On Tuesday 7 January, shortly before midnight, Louis Duc, the skipper of Fives Group – Lantana Environnement, reached Cape Horne! A holy grail for this 40-year-old sailor who has been dreaming of it since he was a child and who devotes his life to racing boats and the sea. “It was a nice little thing anyway…” he said smiling this morning.
After 2 months of racing, 3 oceans and 3 capes, or 17,000 miles (31,500 km) in his wake, the skipper Fives Group – Lantana Environnement has just begun the ascent of the Atlantic. He still has 7,000 miles (13,000 km) to cross, the last third of that round-the-world trip…
Coming back on a minefield
These 4 to 5 weeks of racing ahead may be less impressive than those in the South Seas, as they are contested on an ocean well known to Vendée Globe sailors. However, this last section of the course is riddled with traps. Starting with the stormy depressions and brittle sea that form along the South American coasts, its calm also, fishermen and oil platforms along Brazil, the doldrums of course, then the high Azores and, finally, the winter storms in the North Atlantic and the Bay of Biscay.
Tired? Never!
All this with some sails that are tired or even unusable, a pilot who is still without wind mode, and an inevitable general fatigue whose effects have been repelled by the Vendée Globe’s solo sailors every day and night since last November 10th… Their secret? This magical energy of surpassing oneself, adrenaline, and their will to challenge: a devilishly powerful fuel, renewable ad infinitum as long as the spice of competition and adventure keeps its flavor.
This energy, at every moment of this race, for almost 2 months, splashes us and touches us, admiring earthlings.
The game is still on!
At 7AM this Wednesday morning, the skipper Fives Group – Lantana Environnement is in 23rd position, 5th of the Imoca dinghies, and he fights on sight within a small group of 5 boats. While Jean Le Cam (the first of the dinghy boats) has been shooting up for a long time, the game remains open for the very unofficial ranking of the Imoca dinghies, even if Louis will have to continue composing without sails.
Word from a sailor who reached Cape Horn
Despite a little temporary and legitimate fatigue, Louis tells us about his passage of the Horn, the South Seas and what awaits him in the Atlantic…
Nice little thing though…
“This is a big step forward. And then, seeing this cape in real life is something! I’ve dreamt so much about the pictures, in all the books I read as a kid… There, it was before my eyes, by day, in magnificent conditions. It’s a nice little thing though…
I went close at first because it was a priori that way that it worked best to get out of the calm just behind the cape. Which has been proven correct. And for your viewing pleasure!”
We come out of a huge place… It was great!
“We’re coming out of a huge place…it was great! You are far from everything, the conditions are “extreme”, in the sense of “unlimited”, because there is nothing to stop them. It’s cold, so the systems are violent: it puts a little pressure... We even had the visit of an iceberg! In short, we had a great panel of what the South Seas can offer!”
Away from it all, regatta mode
“But we had a fairly calm Pacific. Strategic choices were limited, which made for groupings and a fairly long crossing. But it was not unpleasant to have a somewhat relaxing and paradoxically regatta mode in the most remote ocean of the world!”
And it goes on!
“We’re all upwind in 10 – 15 knots of wind and all very close from one another! Conrad crossed 0.5 miles in front of me earlier, Seb is on sight, just behind and Guirec is leeward! It’s like a training session with Tanguy Leglatin!”
Wind, but nothing insurmountable
“The last two days were full of air, but it was not insurmountable. We’ve seen a lot worse! It was difficult because we were crosswind so the boats were going fast, it was a little bit stormy, but nothing extraordinary.”
Difficult but not insane
“The coming depression seems less severe than announced two days ago. And it’s sliding more south than expected, so we should go to its north. It’s going to be strong, but not crazy at first. Today we’re going to have to do some close-ups in the northeast of the depression and it’s going south, so it should go under.”
Going up the Atlantic
“I will go my way, day by day, choosing the angles that will penalize me the least depending on the wardrobe I have!”
In a few words, we have a small glimpse of the condensed emotions that crosses the solitary sailor, every moment of his world tour. And that stream of energy he deploys all the time… There are still 4 to 5 weeks of obstacle course before completing this beautiful loop: the chapter “great south” is over, but the adventure continues!
A respectuous and circular sporting event
The Fives IMOCA is an "upcycled" boat. Thanks to Louis, it lives a 2nd life!
Louis and his team gave a new life to a very damaged IMOCA because of a fire. This refurbishment undertaking was a real technical challenge... that succeeded in only 10 months!
Louis and his team continue to apply this upcycling principle and optimization research with a constant effort on sobriety throughout this Vendée Globe program.
Louis is also very keen on respecting everyone's work and giving a chance.
The Fives Group, a major partner in this Vendée Globe program, has been seduced by such commitment and values, as it shares the same values and responsibilities.
Fives, your partner for a more virtuous industry
For over 200 years, the Group has designed the breakthrough solutions and technologies that make industry what it is. From the first railways to the Eiffel Tower, through the spatial conquest, Fives always spearheaded the industry of the future. Pioneering decarbonization, the Group is an unconditional partner of the industry's energy transition. Through digitization, the promotion of a circular economy and the development of new processes and new energy sources, Fives puts its technological leadership to its customers' service.
www.fivesgroup.com