Route du Vendee Globe

James Boyd caught up with Nick Moloney to discuss his Open 50 campaign for the Route du Rhum

Whether it is gamesmanship or playing down his hand, Moloney never shows the same confidence that Ellen seemed to four years ago, despite his extensive sailing experience. The singlehanding is getting to him...

"I was always convinced that I was going to fall off the boat," he admits of his singlehanding to date. "Never do I feel it when I am with a bunch of people...on the cat, running across the tramp without a harness or whatever, I never felt like it. When I'm on my own, doing headsail changes in rough weather upwind, I'm thinking, "I'm going to fall off this thing". I've got to work on that. I think that is the biggest mind game I've had that's been left over from the Mini."

However when we speak Moloney says he has a new motivation: he has just learned he will face some stiff competition in a new entry in his class - Yannick Bestaven on board Saving. This boat, a Berret/Racoupeau design is the newest hottest Open 50 on the water at present and a generation ahead of Moloney's Groupe Finot 50. Aside from this there is the psychological issue too that Bestaven has not only completed the Mini Transat, but he has won it.

"Yannick is a Mini winner and the Mini is a nemesis of mine, having not finished," says Moloney. "I think his boat is better, particularly upwind. And if I can do well against him I will really feel like I have done well." He seems happier with this role of underdog, no longer the obvious favourite for the 50ft class win.

"As soon as I found out he had that boat, my mindset clicked," he continues. "I started working hard in the preparation. I started thinking about the course and the differences between his boat and mine, where I could be stronger and where I'm potentially weaker. I think it is good for your mindset to go in knowing that you have competition. It gives you a bit of a nudge to say "I'm not going to accept that - work harder"."

In part two of this interview, tomorrow, Nick talks about his boat and how it is performing...