His collision: “I didn’t have time to be frightened. I was in the process of putting on my foulies down below when we suffered the impact. The trawler scraped against my port side and broke the downwind outrigger. It could have been worse though… The only thing was that I had to ensure I didn't turn before the finish. Each time I had to put on the automatic pilot, I didn’t switch it to wind mode in order to prevent the sails from backing and losing my outrigger all together and maybe my mast with it.”

Over the race: “after two days of racing eight of the boats were sailing within sight of each other, Figaro style… One thing for sure, the level is very high and damn consistent. The next Vendée Globe will be monstrous.”

About his adversaries: “I’m not surprised to find Loïck at this level, or Kito. You don't win a Figaro and a Transat AG2R by chance. If there was a prize for fair-play, you’d have to give it to Kito. Whilst we were battling for second, he took the time to call me to give me the positions of the rubbish (planks etc) floating around in the water that he’d just come across...”

About his boat: “I am delighted with Foncia. It is exactly what I was hoping for. We sought to gain power and beam whilst remaining within the limits of what a solo sailor can withstand to get the machine working as best as possible. I think we’ve found the right compromise. One detail however: I’ll have to revise my internal layout: I’m missing something to rest my cup of tea on when sailing..."

Reminder: live press conference with the skippers already in Port-la-Forêt at 0930 UTC and on the Transat Ecover B to B website (and translated into English as soon as possible afterwards).

Translation KJ

Translation KJ

Translation KJ