

Videos	Audios	Photos

04.04.2011 Back to news

Kito de Pavant and Sébastien Audigane congratulate the winners

For the Groupe Bel skipper, as a neighbor, it was important to come and welcome the winners in Barcelona. Kito de Pavant competed in this two-handed round the world race with Sébastien Audigane, but the duo was forced to abandon in Ushuaia on 11 March, following serious damage to the keel in the Pacific after hitting a marine mammal. Today the sailors came to express their admiration for Jean-Pierre Dick and Loïck Peyron who won an exemplary race at the helm of Virbac Paprec 3 after 93 days of racing.

Kito de Pavant in Barcelona: "The perfect race"
"I do admire Jean-Pierre and Loïck's course in this round-the-world. They sailed very quickly and always in the right place, right from the start, right in the Mediterranean where the calm settled in and they managed to get away in the lead. They then solved their problems one after the other. They were on the same wavelength as the elements and the weather systems. They were successful, but that wasn't enough. They have shown us a great deal of talent and were intelligent enough to know when to accelerate at the right moment. Jean-Pierre and Loïck have sailed a perfect race from start to finish. Well done to both of them!

For several years, Jean-Pierre has shown that two-handed sailing suits him. He has a very good team, with which he built this third IMOCA 60 footer, which still smelt of fresh paint a few months ago and which has just won a round-the-world. This is impressive.

Although it is not easy for me to be here in Barcelona, since it is justifiably frustrating, it is important to welcome the sailors. This also means that the race has begun to come to a close, and this helps us come full circle to look forward only to the future.

We could have lost the keel and capsized. Getting back ashore safe and sound put a lot of things into perspective for us. Seb and I did not show ourselves unworthy; we rounded the three capes and I learned an awful lot. This will help us to prepare for the future and the next races which are coming up fast with the European Pro Tour next July, the Transat Jacques Vabre in November and of course the Vendée Globe 2012. I only retain the positive side of this adventure. Our motivation is fully intact. We know that we have the strength to succeed with a fine boat which will be unloaded in a few days from a cargo ship heading to Sète, where it will arrive in early May. I am also lucky to be surrounded by a fantastic team, such a loyal sponsor and a fan club as enthusiastic as ours."

Sébastien Audigane: "very fine winners"
"Jean-Pierre and Loïck are very fine winners. They have mastered their sport. From start to finish, despite technical problems, they proved that they knew when to be there. They also knew when to "power up" when it was important, and to slow down at times for safety reasons, but we also saw their ability to string up high speed averages. Yet, they were under pressure from the excellent Mapfre crew and they stood up to the invaders! We know that Loïck Peyron is highly experienced and is used to winning the races in which he competes. And Jean-Pierre, who has won this race twice, proves again that he's a really good sailor. The chemistry also worked well. I don't know Jean-Pierre as well, but Loïck is always calm at sea, which is a way of stepping back that makes things easier and is an aid to performance."

All the news