A long way from the Southern Ocean but Damien Seguin is equally at home racing at the highest level inshore in the 2.4m Class seen here at the Hyères World Cup in 2011. Seguin won in Hyères and also took 2.4m World Cup titles that year in Miami and Kiel. In fact, he represented France at every Paralympic Regatta between 2004 and 2016, winning gold medals at Athens 2004 and Rio 2016 plus a silver medal at Beijing 2008, only missing out at London 2012 where this great Paralympian finished 4th. If the Vendée Globe offered bonus points for a few Volvo-type inshore stages then you’d be particularly dumb to bet against this remarkable French all-rounder
than wait until the very last minute. It’s a risk-reducing philosophy that cannot be enforced at all times – if you have to gather a torn jib the choice of the moment isn’t yours but making it the default position certainly helps.’ It’s common sense of course, and part of
Seguin’s constant need to be adaptable, but it also had to become part of his admission fee: in 2005 the organisers of the Solitaire du Figaro declined to validate his entry on safety grounds. ‘I can totally understand that people would have diffi- culties conceiving of the fact that I can handle a boat like everyone else, but frankly it was short-sighted. Rather than ask me to provide elements and make my case, they simply said, “We don’t think you can do it.”’ So after managing to line up for a couple
of other events on the Figaro circuit Seguin’s big offshore debut was on the AG2R Transat, an (ineptly named) ‘two- handed’ event, in 2006. This somewhat pacified the authorities, the doors of the Solitaire finally opened and in 2010 Seguin lined up for the Rhum in a Class40 – the fuse was lit and no amount of sea spray would extinguish it. ‘I reassured, I cajoled, I went far above
board and I completed more qualifying miles than what was required, constantly keeping in close dialogue with the race
56 SEAHORSE
director and his team. My message to them was clear: I’m taking this very seriously and understand your concerns.’ It worked, and by the time Seguin
knocked on the Vendée Globe’s door the powers that be were not fazed. As long as he did his miles and safety courses like everyone else, sure, he could take the start. And, boy, did he ‘take’ the finish as well. Those 80 days and his astonishing result
certainly propelled Seguin to the front of the stage, leading to even more requests to share some inspiration with school kids, company employees, sports club members. After the Vendée it turned into a flood. But this is something he has done for
years, having founded his charity Des Pieds et des Mains, to tackle misconcep- tions about disability through sailing (ed: the expression, as well as translating liter- ally to ‘hands and feet’ means ‘to go out of one’s way’ in French). ‘Today I can’t unfortunately say yes to everyone who asks me to come and give a talk,’ he says, ‘but I do as many as I can. I want to show, using my own examples, that limits can be pushed, that potential and abilities exist for each and every one of us.’ If he accepts that role model status
Seguin does not long for it to become his primary driver or main activity. ‘I want inclusivity and acceptance to be the norm rather than the exception,’ he adds.
‘And on that same note this approach is
much more prevalent in certain countries like the UK than in many others. ‘At the London Olympics I was France’s
flagbearer and the positive attitude towards disability really struck home with me. I’m not one to fight for our “differ- ence” to be recognised, the cause I’m advo- cating is that of a world where we all fit in and are just seen as individuals – disability does not define someone,’ says this world- class skipper before talking us through his immediate next steps… ‘I’m looking at my new boat as I speak,’
he continues, ‘and it’s a beauty!!’ Who would’ve thought that Seguin would end up acquiring the winner of the 2021 Vendée Globe? ‘Not me, I can tell you that much. She’s a competitive platform that I’m looking forward to continuing improv- ing. The programme did not allow for a new build, and buying Maître Coqwas the best solution we could dream of. ‘She’ll hit the water in April and I’ll take
the start of the next Rhum with the current set of small foils, before thinking about adding more up-to-date appendages later on. By that time I’ll know her inside out and she’ll be totally reliable, it’s precisely the same philosophy that we applied for my first Vendée Globe.’ Feels pretty safe to say that it’s worked q
so far.
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