Vendée Globe. “Sam Goodchild hasn’t done anything backwards from the start” salutes Pascal Bidégorry

What lessons have you learned from the first days?

First, public and media success. It's nice to see sailing highlighted in this way, compared to other sports, including football, where we have a lot of trouble, like France – Israel. The Vendée is a race and, above all, an adventure, that's what pleases.

From a sporting point of view, there are, in my opinion, five or six boats a little above the rest, those which have been the most in the lead. They are led by sailors who shone on the Solitaire du Figaro, such as Yoann Richomme, Sam Goodchild, Nicolas Lunven, Charlie Dalin, Jérémie Beyou. Behind, three or four boats not far away, whose skippers are more in Vendée Globe mode, which is not the stupidest given the current grouping. Time will tell.

Does “Vendée Mode” mean long-term management?

Yes. Yannick (Bestaven) did not start in the same way as Charlie Dalin or Jérémie Beyou for example. We've been racing for a handful of days, with 70 left… In any case, it's nice to see the guys pulling out all the stops, but not doing anything. We're not going to say that they are in management, because with these weather conditions, it looks like a fight in a Figaro stage.

“Justine Mettraux manages well, neither too fast nor too slow, always well placed”

Which skippers impress you the most?

This is the most important thing, boats can have pluses and minuses, but it is the skipper who makes the difference. Sam Goodchild has a boat that is four years old, foils that are three years old and he goes fast because Sam knows how to use them very well. He hasn't done anything backwards from the start. Even when he loses time in Madeira, his little delay afterwards pays off. I know him, but I find him very clairvoyant. It's not from today. For two years, he has almost never missed a podium.

And Justine Mettraux, who was with you during the victory in the Ocean Race? (2)

She reminds me of Sam. She doesn't make any noise, she manages well, never in excess, neither too fast nor too slow, always on the right side, well placed. In pure performance, her boat will go slower than others, but in the long run, you can be sure that she will be there. He's a real sailor!

This is the particularity of the Vendée, if you do too many races, you can fart something. There can be a side of 'from the champion you go to the big idiot'. Sometimes, between the two, the line is tiny!

“The gaps at the top will increase again, unless they will have narrowed”

“Malizia”, by Boris Herrmann, is more comfortable than expected in the light wind…

Boris made modifications last winter, saving weight on the keel bulb, with new foils… Since then, the boat has not been the same. When you see how late he was after Madeira! And then Boris knows the South. In terms of length, it's a customer.

What awaits the fleet?

Since Thursday, she has been heading towards a windless zone which will allow the rear of the fleet to get back together, it will tighten up a lot. The leaders will look for a shift in the wind from North-North-West to North-North-East which will allow them to jibe to head due South. There, they will find wind again. Before this moment, the elastic band tightens, the back moves closer to the head. Afterwards, it will relax again, but less so than it will have tightened. The group of six in front will increase to ten, eleven.

Should we go to the West or the East of Cape Verde?

There is no debate. The American model (weather file) is not safe: in the East, you can save two hours… or take a day in the face! No one, I think, will take the risk. They will follow the European model. The choice at the moment is to go more or less to the West. The farther you go, the better it is for wind rotation, the worse it is for wind force. In any case, they will leave a zone of instability, the speeds will be stable. Charlie Dalin will perform much better than the others in these transition phase conditions. It can do 18 knots compared to 13 for the others.

(1) Macif – of which he contributed to the preparation with the Mer Concept team – Holcim-PRB, Maître CoQ V, Groupe Dubreuil, Guyot Environnement, L'Occitane en Provence.