It is a legend of Koh-Lanta who has bowed out. This Tuesday, November 19, 2024, the reunited tribe decided to eliminate Ugo, who will not be able to defend his place in the legendary orienteering event, in which he has already participated twice, in 2012 and 2021. Disappointed but fair play, Ugo returned, for Voici.fr, to this adventure very different from his first two. A legend who has well deserved his status.
Voici.fr : You were eliminated by the reunited team but you didn't seem particularly surprised. Had you accepted the idea, before the council, that you would not go to orientation for this third participation?
Ugo: No, until we see his name come out, I never accept the idea, I fight to the end. I knew it was going to be complicated but everything can happen very quickly in Koh Lanta. I remain focused until Denis Brogniart extinguishes my torch.
Do you regret giving your necklace to Cassandra, since he could have saved you at this council?
Not at all, it seemed so logical to give it to him. It's a Koh Lanta which was very different from the others for me. I was captain of the red team, and it seems to me that the captain of the Titanic waited for it to sink completely before leaving (laughs). I preferred to move forward as a team, I thought about it day by day and I played hard. My only regret is not having won this last immunity test, which could have saved me. But I will never regret giving my necklace to Cassandra.
The ex-yellows managed to stay united until the end, unlike the ex-reds. Do you hold Gustin responsible for the downfall of your team?
Gustin played his game the way he wanted to play it, I can't blame him. But his play caused the team to fail. We remained united but we were in the minority. We had some brilliant shots but the ex-yellows managed to gain the upper hand. This is the consequence of Gustin choosing to take out one person rather than staying focused on the team. His game meant that we found ourselves in the minority even though we fought for twenty days to be in the majority.
During the ordeal where the loved ones were displaced, you chose to handicap Ilyesse, condemning him for the future. Why this choice?
It was a difficult choice but Ilyesse, whom I appreciate enormously, had already gained a lot of comfort. Thibault had been looking for comfort for a long time. He's just amazing at fishing. In terms of survival, he is one of the people who impressed me the most out of all Koh Lanta confused. Rather than handicap Ilyesse, I especially wanted to give an advantage to Thibault.
Your partner Lisa has come to surprise you on the island. How did you feel when you saw her?
It's a crazy feeling, it's incredible. I was very weak at that time, it put a lot of pressure on me, I didn't perform as well as I wanted. We would give anything to experience this comfort at that moment, but we know that there will only be one and I knew that I would take bags very quickly (laughs). I had a lot of pressure to disappoint her and she was very strong, she looked at me and I understood that it wouldn't be a big deal. It gave me a boost to have seen it. For my first Koh Lantain 2012, my brother whom I had not seen for three years, who lived in New Caledonia, came to see me on the island, his words were perfect. Lisa was perfect, she gave me strength, even if I didn't win.
Ugo eliminated: “My son is more of a fan of manga than of Koh-Lanta”
Your son's message caused a lot of laughter on the web. What does he think of your journey and your status as a legendary adventurer?
I rarely use the word legend, I am an adventurer like any other. I'm there to fight, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, it's a great competition. My son knows that what we see on TV is a summary. Koh Lantait's very complicated. I'm very happy to watch with him, to make him proud of what I've accomplished. He is more of a fan of manga than of Koh Lanta (laughs). He doesn't really want to sign up, he thinks it's great that I'm doing it, but when I suggest a four-hour hike, he's not a big fan (laughs).
You are 12 years older than during your first edition. You, who are sporty in life, have you felt a clear difference with the younger adventurers?
Yes, even if there are always events in which we can do well. But on an obstacle course, facing Ilyesse and Gustin, it's more complicated in terms of explosiveness. I'm still twenty years older than them, they're faster. But on the hanging pig test, I managed to beat them.
We feel more fulfilled in this 3rd adventure. Has this status as team leader given you more confidence?
In fact, I was a little more relaxed. I told myself that there was no point in going there and playing half-heartedly, I played fully, I let the horses go. That's why I gave my necklace to Cassandra, it needed to be played, it had to go.
Did you prefer one of your three participations?
I'm not sure I have a preference, none are alike. I won first, came out first during the legends edition and still managed to make it to the end. On this third, I came back to let go of the horses, to be a little more strategic, more myself. My three adventures complement each other, I am delighted, even if I did not win all three. I already won Koh LantaI've already been captain, I've already made a fire, I've been yellow, I've been red. I checked off lists, a bit like in my life, with things I want to do. And there on Koh Lantathere are quite a few things that I have already done, it's incredible.
What is your best memory from the three seasons combined?
Winning the orientation in 2021, when editing the legends. I realized how far I had come. It's a feeling that I have rarely experienced, I no longer touched the ground. It was the culmination of a crazy journey.
After three Koh-Lantas, do you get used to the lack of food and comfort?
No way ! You get used to being resilient, I knew it was going to be hard. When adventurers told me after a week that they didn't feel too hungry, I told them 'wait, Coco!'. I knew what state my body was going to go through, that it was going to be terribly hard. I managed to steel myself around that but the difficulty remains the same.
What is the difference between the Ugo of 2012 and the one of 2024?
There isn't any! I'm still a kid, a big teenager who sometimes seems a little wiser. I always want to play, to discover things. In my head, I'm not 43!
You had indicated in previous interviews that you did not necessarily keep in touch with former adventurers. Have you maintained ties with the candidates from the cursed tribe?
It's not intentional, it's just that I live far from everyone. I am in the south of France 15 minutes from Spain near Perpignan. There are fewer people around me who have done Koh Lanta. I already have little time to see my friends in life, but I see many old ones again with great pleasure, I get along very well with some, like Teheiura or Claude.
Would you be up for a fourth Koh-Lanta?
(laughs) I'm going to look in my dictionary and see if it says 'Never four without three'.
Do you have the same professional activity as you had in 2012?
I am a nature guide now. I am passionate about nature, nature photos and outdoor sports. I guide outings, I organize photo courses. As long as I'm outside, I'm crazy!
Do you ever get recognized by your customers?
Yes, it happens very regularly (laughs). The people are very cool, I've never had a problem with that. As I am a nature guide, I present dolphins, and I assure you that a dolphin is much cooler to see than Ugo from Koh Lanta (laughs).
