Vendée Globe

For yachtsmen, the weeks leading up to the start of a race are not always the quietest. If you are successful, you are more likely to be in demand before the adventure gets underway. Whilst these busy days are seen as necessary by the majority of sailors, they also offer themselves some time off to relax each day and get away from the whirlwind of activity.

With all the media appointments, partnership commitments in addition to the official briefings, the days are flying by for the thirty Vendée Globe sailors as fast as a 60´ boat sailing downwind. In that case, how do you find the time to take care of yourself and your family and friends? Most of the yachtsmen are careful to do just that, as best they can. Before their final week in Les Sables d’Olonne, most of them have chosen to get away for a few days either in the mountains of Corsica (Jean Pierre Dick), or in Morocco (Kito de Pavant), with the family at a thalasso spa (Bernard Stamm), or quite simply at home. Michel Desjoyeaux and Vincent Riou will be among the rare sailors remaining in Vendée right up to the start.

Breathing exercises and seaweed baths
While there, their daily schedule plans a few hours when they are not to be disturbed. For the skipper of Foncia, itis between one and four thirty in the afternoon. Vincent Riou (PRB), who admits he needs to «get away from the village to relax», in general spends all his afternoons in the house he has rented for his family. Also there, Yann Eliès (Generali) offers himself a break between 1.30 and three and will be calling upon the services of a good physiotherapist the week before the start.
Jean Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2) rushes off to the thalasso spa each day to swim, do breathing exercises and have seaweed baths. «I love being in seawater. It´s my way of trying to forget everything and thinking a bit of myself». As for Sam Davies (Roxy), she gives herself some time for a swim, sports or work on strategy in the flat, where her team is staying. «It´s not really much rest, she adds, but during that time, at least my mobile is turned off!».

Final moments with the family
The English yachtswoman is also benefiting from the presence of her parents, who have moored their boat in Les Sables d’Olonne and she can easily pop in for a cup of tea. On the eve of such an adventure, the presence of friends and family is of course, crucial, even if you cannot always find the time to be available for them. Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat): «Here, it´s a party for the sponsors. We are very much in demand and that is only normal. But it is true too that suddenly it´s all down to one person. So we try not to squeeze the schedule too much. It´s good that my wife and two daughters feel that I´m there for them too!». Jérémie Beyou (Delta Dore): «During the afternoon, I go back to the flat for an hour to get away from the pontoon. The family is coming the week before the start as I wanted them to be involved. I know it will get more and more tense, but if I feel stressed, my wife is there to sort me out!». Jean Pierre Dick: «With each race, there is now a sort of ritual. My mother, my brothers and sisters are here and my nine nephews and nieces have prepared a song for the day of the start.» Yann Eliès admits that this tightrope exercise between work and the family is a dangerous one: «I´m going to spend seven days at home to take advantage of them. then, they will come here the week before the start. Ideally, I should say if they didn´t come, it would be in some ways better, as I know I can´t be there for them all the time and that is extremely frustrating for everyone.»

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