"It is an incredible, extraordinary feeling", said the winner

October 24th 2007

"It is an incredible, extraordinary feeling. I live for that project only since two years already, a project that my partner "Actual" and I built with a common aim... Winning only. As we did today in Salvador de Bahia! But that entire story is huge. Remember where I come from. I prepared both my boat and I these lasts months without knowing if I would leave. (- Yves knew that he could line up at start only a few days before the start as 4 other sailors -) After the first leg I really was under pressure because of my opponents level: Isa (Joschke), Sam (Manuard), but also Hardy, Deshayes and all the others. I have belt along as much as I could, without resting, and only at few moments I was worried for my boat and wondered if all that was reasonable. 

When I passed the Equator where I dismasted in 2005, I had the feeling to be free. And, I had to concentrate again on my objectives by saying to myself "but you haven't done anything yet, you still have half an Ocean to cross." And at that moment, my boat fulfilled me. Easy, gliding in the trade winds, being incredibly well balanced. Yet I solicited it so much. Again I really doubt in the 'Pot au Noir'. I have slow down a first time, and when I believed that the Pot was a bad memory; a monstrous cloud filled with storms and rain stuck me up and punished me by down pouring again and again. I, then, thought that the other competitors were cooler more east. I constantly was afraid to be overtaken under Brazilian Coasts. Without having any news since 6 days, I had to keep being aggressive. The boat did the rest." 

SOURCE: DVDB/GPO