Yann Eliès prepares to take on the Route du Rhum

by Vendee Globe on 31 Jul 2014 Yann Eliès is preparing to take up a sizeable gauntlet: to participate in the Route du Rhum aboard the maxi-multihull (MOD 70) Paprec Recyclage. The skipper will be setting off on the legendary transatlantic race from Saint Malo for the very first time on 2 November 2014, aboard the boat recently skippered by Jean-Pierre Dick. A native of Nice, the original skipper is focusing on the design of his new IMOCA with a view to competing in the next Vendée Globe.

Yann, what does it mean to you to be participating in the Route du Rhum?

'It’s like I’m daydreaming! The challenge of participating aboard a MOD 70 immediately thrilled me. I’m delighted to be able to link straight onto a fresh challenge after two victories in the Solitaire du Figaro. It’s quite a mission to cross the Atlantic on these machines! It’s appealing, like competing in a Vendée Globe. I love the adrenalin and the risk-taking, which are part and parcel of what I do.'

What does the Route Du Rhum represent for you?

'This race is something that has fired my imagination since I was a kid. I went to see all the race starts in Saint Malo with my dad and I was transported to another world in front of the boats skippered by Loïc Caradec and Philippe Poupon. Today, we’re going back to the age of the Ultimates with these extraordinary machines, which are bordering on what’s possible for a single man. I’m ecstatic about participating in this legendary race. Thank you to Jean-Luc Petithuguenin for entrusting me with the helm of Paprec Recyclage.'

What are your aims for this race?

'Making it to the other side of the Atlantic with these machines is a challenge in itself. The finish in Pointe-à-Pitre is sure to be moving, in the same way as the channel into Les Sables d’Olonne at the finish of the Vendée Globe. To be the first MOD 70 to finish is a goal I’ve set myself. There’s going to be a match within the match. Targeting first place against the giants of the seas like Spindrift, Banque Populaire and Sodebo will be a tough ask, but why not the podium? Vendee Globe