Down on the pontoons in Les Sables d’Olonne, the looks on the faces have changed. Their minds are now elsewhere looking ahead to the near future, where land will be but a memory. There is a mixture of excitement and apprehension. For the sailors getting ready to set sail in 24 hours at the start of the non-stop single-handed round the world voyage, these final moments ashore are packed with contradictory emotions, making this an extremely difficult moment to get through.
In spite of what they may say about everything being fine, the looks on the faces have gradually changed over the week. The whirlwind of activity in the period leading up to the start had a sort of anaesthetic effect, numbing the sensations, but that is now wearing off. Time for some deep reflection, as they try to come to terms with what they are about to do.
«All those, who have been through this moment will remember it throughout their life,» stated Ellen MacArthur. «Lining up at the start of the Vendée Globe is something extremely powerful and leaves its mark. Even here now, although I'm not racing, I can feel the apprehension and the emotion coming from these people. The skippers would now like to be out at sea. They would like to find themselves suddenly transported 10 miles out from the start line and wish that they didn't have to go through these coming hours. It is however only natural that they feel this stress. If you don't feel any stress on the eve of setting out to sail around the world alone, you must be crazy.»
Alain Gautier stresses the importance of controlling the overwhelming emotions to avoid them affecting your performance: «Each sailor has his or her own way of doing things. Some are very anxious, others appear relaxed, but deep down, their stomachs are in knots, while others, who have already been here, are more relaxed. I admit that very quickly I learnt the importance of relaxation exercises. It is necessary to prepare yourself to face these days leading up to the start. With the maximum of pressure being applied, you have to float away on your cloud to avoid any additional stress that could harm your performance over the first three or four days of the race. I know some sailors have lost a transatlantic race during the week before the start, as they were just too worried. The first few hours and the first night of the race are vital. We can see that historically 100% of the winners of the Vendée Globe were in the lead after 24 hours of racing, even if they lost their lead during the race.»
In this context, for many of the competitors, it is going to be difficult to get any sleep on this final night. On Sunday, when the gusts of wind make the flags flap against the masts and it is time to say farewell to family and friends, the pressure reaches its climax. It will remain with the sailors for three months in what looks like being a phenomenal race…
C.El
