The handover

The helm of the trimaran Foncia is to pass from Alain Gautier to Armel Le Clec'h next year. Here they explain why

Q: It’s always been said that sailing is a sport that you could do at high level over a long period of time. You’re only 42 years old, why are you stopping now?

Alain Gautier: As with all sports, the main driving force is motivation.You mustn’t wait for it to dry up before you stop. Even though the choice seems like a difficult one, it is logical. That’s why I included a clause in my contract with Foncia, which enables me to give up being skipper of the trimaran Foncia before the end of the eight year contract I have (2000 to 2007). I don’t want to take the start of a transatlantic race for material reasons. I want to remain in love with the sea as I have been for 25 seasons of single-handed racing.

Q: Are there any other reasons?

AG: You know, life is made up of many elements, with parts at sea as well as on land. Today, I want to spend more time with my family. When I see the speed at which my children are growing up, I say to myself that I don’t want to miss out on this.

Q: Did your second place in the Solitaire du Figaro Afflelou 2003 give you a boost after some big disappointments with the trimaran?

AG: The decision to stop crossed my mind after the capsize during the Challenge Mondial Assistance in2003, but I’m not a man to make such a major decisions in the heat of the moment. I insisted with Foncia that I raced in the Solitaire du Figaro. The experience of that was so intense that I knew I was right to have made that decision: Little one design boats, smaller problems and superb sensations. I like this race and I’ll doubtless do it again. When I say I'm stopping ocean racing, I don’t include the Solitaire in that statement. It’s not a real ocean race, not in my eyes in any case. The 2003 result really did reassure me. The joy and satisfaction of a leg victory are unique and the enormous disappointment of the finish quickly disappeared as I knew that the second place wasn’t going to harm my career.

Q: Are the ORMA multihulls too wearing to sail singlehanded?

AG: Paradoxically, I find the crewed races less exciting. In the future I don’t see myself participating in crewed events with the same motivation that has driven me up to now. I’m a singlehander, I really love singlehanded races and recently I got a lot of pleasure from racing The Transat despite the cold and the difficulty.

I can even tell you that while I thinking about my decision I was in discussion with a great skipper who had rather the opposite problem to mine. We considered a possible association. He would have done the crewed races, we would have done the Transat Jacques Vabre together and I would have raced the single-handed transatlantics. However, the big project he was working on wouldn’t have left him with enough time.

Q: Do you mean that we could have seen the trimaran Foncia co-skippered by Loïck Peyron and Alain Gautier ?

AG: Yes.

Q: That would suggest that your decision is not recent?

AG: I informed the directors of Foncia at the beginning of December 2003 on the return from the Transat Jacques Vabre. In fact I began discussions with possible replacements at this time.

Q: Did the problems with the new boat and the lack of good results weigh on your decision? When you’re a fighter, battling for sixth place can’t be that interesting?

AG: It’s true that the results we got on Foncia 2 weren’t as good as we’d hoped for. I can’t explain everything. That said, the two major causes added together explain the mixed results: a lack of success is a fact you can’t overlook in competition and a boat that is unable to fulfil all its potential having been penalised by the excess weight linked with the post-Route du Rhum 2002 modifications.

In the design and then the construction there were several technical options, some of which were daring and ultimately proved to be debatable. All in all these problems have affected the performance. I was responsible for the supervision of the whole build and at the end of the day there were as many good choices as there were less successful ones. I was obviously disappointed not to have attained the optimum design with the boat immediately. It’s important to recognise today that the 60 foot trimarans have reached such a degree of technological sophistication that certain choices have to be experimental, and it is virtually impossible to find the best evolution from the outset. Faced with this reality, the confidence of a sponsor is invaluable and Foncia has enabled me to improve Foncia 2, between the end of this season and the beginning of the next. Finally, you have to recognise that being owner of the boat, crew manager and skipper at the same time can make the task particularly heavy.

Q: When you look at your track record, (three round the worlds including a victory in the Vendée Globe in 1993, 20 Atlantic crossings, five single-handed, 15 Solitaire du Figaros including nine leg victories and one overall victory in 1989, one Transat AG2R and one win, among others), you certainly have nothing to complain about looking back at your career. Aren’t you frustrated by certain lost victories: the Route du Rhum 98 or the ORMA Championship in 2001?

