Transat Jacques Vabre 2005 www.teamellen.com zur Übersicht 03.06.2005 Trimaran title sponsor B&Q is the biggest DIY retailer in Europe and third biggest in the world. http://www.diy.com ELLEN MACARTHUR TO PARTNER ROLAND JOURDAIN IN TRANSAT JACQUES VABRE B&Q skipper, Ellen MacArthur, will temporarily be stepping off the 75ft trimaran, to step on board the Open 60 Sill et Veolia to compete in the 2005 Transat Jacques Vabre. The 4,340 mile race that departs the French port of Le Havre to Salvador de Bahia in Brazil starts on 5th November and takes approximately 16-18 days. Foto: Jaques Vapillon Roland Jourdain has competed in five Transat Jacques Vabre races and is a double winner of the monohull Open 60 division, claiming victory in 1995 with Paul Vatine and in 2001 with Gaël Le Cléac'h. Ellen has competed in the Transat Jacques Vabre three times finishing in 6th place in 1999 on board the Open 60 Aquataine Innovations-Kingfisher with Yves Parlier, 2nd place in 2001 with French skipper Alain Gautier on board the ORMA 60 trimaran Foncia and in 2003, again with Gautier, but only managing 9th place after suffering a major halyard problems. In the past, these two sailors have only sailed together once in the 2002 for the Grand Prix de Marseille, where Sill won. Apart from that, they have always been rivals on the water (although great friends on shore) and the bow of one boat has never been far from the stern of the other! On many occasions, MacArthur and Jourdain shared the winners the podium - in the 2000/2001 Vendée Globe, Jourdain finished just behind MacArthur in 3rd place. Roland Jourdain and Ellen MacArthur will leave northern France on Saturday, 4th June on board Sill et Veolia to begin their 1000 mile qualifier for the Transat Jacques Vabre - a compulsory qualification process for all competing skippers. From Roland Jourdain, skipper monohull Sill et Veolia: Are you happy at the prospect of racing with Ellen in this classic offshore race? "I am very happy to have time to do a transatlantic race with Ellen. She is the ideal co-skipper and a great sailor. We've got a lot to share about the way we do things, from a sport point of view but also from a human point of view. Her and I come from a different culture. I think we will learn a lot after 15 days together onboard Sill et Veolia. And with Ellen, it's also a long story from a human point of view. In 2000 during the Vendée Globe, I was in front of her and when I suffered gear failure, she sent me an email straight away and then she called me and the same in 2002 during the Route du Rhum. In our class of 60 foot monohulls, we had a few debriefings after the Vendée Globe 2001 about the sport and I liked the speeches that Ellen did. We have the same vision about life, despite our age difference." How important is the Transat Jacques Vabre race to you? "This is my fetish race! I love this race. It gave me a lot of happiness with two victories and many podiums. And the destination is not bad at all! We start with rough conditions to finish with the intense heat. This race has become a real event with some faithful sponsors. I am happy to come back every time. Just happy to participate." From Ellen MacArthur, skipper of the 75 foot trimaran B&Q, co-skipper monohull Sill et Veolia for the Transat Jacques Vabre 2005: What do you think of racing on the Transat Jacques Vabre again, this time with Roland Jourdain on his monohull ? "This is fantastic to do the Jacques Vabre with Bilou ! We only raced together once, for leg of an onshore race. This opportunity to sail together on a long race is really motivating ! We are good friends and Bilou is a great sailor who knows the Open60 monohull very well. We will give everything to make a beautiful race !" What is your feeling to be competing again in the TJV and with Roland Jourdain? "It's great to be doing the Transat Jacque Vabre race with Bilou. We have only raced together once before in a short inshore race and the chance to do a long offshore two-up is very motivating. We are great friends and Bilou is a great sailor who knows Open 60 monohull racing inside out and I know we will give give everything to be competitive and to race a good race." Why did you decide to race again in the Open 60 class? "After racing the trimaran <> for the last year or so, I am looking forward to racing with someone else and to be back racing amongst a fleet which brings its own range of demands compared to solo record attempts. For a sailor it is good to have as much variety as possible from racing solo, with a crew or two-handed on monohulls or trimarans - every experience can teach you something and to learn something that can help you perform better and improve your racing skills. For me, to step back on board an Open 60 monohull will be a great experience but it is <> and, importantly, our next attempt on the solo transatlantic record later this year." Some people are already suggesting you may do the next Vendée Globe, do you have any plans in this direction? "There are no plans for me to do the next Vendée Globe, my focus clearly reindexs with the trimaran <> as that story is not finished yet." To listen to the latest audio from Ellen: http://www.ocftp2.com/audio/ellen/em030605a_uk.mp3: Ellen about theJacques Vabre: “It’s a kind of “dream team” but we will enjoy to sail together and try to give the best of us, because the competition will be really tough!” http://www.ocftp2.com/audio/ellen/em030605b_uk.mp3: Ellen about theBrittany ferriesRecord : “Today I’ll be on board <> with Bilou (Roland Jourdain) and my team to cross the Channel between Plymouth and Roscoff”. Roland Jourdain Date of Birth: 28/04/1964 Nationality: French Career Highlights 1995: Transat Jacques Vabre - 1st 1999: Transat Jacques Vabre - 4th 2000: New Man Star - 2nd 2001: Transat Jacques Vabre - 1st 2002: Route Du Rhum - 4th 2003: Transat Jacques Vabre - 2nd Calais Round Britain - 2nd 2004: Vendée Globe - Abandoned due to keel damage 2005: Calais Round Britain - 1st For more information please log onto: For further information, please contact Offshore Challenges Sailing Team: Lou Newlands or Lucy Harwood T: +44 (0)870 063 0210 E: lou@offshorechallenges.com or lucy@offshorechallenges.com Email powered by Active24 http://www.active24.com Copyright © 1996-2016 - SEGEL.DE