They have been following Thomas Ruyant in his preparation for four years. Next to Dunkirk, students from the Sacré Coeur college in Saint-Pol-sur-Mer can choose a Vendée Globe option, of which the start and the three months of racing constitute the high point.
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Tired, but so happy. They left Saint-Pol-sur-Mer on Friday, at six in the morning, to arrive in the middle of the day at the Vendée Globe village, and to meet Thomas Ruyant on the pontoons.
“The timing was perfect“, says Louisa. “We were there, wow, his boat is beautiful! He came up behind us, and he said: it’s true that he’s handsome. I also got Charlie Dalin's signature, I didn't think we'd be this close. Besides, we almost fell into the water several times because there were a lot of people!”
On the pontoons, the students collected autographs, notably that of Thomas Ruyant, whom they have been following for several years.
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© Christophe Thilliez
A 4th grade student at the Sacré Cœur college in Saint-Pol-sur-Mer, Louisa signed up for the Vendée Globe option at the start of the year. Two hours per week, during which young people work on a long-term project, imagined in 2016 by Christophe Thilliez, technology teacher.
“It was the first Vendée Globe contested by Thomas Ruyant with “Le souffle du Nord”. His mother worked at the college, as a ULIS referent. She told us about this adventure, and that's how we launched the option“, remembers the teacher, who set up an original educational project.
“For example, the students worked on all the marine vocabulary, they made posters for the other middle school students. With the 3D printer, they made models of the 40 competitors, which will be exhibited in order throughout the race. Even the vests they wear, they made them“, explains Christophe Thilliez.
Offered from the start of 6th grade, the option allows students to follow the journey of Thomas Ruyant in the different races he competes in, such as the Jacques Vabre or the Route du Rhum.
Each time he passes through his region, the skipper makes himself available to meet the young people, and at the end of each year, the college students who follow the option also do a sailing course in Gravelines, near Dunkirk.
But the start of the Vendée Globe constitutes the high point of this educational journey. Noah signed up when he was in 6th grade, two and a half years ago, a bit by chance: “I wasn't in this option at the start of the year. It was one of my friends who told me about what was happening there, he showed me objects he had made, it made me want to.”
They left Saint-Pol-sur-Mer on Friday at 6 a.m. The students of the Vendée Globe option will stay until the departure of the skippers whom they will follow from the edge of the channel.
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© Christophe Thilliez
During the race, young people from the Vendée Globe option will be ambassadors in their school. Each day, they will host an interactive display and move their ship models forward.
For his part, their teacher will continue to talk about the race with all his students: “I have 16 classes, and at the start of each of my lessons, I devote five minutes to the Vendée Globe. We do a mapping point and the students get excited, they ask lots of questions during the three months of the test.”
While waiting for the big departure, the seven students and their technology teacher follow a rhythmic program prepared by the Advance team, Thomas Ruyant's sponsor : access to the pontoons, broadcast of a film on the Vendée Globe 2020, conference by the Dunkirk skipper in front of his supporters.
“We filled two campsites alone, and Sunday morning, we will be close to 900. OWe are going to reserve a whole area and we should be the biggest team of supporters on the channel“, enthuses Christophe Thilliez.
With stars in his eyes, Adam, a 4th grade student, already confides that this trip will remain “engraved in his heart“.
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