Vendée Globe: “Finish it four times”, like Arnaud Boissière, “it’s not trivial”, the other skippers, “admiring”

“Marin du Vendée” is the title of the book by Arnaud Boissières published this summer before the departure of this solo, unassisted and non-stop sailing trip around the world. Of the Vendée Globe, the skipper from Arcachon (based in Les Sables d’Olonne since 2008 and his first participation) has completed four in a row. Cali is the only one in the fleet of 40 skippers setting off on Sunday November 10 to have achieved such a feat: 7th in 2009, 8th in 2013, 10th in 2017 and 15th in 2021. A feat that should not be trivialized, say his peers.

Yannick Bestaven, last winner and childhood friend of Cali: “admiring”

They started sailing together at the age of 15 on the Arcachon Bay. dreaming of ocean racing and the exploits of Titouan Lamazou and Yves Parlier. Yannick Bestaven won the last edition, for his second participation (dismasting in his first attempt in 2008) and has already announced that this 2024 Vendée Globe will be his last solo adventure. He says of Cali, that he is “admiring to see him start a fifth Vendée Globe. Since we were very young, we have always held hands to set up our projects together (with our first boats Diabolo and Satanas in the Mini Transat in 2001). We have always challenged each other . And clearly, it’s not possible for everyone, I can say, to finish this race four times in a row, he’s the only one to have done it. So some say he doesn’t pull much! his machines, that he is careful But Cali is above all a good sailor. The first victory in the Vendée Globe is to finish and if we did a points ranking for 20 years, he would be in the lead!

Jean Le Cam, who is starting his sixth Vendée: “it can’t be done by snapping his fingers”

The Breton skipper is starting his sixth Vendée Globe (in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020). “King John” also completed four, but not in a row because he was forced to abandon in 2008. Insatiable like Calinot tired, nor worn out, and above all aware of the magnitude of the performance. “Preparing for the Vendée Globe is 3 years of work, it can’t be done by snapping your fingers. Arnaud knows that. And being at the start is already a victory with ever more complicated qualifications… It’s is a human and technical adventure and that’s why we’re both going back. If everything was written in advance, it’s certain that we wouldn’t go back!”

Yves Parlier, his mentor on the Arcachon Basin: “This should not be trivialized”

He, the legend of solo racing, the Robinson of the seas who dismasted, refused to give up, repaired and ate algae to survive for 126 days alone at sea during the 2000/2001 edition, is also admiring of Arnaud Boissières. “Participating in the Vendée Globe and finishing the Vendée Globe is doable, but doing it and finishing it four times in a row is not trivial and should not be trivialized. You have to be intelligent, know how to manage your boat, not having a big breakage and knowing how to repair a whole bunch of stuff is quite an achievement.”.

Yves Parlier saw Arnaud Boissières start with his friend Yannick Bestaven on the Arcachon Bay during the Mini Transat in 2001 (which Bestaven won and Boissières finished third). “Two extremely motivated boys” that he even helped. “It wasn’t much for me but it was huge for them. They were completely demoralized. It was summer. They had their boats ready, but they were covered in debt. So I acted as guarantor. I told them, when you win the race, you will sell your boats at a high price and you will pay your bills, that gave them a boost of morale!