Clarisse Crémer in the Vendée Globe – Week 1
by L’Occitane Sailing Team 15 Nov 05:25 PST
15 November 2024
Clarisse Crémer begins the Vendée Globe © Marc Llyod / Alea
Five days and nights – a blend of wonder and chaos.
In just five days of the Vendée Globe, Clarisse Crémer has faced as many challenges and adventures as one might encounter during an entire transatlantic race. From the emotions of the start, the initial kilometers of responsiveness and adjustments, to the first weather front and subsequent damage, the skipper of L’Occitane en Provence has begun her second solo global journey with a particularly tough start. Here’s a rundown of five facts from five days and nights, straddling the line between chaos and wonder.
Gentle start for a gradual ramp-up.
Despite very light winds at the start, with less than 5 knots coming from the E’ly NE’ly direction, the captain of L’Occitane en Provence positioned herself favorably at the “Top” and soon found stronger breezes in the initial stretches of the race. Three hours post-start, she sat in 13th position, finally unfurling her sails, leveraging her choice of a northern route, and quickly advancing westward to encounter steadier winds.
After a day of “very nice conditions,” which allowed her to regain her rhythm, she formed her first positive insights: “I haven’t always sailed perfectly, but I gained valuable experience, everything is operating smoothly on board, and I’m taking each day as it comes.”
Unexpected front near Cape Finisterre.
Engaging with Samantha Davies, Clarisse enjoyed a steady start while rounding the southern tip of Spain. Cautious yet focused, she charted a robust course, executing maneuvers at a deliberate pace and remained composed Tuesday night when she opted for a risky shortcut inside the DST at Cape Finisterre.
Firmly placed within the top fifteen, Clarisse Crémer maintained her course without issue, with diminishing wind ahead providing her the chance to rest before facing the first strategic challenge of navigating the Atlantic islands. “I wasn’t flashy, but I sailed cleanly and made no mistakes: I’m happy with my performance!”
Gennaker troubles and a chaotic night.
But, just like on land, complications can occur when least anticipated. Wednesday morning brought lighter winds but choppy seas, and a furling line issue caused the largest sail onboard, the MH0, a considerable 300m2 gennaker, to unexpectedly unfurl. After a considerable struggle with this rogue sail and the elements, Clarisse Crémer had to resign herself and let her best light-air ally slip into the sea. “It was either that or the mast would come down,” she lamented, embarrassed by this loss to the ocean.
Ultimately, losing the sail is minor compared to tackling technical difficulties, and once she overcame the frustration of her lack of control, the 34-year-old soon accepted her loss and dip in rank (26th), stating: “It’s sheer bad luck, the wrong part failed at the wrong moment… Timing was unfortunate at the race’s onset; it drained my energy significantly, and it puts you in a bad mood!”
Unexpected arachnid companion.
Having moved past her “night of chaos,” Clarisse Crémer confronted a new challenge: terrified of spiders, she had disclosed last October that she feared she might have stowed some from her attic in her clothing bags. Displaying her sense of humor, the skipper didn’t consider this ideal, as on Wednesday afternoon she encountered her worst nightmare: a notably large hairy spider – which must have been equally confused about its presence there.
After successfully evicting her uninvited passenger to the cockpit, only to leave it to its fate, Clarisse Crémer was incredulous when, on Thursday, she spotted her eight-legged intruder clinging to the ropes in the cockpit. “I can’t even touch a spider,” she admitted. “I’d rather sail the Vendée Globe than handle a spider… So, dealing with a spider amidst the Vendée Globe…”
Steady mindset and a revived pace.
Alongside these challenges, Clarisse Crémer continued to sail full-speed, gradually making her way back up the standings. By Thursday evening, she had reclaimed her place in the top fifteen and even caught up with Sam Davies, whom she had not expected to see again so soon following her previous trouble.
This was enough to reward her unyielding resolve and resilient mindset: “I’m feeling great, my spirits are steady, and I feel at home on my boat. It’s nothing like my mindset from four years ago: I’m not allowing emotions to overpower me, nor am I daunted by the scope of the task. The Vendée Globe is challenging, but I knew that!”
As she continues to ride the strong downwind conditions, albeit unstable, off the Canary Islands, with numerous squalls and rough seas that inhibit high average speeds, Clarisse Crémer should soon find respite as the winds subside approaching the Canaries. Then, she will face her first tough decisions heading towards the notorious Doldrums.
Meanwhile, aboard L’Occitane en Provence, the eggs are golden and the skipper’s smile shines as brightly as the sun filtering through her mainsail. When appetites are hearty and spirits high, anything is possible!
