It was all a matter of finding the right weather window between two lows to bring the Arkema Ocean Fifty to the old pirates’ lair that is Saint-Malo last weekend. So, Quentin Vlamynck got a little taste of the Route du Rhum, a race that is often beset by autumnal gale force winds from the very start. The youngest skipper in the 50 ft trimaran class took part in the parade in Saint-Malo on Tuesday 25 October, and is now spending 12 festive days before setting off on his first solo transatlantic race in a multihull on 6 November.
On and on training, and miles upon miles in the open sea
Nothing beats sailing alongside other boats to size each other up and get into the swing of the competition. This Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe race promises to be more competitive than ever with the 8 contenders of the Ocean Fifty class. With the most experienced skippers in ocean racing (Erwan Le Roux, Sébastien Rogues, Sam Goodchild and Armel Tripon), Quentin Vlamynck was able to train tirelessly for a week in La Trinité-sur-Mer in mid-October.
“We spent two nights at sea and did a series of speed tests at every pace and in a wide range of wind conditions, with the sails we'll be using in the Route du Rhum. It was most useful. We were able to put the boat to the test once again, and that’s a good thing before setting off on the solo race ahead!” Quentin explains.
All set for the off? All set!
With Lalou Multi's technical team, the winner of the 2022 Pro Sailing Tour was able to fine-tune Arkema in the last week before the boat made its way to Saint-Malo.
We are perfectly on schedule, we have ticked all the boxes on the list. The supplies are ready, everything is organized into daily food rations, with only the fresh food still to be brought on board. I don't feel any pressure because we have done everything that needs to be done!”
Enjoying the festivities, sharing, and keeping safe and sound…
For his first Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe, this will be a baptism of fire for the Arkema skipper, with 137 competitors on the starting line and 1.5 million visitors expected. Quentin is anticipating a big thrill and plenty of emotion, and has already put in place a perfectly balanced schedule to be in good shape and stay in his bubble before the off...
Calm and collected, the Arkema skipper sets out his program for the 2 weeks in Saint-Malo: “In the first week, I’ll make myself available where possible for the media and partners. But in the last week before the start, I'll be ‘off’ in the morning and then working on the weather from 2.00 to 4.00 pm.”
The first highlight was this Tuesday 25 October, when the trimaran sailed through the lock at 5.30 pm. A magnificent throw into the deep end in this 12th edition of a mythical race!