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Oscar and Victor GERIN, two brothers studying in the Grande École program at IÉSEG, are taking up the challenge of participating in the Cap Martinique 2024, which will start on April 14. Steeped in the world of sailing since their youth, these sailing enthusiasts have decided to make their dream come true by taking part in this audacious maritime race, a 20-25-day crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. Beyond the sporting achievement, it’s also a way of supporting an association in line with their values. Oscar and Victor tell us about their passion and the secrets of preparing for this extraordinary adventure.

Cap Martinique – why did you take on this crazy challenge?

Victor: Sailing is a family passion for us, and we’ve been sailing since we were young. We’ve done a lot of cruising and regattas, both inshore and offshore. We also took part in a family round-the-world trip. So we’ve been sailing for quite a long time, and 2 years ago we got to know the Cap Martinique, which is one of the few races of its kind open to amateurs. Since I’d be finishing my internship and Oscar his exchange abroad, we thought it would be a good time to embark on this adventure, which lasts 20 to 25 days on average.

Oscar: For me, the transatlantic race is a dream, and to be able to do it as brothers is something really special. Spending 20 days at sea in 10m² together will certainly strengthen our bonds.

Why have you chosen to support the “Planète Urgence” association during this race?

Victor and Oscar: The Cap Martinique is a solidarity race where all the boats race for an association. In total, there will be over 80 boats supporting all kinds of associations, big and small. We spoke to the people behind the “Planète Urgence” association, who convinced us of the relevance of their mission, and how it fits in with our values. Indeed, we both feel close to the marine world and are therefore sensitive to the environmental cause. “Planète Urgence” supports local organizations carrying out forest protection and restoration projects.

How do you prepare for a boat race of this duration?

Victor and Oscar: There are several areas of preparation. Firstly, technical preparation with the boat we rent. We sailed on it for three days to qualify for the race. Over the winter, we’ll be training with other competitors, in particular with the “Orlabay” offshore racing training center in La Trinité-sur-mer.

The financial aspect is also an important part of our preparation, as we need to raise funds by finding partners. It takes up a lot of our time to do this, and we’re still looking for partners at the moment.

We’ll also have to learn about safety rules and regulations, first-aid items to have on board, as well as nutrition and sleep management. Of course, we’re also training in the use of software and the various weather models to be able to follow and make the right decisions according to the weather.

You talked about sleep management… How does it work on a boat in the middle of a race?

Victor and Oscar: Sleep is a key element in this kind of competition because it lasts a long time, and the boat never stops. You have to keep a constant watch. So you have to make sure there’s always someone on the deck to keep an eye on things and keep the boat moving. Ideally, you should have fairly short but restorative sleep periods, enabling you to alternate regularly and keep going for 25 days. Generally speaking, these are 2-hour periods when one navigates while the other sleeps. We’d like to have our sleep analyzed before departure, to find out when our sleep is most restorative and plan accordingly. We can also get a head start on our sleep phases when the wind isn’t shifting too much and the boat is settled, to anticipate more difficult periods. 

It’s a challenge that requires a lot of courage. Do you have any fears?

Oscar: We both know a lot about sailing, but there are also aspects of the transatlantic race that we’re not familiar with. In particular, between the Canaries and Martinique, there are the trade winds, which are regular winds blowing from east to west, and which can be very powerful. I’m a bit nervous about this, as we’ve never had to deal with this kind of situation before, so we’ll have to be well organized to deal with it day and night.

Victor: There are certain situations we can easily prepare for, by rehearsing the necessary operations for example, and preparing the organization on board. On the other hand, there may be external factors that we can’t control, such as the appearance of floating objects that we could hit. You have to find the right balance between boat performance and safety, because if you’re looking for speed but the wind picks up and you don’t see it coming, it can trigger an incident. We’re racing first and foremost to the finish, the score comes afterwards.

What do you hope to get ouf of this extraordinary experience?

Victor and Oscar: Among other things, we’ll learn a lot about navigation and weather from a technical point of view, as it’s quite demanding. We’ll probably also learn a lot about each other and ourselves, especially at night, when we’ll be alone on the deck while the other is asleep, and we’ll find out how we react to adversity.