Guirec Soudée ready to take on the Vendée Globe. “I would have liked to do one every year.”

At 32, Guirec Soudée is preparing to realize a dream: participating in his first Vendée Globe. An adventurer of the seas, he embarked on the most famous of the great solo sailing races, with a sharp Imoca and a spirit resolutely turned towards adventure.

Guirec Soudée, always welcoming, lends itself to the game of maintenance a few days before take the start of his first Vendée Globe. Adventurer of the seas, he embarks on the greatest solo race, ready to face storms and unforeseen events. “The hardest part is waiting to leave”he says impatiently, he who dreams of a podium and stories to tell.

The Breton is not a skipper like the others. An extreme adventurer, this young sailor has already traveled around the world on a small sailboat accompanied… by Monique, a chicken! From rowing across the Atlantic to the ice of Greenland, his solo exploits have forged an extraordinary sailor. Today, he is preparing to embark on the ultimate challenge for any sailor: the Vendée Globe, the solo race around the world, without stopovers or assistance. The race most followed by enthusiasts.

“I’m missing the ocean, I’m missing the sea spray”he confides. For Guirec, adventure flows through his veins, like an irrepressible need to go back to sea.

Accustomed to pushing his limits, Guirec Soudée does not approach this race lightly. He knows that the Vendée Globe is a long-term challenge. Much more than a simple regatta, “it’s a marathon”he explains. “You have to know how to take care of the boat and yourself, because the final objective is to return to Les Sables d’Olonne.”Slightly calmed down by the birth of his children. Guirec nevertheless intends to complete the race as quickly as possible to find them.

But unlike most of its competitors, the Trégorois did not cut its teeth on smaller vehicles like the Figaro or the Mini. He started racing directly on the Imoca, this large 60-foot monohull, designed for high-intensity competition. “I arrived a bit like a UFO in the world of ocean racing”he admits with humility. But that didn’t stop him from surrounding himself with the best to perfect his preparation. Roland Jourdain, alias Bilou, Corentin Douguet and Lucie Quéruel share their experience with him.

Read: “He has salt water in his veins”, Guirec Soudée seen by Gérard d’Aboville, Eugène Riguidel and Maurice Uguen (Franceinfo)

If the mainsail is in the name of his sponsor Freelance.com, his main partner to compete in the Vendée Globe, his Imoca is named Yvinec 2 in homage to his first boat and the Breton island where he grew up.

And this Imoca has already crossed the oceans many times, in the hands of Alex Thomson and Benjamin Dutreux.

“It’s a boat that has a lot of miles on the clock and in which I have confidence”assures Guirec. Less fast than the latest generation foilers, this boat remains reliable and perfectly balanced, according to its skipper.

“What matters to me is to finish the race well”he says. “It’s a very seaworthy boat, and I have confidence in it to take me to the end. Together we are one.”

If the Vendée Globe is a race, for Guirec Soudée, it remains above all a human adventure. “I’m not a die-hard sailor”he admits. “I come from adventure, and that gives me an advantage.” On the oceans, he learned to face the unexpected, damage, and to keep his cool in all circumstances.

Read: Guirec Soudée facing the crowd in Brest: “fortunately Momo was not there, frankly” (Franceinfo)

His experience in extreme situations has prepared him to face these types of challenges. “I spent 130 days locked up in Greenland, with temperatures of -60°C. After that, the Vendée Globe is almost a walk in the park”he jokes.

At the dawn of his first Vendée Globe, Guirec Soudée already has plans in his head. The Vendée Globe is a stage, but not the last. “I’m going to go back to adventure, that’s 100% sure,” he announces. “But for me, the Vendée Globe is also an adventure.”

And after? Perhaps even crazier projects, like setting sail on an Ultim, these giants of the seas built for adventure? “Nothing scares me,” concludes Guirec with his eternal smile. One thing is sure, “I won’t wait 4 years to travel around the world again.”

The departure of Guirec Soudée for the 2024 Vendée Globe is fast approaching. For this adventurous sailor, the sea is a second home, and each new race, a new story to write. “I’m ready, and I’ve never been so hot”he blurted impatiently. The sea calls, and Guirec Soudée is ready to answer.

Before leaving for his first Vendée, Guirec Soudée answered questions from young schoolchildren curious about his adventures. The students, fascinated by the storms that the navigator faces, wanted to know how he reacts to such extreme situations. “We’ll hang on, of course!”exclaims Guirec, before adding with a smile: “On a boat, there is a golden rule: one hand for yourself, one hand for the boat. Always behave yourself, and above all, never panic. I remember a storm where my boat overturned , I was inside without oxygen for a moment. If I had panicked, I probably wouldn’t be here today. You always have to stay calm and act.”

Finally, when asked about his objectives for the Vendée Globe, Guirec Soudée is humble but ambitious. “I’m aiming for a podium, but I don’t have a specific time target. The idea is to do my best and make my boat work well. I’ve taken a liking to competition, even if I haven’t been here for very long, but I’m ready to give the best of myself, while avoiding taking too many risks.”

The last question concerned the animals encountered during his maritime journeys. “I had the chance to see polar bears, narwhals, grizzly bears and even wolves during my expeditions in the Arctic, particularly during the Northwest Passage. These encounters are what make my trips even more unforgettable”he confides enthusiastically.