Two months to the start of the Transat Jacques Vabre
On the 3rd November, Marc Guillemot and Pascal Bidégorry will be setting sail from Le Havre in the Transat Jacques Vabre aboard the Safran monohull. They face 5400 miles of sailing to get to Itajai in Brazil. To ensure luck is on their side, Marc and Pascal will be training together between now and the start.
The big race of the year for Safran is drawing near. As they look forward to the Transat Jacques Vabre, Marc Guillemot and Pascal Bidégorry will be taking part in the training courses organized at the Ocean Racing Training Centre in Port-la-Forêt in Southern Brittany. Three three-day sessions are scheduled for the coming weeks.
“Getting used to double-handed sailing”
“Four other duos competing in the Jacques Vabre will also be attending these courses,” explained Marc Guillemot. “They will enable us to see where we stand in relation to our competitors, in particular in terms of speed. It will also be an opportunity to see that everything comes automatically to us during manoeuvres, and to get used to sailing double-handed. We have to make the most of the time that’s left, in order to ensure that when we cross the starting line, we are as well prepared as possible.”
As for Pascal Bidégorry, he is getting over the injury to his foot that he suffered during Safran’s delivery trip for the Fastnet Race, and meant that he was unable to compete in that event. “I managed to rest a lot in August. The situation is improving each day. I’m starting to walk again and I can sail, but have to take it gently. I’m being careful not to hurt myself again, so as to be in the best of shape on the day of the start. I’ll be able to attend the training courses and work on the final technical adjustments and optimization of the boat, in particular checking the new sails.”
Complementary skills for a second win
Winner of the 2009 race with Charles Caudrelier Benac, Marc Guillemot is aiming to repeat that success, as is Pascal Bidégorry, who won the race in the multihull category in 2005. With complementary skills the Breton and the Basque both fully respect each other’s work, both in terms of the race and on a human level. “I’m delighted to be able to tackle this big challenge with such a passionate racer, whose enjoyment of the sea is contagious,” declared Pascal Bidégorry. “Pascal is a top performer, who always manages to get the most out of his boat,” added Marc Guillemot. “He’s also a friend, with whom I get on very well, which is essential, when you are setting off on such a double-handed adventure.”
Safran is a leading international high-technology group with three core businesses: Aerospace (propulsion and equipment), Defence and Security. Operating worldwide, the Safran group has close to 60,000 employees and generated sales of 11.7 billion euros in 2011. Working alone or in partnership, Safran holds world or European leadership positions in its core markets. The Group invests heavily in Research & Development to meet the requirements of changing markets, including expenditures of 1.3 billion euros in 2011. Safran is listed on NYSE Euronext Paris and is part of the CAC40 index
For more information, www.safran-group.com
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