Stamm chooses round the cans specialist

Tanguy Cariou to race TJV with Velux 5 Oceans winner

Swiss double Velux 5 Oceans winner Bernard Stamm has announced his crew for October's Transat Jacques Vabre on board his new Open 60 Cheminees Poujoulat. Alongside him in this biennial doublehanded race from Le Havre to San Salvadore will be none other than the talented Tanguy Cariou, a past Groupama tactician and most recently with Areva Challenge in Valencia.

By coincidence Cariou now lives in Switzerland in the canton from where Stamm originates, while Stamm is a long term resident of Saint Pabu in Finistere, close to Douarnenez from where Cariou comes from.  

They also have complimentary skills. While Stamm is confirmed old sea dog, Cariou is a pure regatta sailor. “I will leave the racing side to Tanguy Cariou and I hope to reverse the trend in this race, because up to now, I cannot say that the Transat Jacques Vabre has been a very lucky one for me," admits Stamm. "The boat is ready and we have the means of sailing properly under good conditions. Without any marks of the course, the TJV has a vast race track on which to compete. It is not a simple speed race and even before our modifications, Cheminées Poujoulat should not too offer the pace compared to the latest Open 60s. Lastly, the return from the Brazil finish I can use as my solo qualifer for the Vendée Globe. It is perfect”.

As for Cariou, he is using the race to broaden his horizons. “To join Bernard and his team constitutes a true sporting challenge for me. Bernard is a real competitor in singlehanded ocean racing whereas I am more accustomed to round the buoys racing. Beyond the sporting attraction, I must say that meeting Bernard clinched my decision join him. It has true human values, which I respect and which I share. Technically and as a sports achievement, it is a big deal. To take part in the Transat Jacques Vabre race at his side is a great opportunity for me, a gesture of confidence by him that makes make it possible for me to discover ocean racing. It will be a useful step towards the Vendée Globe, enabling us to analyze the performance of the boat and to optimise it."

Prior to his recent time spent with Areva Challenge in Valencia, Cariou was originally an Olympic 470 sailor with Gildas Philippe and was world champion in 1998 and runner-up and European champions in 2000, prior to competing in the Sydney Olympics. Since then he has gained considerable experience in the ORMA 60 multihull class sailing with Franck Cammas on Groupama from 2001 until2007 and match racing.