"It was a fine race and I was surprised during the manoeuvres as I really got into it and it was fairly easy on deck: taking out a reef before was quite a long process, but now it’s fairly smooth and I was even able to go faster. My training sessions have born fruit! As a result I am now qualified for the Vendée Globe... The last three days were hard and fortunately, Yannick Bestaven was a long way back this morning: I looked at the positions and saw that I had a bit of leeway. I decided to stop tacking all the time and to go in close to the shore to take as much of a short cut as I could. I passed to the South of the Glénan islands and that way I didn’t have to tack. I simply finished off on a single tack at 12 knots... I was already tired and would have had to have shifted all the sails over to the other side of the boat again, which was just unthinkable. I’m going to go and rest and recuperate from my accumulated fatigue now. The end of the Vendée Globe will be worse, but right now, I am exhausted!

Roxy is a boat which suits me down to the ground: I am at ease and confident. I wasn’t frightened and really belted along at times. I can’t say I particularly enjoyed the Doldrums however as there was a big streak of lightning that landed just beside the boat... I had already done the qualifier for the Vendée Globe with a double crossing of the Atlantic as far as the banks of Newfoundland! I did it to get the feel for sailing in the Deep South, with snow on deck and icebergs. It was a good way to find out about the boat: the condensation, the locking system on the door that doesn’t work when you put the sheets within arms reach down below. I never took any risks and having Yannick so close, put pressure on me and forced me to give it my all.

I didn’t break anything as the boat was well prepared, but also because (and this is a girl thing!) I was careful. I am very rigorous and meticulous. Each time I’ve sailed with boys they’ve broken something... I have to be very attentive since I don’t have the physical capacity that men have. I take my time! There was never a point where I didn’t want to be on my boat…. After two transatlantics, that’s encouraging! I’ve read two books, but I didn’t have enough for the end of the course, when I didn’t have a lot to do. The flying fish is well! I couldn’t bear to throw him overboard because he had a nice look about him… I only spoke to him once! "

Translation KJ