Arnaud Boissières: "I am very aware of what lies ahead of me, it is up to me to turn that into a positive outcome.”

Indeed, it's been a bit like you kind of expect going into a Vendée Globe. Let’s say it’s been intense! We were able to repair the boat as we wanted to despite everything, the team worked really well, thanks in particular to Benjamin Ferré who let us take a mould of part of the hull of his boat. It was great to be able to do that, even if it caused us a few sleepless nights! We got back in the water relatively quickly, and since then we tried to sail as much as possible, as soon as there's a little downtime, which is rare because of course you have to juggle with sponsor commitments, requests for visits. In the end, I'd say the pace is as intense as any other day of the year in fact, no change really.

It’s amusing! In fact, people always try to stick it on you, you just have to accept it. In 1998, when I did the Mini-Transat, I was told that I was too much of a racer to cross the Atlantic. After that, I did the Figaro, and when I started my first Vendée Globe in 2008, the Figaro sailors said that it was not a sporty enough event. Things have evolved with the successive Vendée Globe campaigns, the general atmosphere. I know deep down that performance still counts as much as it ever did for me. So, I would describe myself more as a “4x4” racer, a bit like my boat.

I think the people, the faces are changing, but not the philosophy. There are more of us, of course, but there is still just as much solidarity. And while it is true that there are sometimes tensions because the stakes are getting higher and higher behind each project, I think that there is still a really good atmosphere. There are big projects that are pulling the level of the fleet up, small ones still remind us that it is also all still possible, The Ocean Race with a crew has made the fleet more international. All of this opens up perspectives, and overall, I think it is all being renewed in a positive way.

I expect a lot of intensity, tension linked to the competition, adrenaline of course. A lot of fun too because the boat is really pleasant and powerful. In fact, I am mostly expecting a lot of pleasure, that is why I do round the world races, and I try to never forget that. And above all, I never get tired of anything. There are many things that still amuse me, I am in Les Sables d’Olonne all year, I still love all this scene, the excitement. And I never get tired of sailing, whatever the boat.

I don’t give myself one, what I want above all is to fight. Four years ago, I had a lot of technical problems from the start and I could have been frustrated very, but we ended up with a great group of six at the end, and we fought like crazy, especially with Kojiro (Shiraishi, editor's note). I was super happy to win this little match within the match, and in the end, even if the pure result was not as good as my previous Vendée Globes, the whole scenario was great. We already have the privilege, the chance to do what we do, we have to be happy with that.

Yes this really was a choice for my project, I wanted to have time to understand it, to make the connection, to make it known to the team. And then, the more you sail the less you think about qualifying! We had a great handover on the way back from the Route du Rhum with Sam and Nico Lunven, it was the best way to get to grips with the boat. Afterwards we took the boat apart collectively with the two teams, we gradually developed the boat, on the advice of Sam and David Sineau, we modified the bow, the foils, we also adapted things to my size. It’s not the same boat as four years ago, and I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world! We know our strengths and weaknesses well, a bit like me, I would say that we are both mature (laughs)!

To say that I am not afraid of Southern Ocean would be daft, especially in an extreme boat like this. I have also prepared myself differently than with my previous boats. But I hope that this fear diminish a bit by experience. I think that I am very aware of what awaits me, it is up to me to transform that into a positive outcome.