AG: One time a sponsor asked me which of these race wins reflected the best sailor of the time. Thinking about it I told him that it would be a grand slam in the top single-handed events: to win the Solitaire du Figaro, a single-handed round the world race and a trimaran transatlantic race - all single-handed. I thought that the person that succeeded in this could be proud as these three victories in the various races would show the talent and an extraordinary knowledge of the sea of the sea.

So I set about dreaming. I already had the Solitaire du Figaro and the round the world and just had a single-handed transat left to do. Unfortunately a whale broke this dream the day before the finish of the Route du Rhum 1998, with victory in sight. In 2000, I made a hash of the last two days of the OSTAR. In 2002, I thought I’d got through the worst of it after the storm but delamination in the outer shell of the beams forced me to stop when I had a 100 mile lead over Mich Desj {Michel Desjoyeaux]. That year I had what it takes to beat Thomas [Coville] and Mich but at that level, to head off three hours behind the others put paid to my visions of victory. So yes, I am disappointed not to have won a single-handed transatlantic. Mich was able to achieve something that neither Philippe Poupon nor I were able to do; and he really did it in style since he won the Vendée Globe and the Route du Rhum in his first ever participation. To equal him will be difficult but I think that Armel Le Cléac’h is part of a small number of skippers capable of doing it.

As for the ORMA championship, a victory in the 1998 Route du Rhum would have enabled us to win the championship. In 2001 we would have had an almost perfect season but a slight lack in performance denied us of victory in the Grand Prix in Belgium. During the Transat Jacques Vabre with Ellen [MacArthur], we finished on equal points with Franck Cammas; his victory in that gave him the advantage! These are the disappointments but all these races since 1980 have brought me so much that I can’t complain.

Q: You said to us that you believe Armel Le Cléac’h to be capable of equalling Mich. Desj. He will take over from 2005. Was this your choice of Foncia's?

AG: During 25 years of competition (that sounds rather I'm an old soldier but I suppose it's the reality), I have had four big sponsors with whom I still have excellent relationships with, but I have to say that the quality of the relationship with the board of Foncia is quite remarkable. It’s a real pleasure to work with them thanks to a mixture of mutual respect and confidence. It would be hard not to appreciate an eight year contract that gives you visibility and enables you to organise your sporting and personal career. I consider that my relationship with Foncia is exceptional in both the nautical and sporting world in general.

I have been really happy sharing the past five years with them and I have not suffered any negative pressure from them in the difficult times that we’ve had. In terms of finding my replacement, it all took shape in the same way as any other decisions: I put forward different solutions, we talked about it, and Foncia made the final decision.

Q: How many names did you suggest?

AG: Three.

Q: Why Armel? You must be annoyed with him for having beating you in last year's Solitaire du Figaro?

AG: Not at all. On the contrary even! It’s me that didn’t know how to hold onto my position in the last 12 hours and I made too many little errors during this time while Armel did exactly what was needed to be in with a chance of winning.

I barely knew him at the start of the race but he’s the one that I was most impressed by among the new generation of Figaro sailors. And his behaviour after the finish was exemplary. I know that you don’t win a Solitaire du Figaro by chance or even finish second in your first participation. Armel was also chosen for his human qualities - values considered important by the directors of Foncia.

Q: He is young without vast experience of multihull sailing.

AG: As Laurent Bourgnon, Franck Cammas and also Ellen MacArthur showed, youth is not a handicap if it is mixed with determination, talent and intelligence. As for experience that is acquired quickly when you put together the qualities I’ve just described. Before taking the helm of Foncia at the start of April 2005, Armel will already have covered nearly 10,000 miles on board. And with the modification we’re going to make for him this winter, he will be among the favourites for next year's Transat Jacques Vabre. In fact, for Foncia and myself it wasn’t about finding a skipper to complete the contract. We simply chose a person that we deem best capable of helming the trimaran for several years and the combination of Armel, Foncia and myself works.

Q: So your new role will be as project manager and it will be you putting the pressure on him?

AG: I will indeed be the head of the project. As for the pressure, Armel’s nickname, The Jackal, is well earned. I know that pressure won't affect him much.

Q: At the moment Foncia 2 doesn't seem to be the fastest boat in the ORMA fleet. Will it be transformed for 2005 ?

