It was a little surreal. Yoann Richomme speaking minutes after winning the Transat CIC, some110 miles from the New York coast. “We are live in the middle of nowhere, in a band of fog but I have just won one of the most famous transatlantic races.” He opens….
You have just won the 15th edition of The Transat CIC. What do you feel a few minutes after breaking the line It's a crazy transatlantic race, it's historic, it has shaped the history of ocean racing with Eric Tabarly. I was keen to take part and I didn't even dream of winning! We had a very intense transatlantic race with one of the most competitive fleets we have seen in this event. I feel a lot of pride at the idea of having crossed the line in the lead and arriving in New York tomorrow. There are a lot of symbols for me, especially since I lived here for a few years during my adolescence. It’s great to come back by sea. I’m very proud of this result for my team and those around me. Winning two consecutive transatlantic races in IMOCA is great and it highlights all their work.
You seem to master the race from start to finish, did you feel confident? I always have a little trouble getting into the right rhythm after the start. There were some complicated things, questions that are not visible on the choice of sails. It is very energy-consuming to sail in these fairly extreme regions, especially since it was cold. You think twice before making a sail change. I wasn't completely serene. I thought a lot but in the end, I was quite efficient. We had to limit the energy expenditure, not make too many mistakes and make good trajectories. And I'm proud of the ones I made, notably the gull wing in the depression not far from Newfoundland. I did some things well. In the end, I give myself high marks.
You had a good scrap with Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) in particular.
Do you feel like you raced two stages of Solitaire du Figaro in one race?Two, or even three. We had a good time with Charlie during the climb north along Ireland. It was great. This is a moment that will serve as a reference for me. Then there was the overcoming of the depression, then the end of the race with Boris (Herrmann) who came back strong. It was intense but psychologically hard. We saw the differences in speed in the sea downwind. I think that with Boris, we had the most suitable boats. We certainly all had our setbacks, which made sailing tricky in 30-35 knots. Yesterday morning, I broached in a squall. The boat went into overdrive The boat had to stay on the side for 30 minutes. I didn't wake up despite the alarms because I was so tired. When I woke up, the boat was lying on its side. I found myself having to straighten everything out
What are you going to do for these hours coming into New York?
I'm really burned out, I can't stop eating. I'm going to go slowly at the start and wait for Boris (Herrmann) to come in together to New York. There's not much wind ahead, I don't know if we're going to have to sail or motor. It’s complicated to give a finish time, it’s going to take quite a while. I hope we will be greeted by sunshine!
You made a lot of gybes to avoid the cetacean protection zone (ZPC). How did it go strategy-wise?The area bothered us a little but I pretended it was land. We had to sail along it a bit. It was a barrier but it wasn't very bothersome, especially since it was relatively north. We were able to generally do what we wanted to do. That bit went well.
The Vendée Globe starts in six months… Do you feel ready?We will debrief, there are details to be resolved but no major changes. We can be happy with the work we have done. Afterwards, there will be lots of things to sort out, to think about, to adapt. I hope it goes well but that's another story.
What is your program for the next few weeks? I'm going to try to enjoy New York with my team. We are also going to go to Yellowstone for a week with my partner. It is one of the most beautiful and oldest national park. Then, I will return to New York 10 days before the departure of the New York - Vendée to spend time with my team. I want to make the most of the United States and recharge my batteries before returning.
