“With François Gabart, we have exceeded the limits of reasonableness”

Special envoy to Pointe-à-Pitre

LE FIGARO. – Charles, how did you approach the tour of Guadeloupe given the incredible turnaround of the last edition?

Charles Caudrelier. – I discovered it and I had necessarily in memory the adventures of François the last time. I was very afraid that it would go wrong. I had been asked one day what I would change in the Route du rhum and I had answered just this arrival. But it’s true that it’s so great to see for people who come to watch the final… I hadn’t integrated that because I had never experienced it.

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In the end, this circumvention of the island even went very well…

It went very well. My team worked very well. We had a battle plan and we stuck to it, as planned. The conditions were particularly good. I don’t know how many we did but there may have been a record. Because there is also a record I believe for the arrival in Guadeloupe. We were very quick to do this lap because I didn’t stop for long.

I was still worried. I imagined living three hours waiting for him and seeing his little green dot arrive

Charles Caudrelier

Were you confident given your lead over François Gabart?

I no longer remembered how much ahead he had of Francis Joyon in 2018. He must have had less of a lead than me today (25 miles against 80 in favor of Caudrelier, editor’s note). I had about three hours and was able to dig a little deeper in the afternoon yesterday. I had Franck Cammas on the phone who reassured me “Don’t worry, it’s going to be fine, you have a good lead”. But I was still worried. I imagined living three hours waiting for him and seeing his little green dot arrive. I tried not to think about it too much but it was still a bit of anxiety. Yesterday, I spent some time reassuring my son who was very worried. He asked me twelve billion questions on WhatsApp and we barely talked about the race.

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What does this victory represent for you, is it the most beautiful?

She’s crazy. I had some very good times in my career but it was THE race I wanted to do and win. She is legendary and for a sailor like me with a 25-year career, it was a real frustration to have never been to the start. I can’t complain because I was lucky enough to be at the helm of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild this time.

I think I tortured my routers but they used to me

Charles Caudrelier

Did you doubt during this transatlantic?

Me ? I doubt all the time. This is my weak point but also my strong point. I think I tortured my routers but they are used to me because I was worried about my position in relation to François at times. I doubted until late afternoon yesterday.

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How did you deal with the threat of a penalty at the start?

It was a surprise but they didn’t tell me about it at first. I had taken the margin and I was convinced of my line. I don’t know too much about the story because my team tried not to confuse me too much with it but when I found out I crumbled a bit. This race, I’m not saying it was for me because we are all fighting to win it, but there was so much behind this commitment. Such a story with the team, a personal story also with this event. All of this made it an important moment and I couldn’t imagine spoiling it with this penalty which could make the victory fly away. I felt that I had everything to win this race.

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What links bind you to this Gitana team?

That’s the passion, that’s what I love about this team. People are passionate about what they do and about the boat. This team has existed for a long time but the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild epic is very special. When they launched this challenge a few years ago to build the boat, I wasn’t there but it was absolutely insane. A successful bet. But this boat is special, by its beauty and its innovation. I haven’t taken out my toolbox for the whole race, it’s the first time that’s happened to me. It was perfection. Besides, it may be played out there. His damage may have cost him the victory because at the time he was in contact.

We met and there I said to myself: “It’s up to whoever will push the hardest” I pushed very hard and I said to myself: “He’s not going to follow” and he pushed even harder ! I added a layer

Charles Caudrelier

Were you worried about the pressure put by François Gabart and Thomas Coville?

Yes, from the start I was threatened by François and Armel Le Cléac’h but I knew that Thomas would also be in the game. Armel suffered damage, we exchanged. And François, we spoke once. I asked him if it was okay and he told me he was happy to be there. He actually caught me! We did not spread out because we knew we would have this match. I remember this moment when we were side by side and I had taken a different option from his. We met and there I said to myself: “It’s up to whoever will push the hardest” I pushed very hard and I said to myself: “He’s not going to follow!” and he pushed even harder! I added a layer. I think that with him, we exceeded the limits of reason. We were really into it. He has a super efficient boat, he sailed really well. It was nice to see him next to me. It makes my victory more beautiful.

I thought my arms were going to explode and it finally passed.

Charles Caudrelier

How do you feel physically after this race?

I didn’t want to sleep but to move the boat even faster. It was war in a sprint race. As soon as I saw that it was going faster, I tried to find settings to be even faster. At first it was exhausting. After the first day, my arms paralyzed with cramps. I thought my arms were going to explode and it finally passed. I found the rhythm and never felt exhausted.

What do you want now?

Spending time with my team and my family. We are going to enjoy it in a superb region, Guadeloupe. I’m going to have a good holiday without having to say to myself: “And if I had done that… I might have won”.

In a year there will be a solo round the world in an Ultim from Brest, how do you envisage it?

I view it with more apprehension. It’s not the same exercise because we’re really in a sprint with the Route du rhum. The physical dimension is huge and over 24 hours I hadn’t noticed it, so on a world tour… It’s not the same pace. Around the world is a marathon. I approach it with even more experience, like an adventure, almost, more than a race.

Between the Volvo Ocean Race and the Route du rhum, which victory is the best?

It has a special flavor because it’s THE race I wanted to do while the Volvo, I got there almost by mistake even if I had some crazy moments. But to me, this one is really crazy.

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