Old Friend
Race veteran and La Rochelle heroine Isabelle Autissier celebrates the VELUX 5 OCEANS' new home in France and offers a personal insight into why five gruelling ocean sprints underline the race's claim to be the ultimate solo challenge...
I have a very special attachment to the VELUX 5 OCEANS. Since I first participated in the race in 1990 I have stayed closely linked to the people and places involved. For the 2010-11 race I am delighted that it will be starting and finishing in the beautiful port of La Rochelle, my home in France. Some of the biggest names in French sailing, such as Jeantot, Gautier and Auguin, have shaped the wonderful history of this race since its inception in 1982 and it is therefore only right that it should now be closely linked to a country with such a strong solo sailing culture.
The race has been billed the 'ultimate solo challenge' since 1982 because of the intense, stop-start nature of the high-speed contest over multiple 'ocean sprints', which nevertheless add up to the greatest distance and time alone at sea of any race around the world. Each ocean sprint offers its own unique challenges, including tactical difficulties approaching coastlines and varying weather and oceanic current patterns. In 2006-7 the format of just three legs was chosen to reduce costs for skippers, but in practice the long distances resulted in the fleet becoming too spread out; I am delighted to see that the race organisers have now returned to the more traditional format of five sprint stages.
In a race that stops around the world the competition is closer, with the fleet tightly bunched from each restart. And if a yacht does break down there's a chance to demonstrate the seamanship - and tenacity - necessary to get to the next port, repair and restart.
For sailors there's also the strong camaraderie that develops among skippers and their teams ashore, as well as interaction with locals in the ports themselves. For sponsors there are manageable opportunities for international media, hospitality and promotions in some of the world's most spectacular harbour cities. For spectators there are more opportunities to meet the skippers at the various ports, and to watch the emotional starts and finishes.
La Rochelle: a new home
La Rochelle is the ideal start-finish port for the VELUX 5 OCEANS. A historical city with strong ties to the sea and professional ocean racing, it is ideally placed for the solo sailors to dive out into the Atlantic. The VELUX skippers will benefit from world-class dock facilities in the heart of the city and local expertise in all services. And the Bay of Biscay may well offer them a challenging first couple of days...
Not only is the city such a beautiful backdrop, but it comes with some of the best food and wine the country can offer. With the boats moored in the central Bassin des Chalutiers, overlooked by our iconic fort and surrounded by wonderful hotels and restaurants, the teams can't fail to fall in love with my hometown. Further afield, the skippers can relax and prepare for the adventure ahead on the stunning Ile de Ré or in the surrounding countryside.
I am also confident that the people of the city and its surrounding community will embrace this event and celebrate the achievements of the competitors. We aim to get more than 1,000 boats out on the water to bid au revoir to the brave skippers and I'm sure the people will follow their exploits closely before hopefully welcoming them all back to La Rochelle the following summer.
Ocean Sprint 1: Cape Town
The first sprint sees the South African city welcome back the race for the seventh time. The city's ideal position as the meeting point of two great oceans means that the fleet can push hard through the Atlantic. I have very fond memories of Cape Town as I arrived here in first place in 1994 after setting off on our first leg from Charleston. And I was a full six days ahead of my closest rival!
I have no doubt that Cape Town will offer another fantastic reception to the skippers in 2010.
Ocean Sprint 2: Wellington
In the second sprint the race returns to New Zealand for the third time, having previously visited Tauranga and Auckland. New Zealand's capital will host the race for the first time and will be the ideal venue for the competitors to recover after the long leg from Cape Town before preparing for the treacherous Southern Ocean sprint around Cape Horn and then northward up to Brazil.
I have mixed memories of this leg, as in 1994 my race came to a premature end when I was dismasted and forced to pull into the remote Kerguelen Islands. Despite erecting a jury rig on my own, I was rolled and dismasted once again and eventually rescued by the Australian Navy. Auguin went on to claim a wonderful victory in the race for the second time.
Ocean Sprint 3: Salvador
The third sprint sees the VELUX 5 OCEANS return to Brazil for the first time since the inaugural race in 1982. Although this is the first time that Salvador will play host the Bahian city is no stranger to offshore racing, hosting the Transat Jacques Vabre and the Transat 6.50 events. The fleet will also arrive just in time for the Salvador Carnival, the biggest in Brazil, the perfect remedy after the hard- ships of the Southern Ocean, Cape Horn and the South Atlantic.
Myself, I certainly will not forget the 1998 edition of the race - this was when Giovanni Soldini rescued me from my overturned yacht deep in the Southern Ocean. It was a magical moment and we developed a close bond that exists to this day.
Ocean Sprint 4: Charleston
For the fourth sprint the east coast US port welcomes the race for a third time. I know this city well and the hospitality of the South Carolina city will not disappoint!
Ocean Sprint 5: La Rochelle
The fifth sprint to La Rochelle will be a high-adrenaline race across the North Atlantic and back into the Bay of Biscay, where La Rochelle will celebrate the unique achievements of completing the ultimate solo challenge.
It's a special person who takes on such a race and circumnavigates the planet alone. It is like a special calling, a higher power driving you to achieve something extraordinary with your life. I sincerely hope that race followers will join us in La Rochelle in October 2010 to support the brave sailors setting off into the unknown...
http://seahorsemagazine.com/2009-August/velux.php