Update I sense I shouldn’t dig any further, so instead I ask how he got
started sailing. It’s going a little better. ‘I was born in Normandy,’ he says. ‘It’s hard to ski here. On the
other hand, we live close to the sea. It’s right out there.’ He points with his cigarette. ‘You get saltwater in your blood from growing up here. When I was a kid there were no Optimist dinghies, so I jumped right into ocean sailing. The first few years I sailed a lot of One Tonners. IOR, it was big back then. It was also the easiest thing to do because you can sail for free.’
The cheapest sport I feel we’ve finally hit a topic he’s happy to talk about, so I say nothing. Being comfortable with long pauses is one of the most important things when doing interviews, that much I have learnt. ‘You know,’ he says finally, ‘sailing is the cheapest sport you
can find. It’s the boat owner who pays. Or the sponsors. There’s no public money involved, so it does not cost the taxpayer anything. Just think what a football stadium costs…’
Whitbread win – shoestring budget We discuss the money subject for a while as we near the end of his cigarette. I know the interview will be pretty much over by the time we get there. So I ask a bit more about the races he has taken part in. If there are any results he is particularly happy about? ‘Yes, there are some results I’m proud of,’ he says. ‘In 1981
we won the first leg of the Whitbread Round the World, in a 60ft boat we built ourselves, on a very small budget. And then there’s the Transat Quebec-St Malo, which is a big race here in France… I won that twice, in 2008 and 2012. Two-Star I also won twice, in 1981 and 1994. And then I’ve won two legs of the Figaro, 1989 and 1990. In 1989 I finished second overall, in 1990 third.’
A fine team When we speak it’s just a few weeks to the start of the Route du Rhum – which Mabire will be competing in. ‘It’s impossible for me to win,’ he says. ‘I have an old boat, and I’m kind of old myself. Besides, the level is very high now.’ The Route du Rhum ended badly – he had to retire, along with many others after the stormy start. But his partner, Miranda Merron, with whom he has sailed and lived for a number of years, finished 13th in the large Class40 field of 53 boats. In doing so she beat many big professional names.
Making the world bigger Mabire gives me a firm handshake and walks back into the building. As I return to the terrace, reflecting on what I’ve just experienced, I think there must be very few sports in the world that can boast personalities like the man I’ve just met. I am delighted to belong to a world that offers such stories.
q SNAPSHOTS Brought to you in association with
It would be foolish to claim there were not a lot of nerves in the Skorpios campaign the morning of the Fastnet faced with 30-35kt of wind against big tide for the start of the brand new high-tech 125-footer’s first race. Credit where it’s due, though… veni vidi vici
18 SEAHORSE
l Our ‘cents on the dollar’… high-performance sailing proposal for young sailors has traction… l We’ve had great offers… fancy a mint B14 skiff for under $1,000? l Talking of which… the Cadet Worlds in Garda was won by Julian Finsterbusch and Franco Barone (ARG) in a pretty hot 60-boat fleet l Still… great if ‘less cool’ boats for nippers keen to share the fun l In fact… we recently spotted a nice fleet of Cadets in Palma l Bravo, Poms… Sam Goodchild skippered the Multi50 tri Leyton to victory in the final race of this year’s tour in La Rochelle l Merci… for zee big trophy, mes amis l The power… of the Fastnet l Or… the power of the RORC and UNCL? l Three days (sic)… before the Fastnet start the UK government revised quarantine requirements covering returning UK sailors l Also allowing… French competitors to step ashore in Cowes l Just as well... Patrice Carpentier’s two-handed entry, Mary, suffered a catastrophic pilot failure on delivery from Cherbourg l But the new rules… allowed for a last-minute repair l Patrice… and François Moriceau got away with minutes to spare l And… rounded the rock 5th before slipping back in the final miles l Still…17th overall for a couple of ‘elder’ master mariners (sorry, Patrice) in the 60-plus boat two-handed class is pretty fine l Thanks… that they made the start at all was only due to the emergency intervention of Peter ‘ultimate enthusiast’ Morton l Thanks, Morty… sailing has no better supporter anywhere l Bloody good man… on the stick too l Persico… has just launched a new 12m flying foiler class l The… Persico Fly40 includes much that was learnt in the AC75s l Bringing… AC75-style sailing to happy five-man crews l ‘The new normal’…is what they’re calling it! l Bringing foiled… monohull sailing to the ‘average’ punter l The average punter… being the luckiest guy in the street l Put us on the list… please, Marcello l Own goal… (understandably) New Zealand’s revenue from AC36 was massively down on projections... l Then again… banning 110+ superyachts from entering the country after they have been isolating at sea for more than two-weeks each? l Seriously… Jacinda (aka liberal values hit lack of cash?) l A second… gold medal for Martine Grael and Kahena Kunz l Five Olympic medals… for Dad – plus that Volvo Race victory l Too many… world titles to count l And… one of the nicest families in the sport l PS… Lars is awesome too, as are others of the same surname l OK, awesome… as in two more Olympic medals plus a Star world title won since Lars lost a leg after being run down by a powerboat l Full house… the owner of the first ClubSwan 125, Skorpios l Also just took delivery… of his second, 100m Feadship, Anna l Replacing the tender… the 66m Feadship, also Anna l Did we mention… that there is another big Skorpios? l This one goes slower… l Skorpios… the island, that is, first developed by Aristotle Onassis l Also a tycoon… in his day l These days… he’d barely get on the list l Vacancy… is there a job going as navigator on Rambler 88? l After… George David’s speedy Juan K Maxi passed the wrong side of the Fastnet TSS and (honourably and promptly) retired l Be fair… it can happen to anyone (but sadly it didn’t-ed) l Whoosh… Ben Ainslie’s SailGP entry set a new speed record for F50 cats in training for this year’s opening round l 53.1kt… not bad for a production boat (which they sort of are) l Epic… Fastnet winner Sunrise slipped out of the calms at the Lizard to move 120 miles ahead of her IRC 2 rivals l Not again (please)… Norbert Sedlacek has set out on his 550th attempt to lap the globe on his eco-60 AAl Innovation l God speed… Norbert l Fellows, countrymen… Please don’t buy the ex-Arthaud/Fossett Orma 60 Lakota until we’ve had a go at rustling up funds l Yours (ours) for just… 250,000 euros (call Bernard Gallay) l She’s waiting for you… at
RaceboatsOnly.com l Read more about her… at
EurosailNews.com
INGRID ABERY
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