King Jean Le Cam is still sizzling at the start of a 6th Vendée Globe

The hero of the last Everest of the Seas, Jean Le Cam is preparing in Port-La-Forêt (Finistère) to attack his 6th Vendée Globe, a record and a new physical challenge for this 64-year-old sailor of legendary audacity.

“We are at 24 knots (44 km/h) without getting bored, it’s not bad at all”, exults Jean Le Cam. Quimperois is still just as motivated by the competition. The skipper who has become a legend sails a few miles from the Glénan archipelago, during a technical excursion, his brown curls and outfit completely soaked by the sea spray.

For its 18 meter monohull (It all starts in Finistère – Armor Lux), this is only the second trip to sea after a major winter refit, characterized by a reinforcement of the hull bottom and the addition of ballast at the front to better tame seas.Under the clouds, a strong wind pushes the sailboat at high speed towards the south.

Read: Jean Le Cam. The king of the Vendée Globe 2020 reveals his secrets to us

Salt water regularly flows into the ship’s semi-enclosed cockpit and showers the crew, who take advantage of the harsh conditions to test new sails. “As usual, it’s an obstacle course: we had to find money for the project, make changes and prepare for the qualifying races this year, which doesn’t help.”growls Le Cam, helm in hand.

Because despite his notoriety, his three victories at the grueling Solitaire du Figaro and his numerous exploits, “King Jean” did not get a pass to the next Vendée Globe, which begins on November 10.

Like his future competitors, he must be at the start of one of the year’s two solo transatlantic races – the Transat CIC in early May or the New-York-Vendée in early June – to validate his ticket. for Les Sables-d’Olonne.

Eligibility rules that Le Cam, famous for his candor, does not fail to criticize: “With this system I would not have been able to participate in any of my Vendées, we no longer have any margin in relation to the calendar and it puts all the riders under pressure”. After a good hour downwind (the wind speed comes from the back of the sailboat), the boat is designed without a foil “for reasons of budget and simplicity”begins to rise against the wind (the wind speed comes from the front).

The list gets stronger and the shocks multiply, but the skipper continues the checks without flinching. A firm step leads him safely to the bow of the ship. He returns, and then his stubborn hands work the cranks of the central column to adjust another sail. His penetrating gaze almost always remains fixed on the turbulent swell.

“Physically I feel good and I have no particular worries. It’s always a reward to be able to go out to sea after weeks of building and I’m approaching the next Vendée as usual: not knowing what’s going to happen.”. The vagaries of the sport made him the hero of the last edition. After the spectacular sea rescue of competitor Kevin Escoffier, he finished on the podium, despite a broken rib and an old and battered boat.

Affectionately nicknamed Hubert, his old sailboat was sold to young sailor Violette Dorange and replaced by Virgile, a scow (round-nosed monohull known for its reliability), designed by naval architect David Raison and built in Italy.

One after separation, “I don’t miss Hubert, we already have enough problems optimizing a boat”Le Cam slips between two manoeuvres, shortly before mooring at the quay.“It goes faster and faster, it hits harder and harder, but I’ve tried to keep some form of togetherness on board: the notion of joy in sailing is still important to me, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to continue as long as”he adds.

And despite the technological deficit accumulated on the largest budgets of the fleet, he believes that he still has his chances to shine. “A very smart person who is able to say who will win the Vendée Globe, I don’t know that bastard.”he assures.