Thursday, May 26th 2011
Jeanne Grégoire, from Ocean racing to Match racing!
The French Match-Racing team “Prince de Bretagne” engaged in the Delta Lloyd Regatta is an atypical team!
On board is Jeanne Grégoire, a confirmed Ocean racer who has crossed the Atlantic many times in solo! Jeanne is joining in Medemblik the team of
Julie Bossard and Pauline Chalaux.
“We were looking for a third crew. Jeanne was available and wanted to take a break from Ocean racing so she joined us.” explained skipper Julie
Bossard. The new team has sailed together for a couple of days only before the start of the regatta and is still adjusting.
“I needed a break from solo racing across the oceans.” explains Jeanne. “I was ready to take some time off to try other type of sailing, so it
was perfect timing for me.”
What can bring an Ocean racer to a Match racing team? “Jeanne brings a new eye to our sailing, she was able to pick up our mistakes straight
away.” says Pauline Chalaux. It is very refreshing to have on board someone from a complete different back ground and she is reacting quickly to
situations.” With communication on board being a key element in match-racing, this is still an area to improve. “I have sometimes problem to
understand the Match racing lingo!” admits Jeanne. “They are using technical terms and also some words that are proper to them and can describe a
whole situation or tactic, and then I am lost!”
How does it feel for an Ocean racer, used to spend days alone in her yacht with the sky for horizon? “When I did the mini Transat, 10 years ago, the
boat was about the same size as the Elliott! I left one continent to reach another. Here I can see the objective a quarter of a mile away! I go to the
blue mark instead of sailing to Rio! More seriously, sailing with others, in “confined” situations when actions happened quickly and when strategy
involves tacking within a few meters, is opening a different way of seeing sailing and will for sure help me when I am alone on the ocean! Even if
then the strategy involves a 500 miles course rather than 10 minutes around marks!”
Three weeks ago, Jeanne Grégoire finished fourth in the Benodet-Martinique race. In July she will set off for the Solitaire du Figaro. In the
meantime, Jeanne, Julie and Pauline are sharing experiences and are combining in one team, two very different sailing worlds.
by Corinne McKenzie
Video Interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ASIk3eDPFTs#at=17 (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ASIk3eDPFTs#at=17 )
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