Vendée Globe – Vincent Riou, a former winner feeling fully confident

by Olivier Bourbon on 4 Sep 2015 2016 Vendée Globe – A win in the Artemis Challenge and a third victory in the Fastnet Race. You certainly had a very rewarding week in England.

Vincent Riou: “Yes, it was well worth the trip. A very pleasing summer and all the more so, as these wins mark my return to the circuit. In 2015 I only sailed for three days on the IMOCA back in June at a training course in Port-la-Forêt. The Artemis Challenge, a crewed race around the Isle of Wight was a good way to warm up before the main event, which was the Fastnet Race, a real offshore race with two of us aboard.

The conditions were very varied with extremely light airs at the start, but a good breeze at the finish. We sailed in all the points. This was my first race with Sébastien Col. Winning ahead of nine other 60-foot IMOCAs has boosted my confidence, particularly as there were some great competitors, like SMA (ex Macif, Paul Meilhat/Michel Desjoyeaux), Quéguiner-Leucémie Espoir (the former Safran, Yann Eliès/Charlie Dalin), Safran (Morgan Lagravière/Nicolas Lunven) and Banque Populaire (Armel Le Cléac’h/Erwan Tabarly).”

The Fastnet Race was the first real battle between the new foiling boats (Safran and Banque Populaire) and some of the 60-foot boats from the 2012-2013 Vendée Globe, which have been fine tuned and updated, including your PRB. How do you judge the outcome of that?

“The result is of course very positive for us. I think they are brave to fit foils. It’s part of the game when you are looking at prototypes that you have to make daring moves and take risks. Early in the race, Safran and Banque Populaire were left behind as we tacked upwind in the light conditions. We all knew that they would find it tough in those conditions. Then, downwind, the advantage of the foils was not that clear either. Far from it. In the end, we aren’t that much wiser after this year’s Fastnet Race. What is clear, however, is that the new generation boats are not good all-rounders.”

I don’t dream about foils

So you’re not going to be fitting foils on PRB for the time being…

“No, it’s not something I’m dreaming of doing for the moment. There’s no reason to leap in, but we will be watching closely what happens. If we see they offer a real advantage, we’ll go ahead. That may happen sooner than we imagine. When we get back from the Transat Jacques Vabre and the BtoB, everything will be determined for the next Vendée Globe. Everyone will be able to make the changes depending on the time and money available.

For the moment, I’m happy enough with my PRB. She’s always been a fast boat and we have made a lot of changes to her since her launch. In particular last year, when we updated her to fit in with the new class rules and change her daggerboards. It has taken us several years to reach this point with a 60-foot boat that is fast and yet reliable. It wasn’t always that simple and we have been through a lot to learn with some damage along the way. We are reaping the benefits of the work done by a team that has been extremely busy. I know my boat perfectly well and have found my marks on her. It’s down to the others to work hard now.”

Early this summer, you took part in the Tour de France Sailing Race on the Diam 24. What did you learn from this experience, which is so different from racing an IMOCA?

“Firstly, I wanted to keep in touch with top class racing. There weren’t any IMOCA races scheduled and I didn’t want to remain ashore. I needed a breath of fresh air too so I went to look for something new. I learnt a lot in this new circuit, and met some youngsters. I sailed for example with Billy Besson, one of the leading experts in Nacra 17 racing. As I already know my 60-foot boat well, it does no harm to go and do something else. I wasn’t the only Vendée Globe skipper to think that. In the Tour, there was also Kito de Pavant and Jérémie Beyou. Jérémie, who previously took part in the Solitaire du Figaro, just like Yann Eliès. Going from one boat to another teaches you a lot.”

This autumn, you will be defending your title in the Transat Jacques Vabre, after winning in 2013 with Jean Le Cam. Why did you choose Seb Col, an expert in match racing to race alongside you?

“He has so many different qualities. He is an excellent sailor and an unparalleled adjustor. He is very precise with every detail and I hope he is able to find a way to get my boat to be even faster. Offshore racing may not be his area of expertise, but he has already raced in two Transat Jacques Vabre races (sixth in 2007 with Kito de Pavant, fourth in 2011 with François Gabart, editor’s note) and he knows all about IMOCAs. The Fastnet Race was our first race together… and our first win! I think we go well together.”

It’s not going to be easy getting a second win up against such a line-up...

“Yes, it looks like a huge challenge. There are likely to be more than 20 boats at the start. This will be the first time that an IMOCA transatlantic race has seen so many boats competing. The Transat Jacques Vabre and the Transat BtoB (St Barts-Roscoff, start on 6th December, editor’s note) will enable us to see how we measure up against our rivals before the final stretch to the Vendée Globe. We meet up a lot at Port-la-Forêt, but we need real long distance races to see what we can really do. In these two transatlantic races, I’m aiming to win and I have what it takes to achieve that goal. I’m really lucky to be in that position.”

“It’s very hard to get everything balanced up to win the Vendée Globe…”

And next year in the Vendée Globe, we can imagine you’ll be aiming to win too…

“I’m certainly not there just to take part. I hesitated for a while before signing up for a fourth time. I wanted to be sure I had the possibility of winning. That is the case so I’ll be there.”

Victory in 2004, Jean Le Cam’s rescue in 2008, retired in 2012. You’ve seen it all in this race!

“In three editions, I have been through every colour of the rainbow. I hope to get back to a bright colour. I am competing with a relaxed outlook. It’s very hard to get everything balanced up to win the Vendée Globe. There are so many things that have to come together.”

To make it even tougher, it looks like the line-up is going to be particularly strong in this eighth race...

“Yes, but I’m pleased about that. With 25 or 30 boats at the start, we’ll be back to a similar line-up to the 2008-2009 Vendée Globe. The race still attracts us and things are moving again. Not everyone is pessimistic about the future. Everything is coming together to ensure we have a fantastic race. I hope that the new boats will find what it takes to be competitive.”

What is your programme for the coming weeks before the Transat Jacques Vabre?

“There are going to be three training courses at the Finistère offshore racing centre in Port-la-Forêt. As for racing, we’ll be competing in the Azuimut Challenge in Lorient in late September. I’ve just got hold of a foiler Moth and whenever l find the time I go out and enjoy myself. I do sports everyday. In fact, I’ve just come back from a jog. The Transat Jacques Vabre is not far off, so the race is already on...”