was difficult getting e-mail contact. We did have Iridium phones so we could talk. But this time we will be home,  watching every minute of the day. I keep a log of where he is in the fleet, what distance he is from the next boat and the leader.”

“Pete had a heart attack during the last race and I used to go in twice a day and the first thing he wanted each day was the positions, and I printed all the e-mails and all his information for him.” Anne recalls.

“The other problem I find I have is what to say in e-mails to him. He does not want me to talk about his boat and any problems, he wants to hear what we have been doing. And at the moment for us it is great that David is also at the centre of things at the moment too, because generally what we all get round to talking about in the family is Alex.”

Infos précédentes :