AG: Transformed is a very big word. The general design of the boat was sound and the fundamentals are not in doubt. We will simply be carrying out some technical adjustments so as to fix the faults we’ve observed. I have no concerns about the improvement issues and I fully intend to provide Armel with a competitive boat.

Q: For those that know you a little, it’s hard to imagine that the role of manager will appease your passions. Will you have any other projects?

AG: I am happy to be able to continue to earn my living doing something I love. I am also happy to have made the decision never to be paid by a sponsor. Even though the decision was more dangerous, I consider that I am freer and I have a trade, unlike other sportsmen who stop one day and then find themselves without any real objective in their life. But it’s also true that I have other dreams I want to fulfil.

Q: Can you tell us what they are?

AG: They’re not linked with sailing.

Q: Still related to sport?

AG: Of course yes. When I was little (it’s true that I’m still not very big), I had two passions: boats and little racing cars. Living next to the Atlantic Ocean it was easier to satisfy the first passion but I haven’t given up the hope of one day taking the start of the Le Mans 24 hour race. I’m aware that I’ll have my work cut out but, with time, I should be ready - maybe around 2008!





Q: How did you get involved with the Foncia project?

Armel Le Cléac’h: Alain and I knew each other shortly before the Solitaire Afflelou le Figaro in 2003 when just seconds separated us. He contacted me last winter, just before the Salon Nautique in Paris. Alain explained to me that he wanted to link up and gave me the reasons for his decision. He had to suggest some names to his sponsor and said he’d thought of mine. In reality I was very surprised by his offer initially. My primary objective was to line up for the start of the Vendée Globe 2008 and therefore to concentrate on the monohull.

At the time I was in a delicate situation as I had just been dropped by Créaline, my sponsor in the Figaro. I was focussed on the search for a new partner above all else. After thinking about it for 15 days I agreed to be part of this famous ‘short list’ presented to Foncia. Alain called me the day before the start of the Transat Ag2r to let me know that I was being considered.

Q: You’re very young to be at the helm of a trimaran. what many people believe to be the ultimate discipline in side of sailing. How do you feel about this personally and in terms of your evolution?

ALC: I feel very motivated. A project is really interesting when everything is put in place to achieve a set of objectives. To follow in Alain's footsteps is a big challenge, but this challenge is in line with my ambitions and I’m lucky to be given the necessary tools to do it well - the boat in particular will undergo considerable modification this winter so as to optimise its speed - that’s essential for me.

Q: How are you going to approach this new challenge?

ALC: A 60ft trimaran is a boat which requires huge physical effort. The races are very competitive and the main differences are made by the man driving in most cases. These machines require a huge amount of concentration. I’ve already planned to work hard on my physical preparation this winter. Then I must acquire some experience, even if between the Grand Prix, the Transat and the deliveries I have sailed a fair amount this year. If I add it all up I’ve already covered nearly 10 000 miles. That’s worth a lot as I’ve worked on different positions, cockpit, manoeuvres and tactics, which has enabled me to get a good overall view of the boat. Now I don’t have any great apprehension about racing the Grand Prix. The pressure will come with the races like the Transat Jacques Vabre or the Route du Rhum, but I have some time to learn the ropes by sailing as much as possible.

Q: Alain Gautier is keeping his position as project manager of Foncia, what are your respective areas of responsibility?

ALC: Alain is head of the project in terms of logistics and technical detail. I will be at the helm of the trimaran until the end of 2007 and will take care of the on board side. What that means is that I will take charge of putting together a crew with which I can race in 2005 and put in place a sports training programme in order to be ready for the 2005 championship.

Q: Does that mean that you will be putting an end to your Figaro career?

ALC: I have just completed my fifth Figaro season and obviously my priority for the next three years is going to be the trimaran. But I'm not going to stop completely. I intend to be present on the Figaro circuit when the multihull programme allows. I have my own boat and I will include training sessions on the Figaro as part of my physical preparation for the trimaran. Alain and our sponsor also share the view that racing one or two Solitaires is an excellent way of preparing for the Route du Rhum in 2006.

Q: Finally what do you think is the future of the ORMA multihull circuit?

ALC: After the Route du Rhum in 2002, a lot of people asked themselves this. Since then the boats have been modified, the sponsors have been keen to continue and the racing is getting more and more intense. Of the five events raced on the ORMA circuit so far in 2004, there have been four different winners, clearly demonstrating that most participants are at the same high level. The future promises to be even tougher.