Lhe 39 competitors still engaged in the Vendée Globe have not yet reached Les Sables-d'Olonne, and Jean-Baptiste Daramy is already thinking of starting the next edition, from the Vendée sub-prefecture, in four years.
While the sailors are just crossing the Cape of Good Hope, off the coast of South Africa, the Basque skipper presented his ambitious project this Thursday, November 28, at the Kaliko hotel in Bidart. Surrounded by potential investors and economic players, he detailed his program, which runs from January 2025 to November 2028. With the legendary round-the-world event, solo, without stopover or assistance in sight.
“The results are very positive, this evening was a good accelerator to create good momentum in our search for partners,” rejoices the native Biarrot, who got back to work in September. “With the summer season and the Paris Games, it really wasn't the right time to get started on this. » Jean-Baptiste Daramy also planned to take advantage of the powerful media coverage of the Vendée Globe 2024 to communicate.
A race against time
The Luzien at heart is giving himself less than six months to meet all the conditions that will allow him to appear on the startlist for the future opus. For the moment, “all the lights are green,” he exclaims. People want to help us open doors. Afterwards, it's up to us to be good, to convince that it's a great project and to prove that in terms of communication, companies will be able to find their way around it. On a Vendée Globe project, they always find themselves there.”
“On a Vendée Globe project, in terms of communication, the companies always find themselves there. »
After two mini-transats in 6.50, he lined up in Class40 on the Route du rhum (2018, 2022), the Transat Jacques Vabre (2019) and the Défi Atlantique. The change from 6.50 to Class40 “cost five times more. There, now, to go from the Class40 (12-meter sailboats) to the Imoca (18 meters), it’s still five times more expensive,” he emphasizes.
A title sponsor?
If he is already assured of the support of his historic group of partners, “which is extremely important”, to date, “no one is capable of putting in five times more than before”, explains Jean-Baptiste Daramy, who would like to win a title sponsor, such as Macif, Charal or La Mie Cuddlee. “We could create a group of medium-sized companies that would be able to provide me with annual budgets of between 50,000 and 100,000 euros. But it's true that having one or two beautiful locomotives, likely to cost 500,000 euros per year, would allow us to approach the future much more calmly. »
Particularly in his crucial quest for the boat. To do well, he would need to raise between 1.5 and 3.5 million euros. “We need to set aside a sum of money to be able to invest in the boat,” explains the member of the Basque Yacht Club. There, we are really going to address investors who do not necessarily need a communication tool to get people talking about them. »
Once the investor is found, he and his staff will have to work on putting together the operating budget. “Enough to run the boat, pay salaries, change the sails, etc.,” he lists. If we find a company capable of committing to four years as a sponsor and we have a well-defined budget, we can go to a bank and ask for a loan of two million repayable every month, knowing that we also has a small capital. »
Like tennis
If Jean-Baptiste Daramy achieves his goals, he will still have to work hard to get the precious ticket. The skipper will be obliged to collect a certain number of points in different events in order to join the future top 40 of the “Vendée”. Like the ATP tennis circuit, with a view to participating in the four Grand Slams. “If there are 50 qualified boats, they will take the first 40 in the ranking,” he explains.
Jean-Baptiste Daramy has already participated in the Route du rhum (2018, 2022), the Transat Jacques Vabre (2019) and took part in the RORC Caribbean 600 in 2023 as well as the Défi Atlantique.
Émilie Drouinaud / “South West”
Before thinking about climbing into the elite of world sailing, “I already need to gain experience,” he slips. If tomorrow I have to show up at the start, I'm not ready, I'm not going to lie to anyone. So I have to improve my skills, I have to progress,” he concedes, even though he has already tasted high-level sailing. “I follow all the steps like a good student, like someone diligent, taking the time to do things well. »
He has had this love for the Vendée Globe since he was very young. This competition dictated all his life choices: engineering studies, employment at Compositador. “I made these decisions because I only want one thing: to do the Vendée Globe. It's a childhood dream. There, today, at 43, I am at the gates of the Vendée Globe.”
