Violette Dorange, 23, is preparing to go to New York. But not by plane, not even on holiday. On Sunday 28 April, like thirty-two other competitors, of whom she will be the youngest, the engineering student from the National Institute of Applied Sciences (INSA) in Rennes with the sharp surname will take the start at The Transat CIC (formerly the English). Transat), in Lorient (Morbihan), for a solo ocean sprint of 3,500 miles (6,482 kilometers), on an 18-meter sailboat.
Ten days of sailing with headwind and current, freeze-dried meal simmered on the stove, tête-à-tête with weather files, micronaps on a bean bag, bucket for toiletries. And a wonderful view of the North Atlantic, its fog and its floating ice cubes…
“I need to finish this deck chair as well as the back one [qui part le 29 mai de New York vers les Sables-d’Olonne (Vendée)] to continue to get to know my boat and qualify for the Vendée Globe: the Holy Grail, the Olympic Games for offshore racers”, breathes the young woman as she welcomes us off the coast of Port-la-Forêt, her Finistère base, aboard her monohull Become, D for Orange, V for Violet.
“We have just tested the new sails in some very rotten upwind conditions. [fort vent de face] and the boat sank perfectly, she continues, her ponytail tousled and smoldering in her salt-washed shift suit. This night confirms the three and a half months of winter work where we removed it completely. »
Born in the country
The 10the edition of the Vendée Globe, a solo, non-stop and unassisted round-the-world race starting from Les Sables-d’Olonne on November 10, the 1.60m young woman should be the youngest competitor ever to take part. Like all solo events she has done so far.
Despite her haste, Violette Dorange has not missed a scene. Born inland, in Charente-Maritime, and trained in dinghy sailing on the Optimist (dinghy of 2.40 meters by one meter), from the age of 7, at the Société des régates rochelaises, the model student for the sports section of studies at the Jean-Dautet high school in La Rochelle then signed, together with teammate Camille Orion, three podium places at the Youth WC in the 420 (4.20 meter dinghy). But for her, today’s regatta between three buoys lacks salt.
The fault of his parents, Arnaud and Carole, country vets and school friends of Jean-Pierre Dick, the “veterinarian” winner of four Jacques Vabre transatlantic races and two Barcelona World Races (double-handed world tour), who also has four Vendée Globes to his credit. “As a child I swept her boat at all her race starts, and at 14 I decided not to wait until I was big to do big things,” smiles Violette.
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