2016 Vendée Globe – Jean-Pierre Dick to relaunch StMichel-Virbac

by Olivier Bourbon / Mer & Media Agency on 7 Jan 2016 Jean-Pierre Dick will be relaunching his StMichel-Virbac early next week after the work done to strengthen her structure. Forced to retire early on in the Transat Jacques Vabre, Dick has not yet really got used to sailing his foiler, which was launched late on. The skipper from Nice will be moving to Cascais (Portugal) and sailing out at sea before competing in the three races scheduled for 2016: The Transat, the New York-Vendée and the Vendée Globe, which he will take part in for the fourth time in a row.

Jean-Pierre, your boat, StMichel-Virbac, is due to be launched in Lorient after going into the yard after you retired from the Transat Jacques Vabre. What was done during this refit?
Jean-Pierre Dick: “The most important thing was repairing the damage to the hull (broken stringers and damaged bulkheads, editor’s note) and strengthening the structure. For three weeks, the shore team worked hard to ensure the boat would be relaunched on schedule. The stringers were repaired and we added reinforcements to strengthen the inside of the hull. StMichel-Virbac’s structure proved to be rather fragile, so we have tried to make it more solid.”

Do we know more about what caused the damage during the Transat Jacques Vabre?

“Investigations are underway and we don’t want to come to any hasty conclusions, but it is important to find out what was behind this damage. In any case, with my crewman, Fabien Delahaye, we weren’t pushing her too hard, when the incident happened. Quite the reverse, as we were sailing cautiously, at a pace well below that of the leading boats. That made throwing in the towel all the more frustrating. But we didn’t have any other choice, as the structure was affected. We didn’t simply have to retire but get back to shore quickly to avoid any additional problems complicating the situation. We didn’t learn anything from this first race, but we are bouncing back.”

Being at one with the boat

You haven’t sailed that much on your new 60-foot boat, which was only launched in September. Are you playing catch-up now?

“Exactly. In 2015, we had to wait for her to be launched, then the Jacques Vabre came to an early end. That’s why we wanted to get StMichel-Virbac back in the water as quickly as possible. We will begin sailing again next week off Lorient. This intensive training phase will continue until the end of February. To do that, we’re moving our project to Cascais (Portugal). This is a very useful place as we can sail there in strong wind, push the boat hard without risking any damage. The idea is to clock up the miles, learn how to deal with the foils, so that everything comes naturally and I feel at one with the boat. I can’t wait to get back out there driving the boat. After that, I’ll be competing in two solo transatlantic races (The Transat and the New York-Vendée) and of course, the Vendée Globe, which is the icing on the cake.”

For the 2012-2013 Vendée Globe, you had a new generation boat (Virbac-Paprec 3), but one which was tried and tested. Things are very different this time…

“It’s true that the timing is tighter. For the last Vendée Globe, I sailed the boat from New Zealand, so had been half way around the world. Then, I won the 2010-2011 Barcelona World Race (the double-handed round the world race- editor’s note) and the 2011 Transat Jacques Vabre. But I’m not worried as I have the experience of five round the world trips. I’m a serious contender and intend to get a good result in the next Vendée Globe. The project got off to a slow start, but 2016 will be a champagne year!”

You’re used to sailing new boats and fine-tuning them, as you have always set off in the Vendée Globe on new generation 60-foot boats.

“This will be my fourth Vendée Globe and each time we built a new boat, as innovation is in the team’s DNA. There is the ongoing quest to develop efficient prototypes. We have had a lot of practice in this area. What makes it tricky is finding the right tempo when fine-tuning the boat. It requires a lot of investment, both from the skipper and his shore team.”

When you completed the last Vendée Globe, you didn’t think you would return to this race. Why did you change your mind?

“I was busy setting up another project with the MOD70. But two things upset that programme. Firstly, I lost my keel and completed the round the world race in fourth place, which meant I felt I had missed out on something in 2013. Then, the MOD70 circuit, which looked very promising, turned out to be less so, in particular because the round the world race with stopovers was cancelled. So we decided to launch another IMOCA project leading up to the 2016-2017 Vendée Globe.”

Winning the Vendée Globe requires total commitment

So why are you back for the fourth time in a row?

“The Vendée Globe changed my life. I became a professional skipper in order to take part in it in 2002. It’s a unique experience facing everything alone, fighting against nature on technology-packed machines. I love outdoor sports, so I couldn’t have dreamt of anything better. This is the ultimate event. There is something pure and beautiful with the Vendée Globe. Having said that, becoming a serious contender for victory is not that simple. Last year was a real black hole. You have to give it your all. Technically, in terms of sleep, food, physical preparation, weather… There’s a lot to do in this programme, but it’s fascinating. 99 percent of people find this work exhausting, but personally, I see this as an opportunity.”

When you set off on 6th November 2016 from les Sables d’Olonne, will your only goal be to win the eighth Vendée Globe?

“It would be amazing to make it to the podium, but yes, I shall be doing all I can to win. I have already won the double-handed race twice (the Barcelona World Race). Those wins were fantastic moments in my life. I want to experience that again when sailing solo. I’ve had my ups and downs with the Vendée Globe, but I want to take up the challenge again, as I think one of the most important qualities for a sailor is his determination. I’ll be 51 when we set off and I’ll be able to make the most of my experience from the last three races. Winning the Vendée Globe would be the Holy Grail, a great reward after all the sacrifices made since 2002. But there are so many parameters to take into account to find that perfect wave…”