These "races within the race" are fascinating to follow. In the Vintage Multi category, Damien Seguin (Arkéa – Handicap International) and Éric Péron (French Touch – Oceania Hotels) are locked in a constant duel, a match race in ORMA multihulls which are 20 years old. Among the Vintage Mono fleet, four skippers are separated by less than thirty nautical miles. Some of them shared their thoughts during this morning’s radio check-in, expressing the simple joy they find in being at sea and giving their all.
Sidney Gavignet has a gift for putting into words the emotions and sensations experienced by those who sail the seas. He demonstrated this once again this morning, describing the deep bond he has forged with Le Cigare Rouge—a legendary vessel once sailed by the likes of Jean-Luc Van Den Heede and Catherine Chabaud. "It’s wonderful to be on this boat; I thank it at every moment of the day—I thank the autopilot, the sails, the hull—I thank it for holding everything together."
While Sidney insists that he is "focusing on his own race" rather than dwelling on the rankings, he is well aware that in the Vintage Mono category, the top four are separated by only about thirty nautical miles along the great-circle route, and roughly fifty nautical miles laterally. Tanguy Caradec (Eurvad, 1st) and Kieran Le Borgne (Armor-Lux – Le Finistère Assurance, 2nd)—who held the lead for a long time—have since been caught by Patrick Isoard (Groupe Cogedis Pour Enfants du Mékong) and, indeed, Sidney Gavignet.
"I feel very good on board," says Kieran Le Borgne.
"We didn’t plan it, but it’s great to all find ourselves together like this," remarks Patrick Isoard. "Now, things are going to narrow down, and everything will be decided based on the choices each team makes." "We’re moving at roughly the same speed; we’re battling it out and pushing hard," says Kieran with a smile. As they approach an incoming depression, each team is positioning itself accordingly: Tanguy Caradec and Patrick Isoard are heading slightly further north than the duo of Kieran Le Borgne and Sidney Gavignet. Kieran is at the helm of a boat that won the Vendée Globe twice—once with Michel Desjoyeaux (in 2000) and again with Vincent Riou (in 2004). "The boat is absolutely fantastic," he shares. "This will be my first time sailing it in conditions like these, but I feel very comfortable on board."
"I’m well aware that I’m on an incredible machine." (Damien Seguin)
In the Vintage Multi category, the ORMA trimarans are taking center stage. Despite Francis Joyon’s capsize (on Oceans), the three remaining ORMA boats currently hold the top three spots: Damien Seguin (Arkéa – Handicap International, 1st), Éric Péron (French Touch – Oceania Hotels), and Gilles Lamiré (Groupe GCA, 3rd). "I’m well aware that I’m on an incredible machine, and it’s a real pleasure," says Damien Seguin. "But these boats are also stressful—I feel like I’m losing 'life points'!" Despite his extensive experience, Damien admits that he "sometimes feels vulnerable on board." "You have to make the right decisions at the right moment; you realize you can’t afford any mistakes. In terms of sailing, this is perhaps as intense and demanding as it gets." »
By remaining 100% focused on the race, the skippers of these "Vintage Multi" and "Vintage Mono" craft are writing a new chapter in the history of these legendary vessels. Day in and day out, they also demonstrate that these boats still possess incredible capabilities. In short, they are bringing the past back to life while being more firmly rooted in the present than ever. "Whenever I look around at the other skippers, I think to myself how crazy it is to be on this boat," admits Kieran Le Borgne on his restored IMOCA, the former PRB which won the 2000 and 2004 Vendee Globe. "I feel incredibly lucky to be at the helm of this vessel for the Route du Rhum!"