The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

“Gabart has put himself in the same position as Djokovic…” The sailors of the Ultimes respond to accusations of exclusion

2022-03-28T13:35:35.752Z


Accused of wanting to exclude Gabart from the Route du rhum by refusing to grant compliance to his trimaran, Le Cléac'h, Coville, Caudrelier and their owners are responding to criticism.


Unreachable since the start of the “

Gabart

” affair on Friday, the other sailors on the Ultims trimarans finally broke their silence on Monday.

Before publishing a press release in the afternoon, Thomas Coville (Sodebo), Armel Le Cléach (Banque Populaire) and Charles Caudrelier (Edmond de Rothschild) answered questions from Le Figaro, Ouest France and France Télévisions in a video. -conference responsible for giving their version of the facts.

Half an hour then they left their place to their owner or team manager.

All with the same objective: to respond to the accusations of François Gabart and his partner Didier Tabary, who on Friday published an incendiary statement claiming that the Ultim Class "

wants to prevent François Gabart and his trimaran SVR-Lazartigue from taking the start of the Route du rhum

”.

By what stratagem?

By persisting in refusing the approval of the said trimaran for non-compliance with a measurement rule on safety (in this case

Offshore Special Regulations

3.11 on the position of the winches).

At issue: the fully enclosed cockpit of Gabart's new multihull, which accommodates these famous winches, and inside which the skipper is well sheltered but can only see the sea and the front of the boat thanks to cameras or two small bubbles which can only be used to steer.

Launched last July, Gabart's Ultim had already had to obtain a waiver to compete in the Transat Jacques Vabre in the fall, for lack of a certificate of conformity.

And a few days before the closing of registrations for the Route du rhum (80,000 euros to be paid before March 31), the skipper put the pressure on by making the situation public.

We want sporting fairness at the start of the races

Armel Le Cleac'h

It's a complex file, recognized Armel Le Cléac'h, we have been discussing with François for several months.

All the riders had accepted that he had a derogation for the Jaques Vabre but he had been warned that he had to comply for the year 2022. On February 16, we had agreed and SVR, via its owner, had signed an agreement to make a request to World Sailing (the international federation) and to undertake to respect its decision (if it arrived before March 4).

The negative answer on the conformity of the boat, in any case on the points in dispute, arrived on February 23.

SVR and François have changed course (by refusing to submit to it and by sending their press release)

”.

And the former winner of the Vendée Globe added: "

We want sporting fairness at the start of the races.

We ask that the SVR case be handled by World Sailing, that François be able to defend himself and that he apply the decision taken.

We are ready to discuss the modifications with him (significant structural modifications which could take two months to build).

And if the jury says he can run like that, that's fine.

I will congratulate him if he beats me on the Route du rhum.

On the other hand, if he doesn't have the certificate of conformity, I don't want to run against him

”.

Thomas Coville, begins him by estimating that "

François put himself in the posture of Djokovic

" before recalling that "

we must respect the rules.

And from the moment when World Sailing says that SVR respects the rules, we will say banco.

Only the referee can say that.

And this safety rule protects the skipper but also the other racers, yachtsmen and fishermen.

François' boat is like there's a car with a steering wheel in one place, the accelerator in another and the brake in yet another.

When designing our boat, we stopped ourselves from going further because there are rules.

»

Charles Caudrelier insisted on the gain represented by having a deck plan without a cockpit.

The biggest aerodynamic drag is the cockpit.

And that of François is a big gain in this area and also allows to lower the center of gravity.

But you have to be above the bridge to see ahead.

François does not have the same interpretation as us of this safety rule which applies to all boats.

So you need a referee.

And we have to respect the referee's decision. World Sailing has already given an answer, we agree that François will go back with other elements

”.

It is regrettable because the exchanges on the subject go back to months and months.

Of course we will respect the decision of World Sailing

Patricia Brochard

No desire, as we can see, to want to exclude François Gabart from the Route du rhum.

"

Just

" a serious disagreement with him and a good unanimity of his rivals on this issue.

“The objective is not to prevent François from racing, it is to comply with an essential safety rule.

The spirit is not at all to exclude it, adds Patricia Brochard, director of Sodebo, the partner of Thomas Coville, who reveals that SVR sent a lawyer's letter to the class on March 23 putting it on notice to accept the boat into the class.

So we are obliged to also take a lawyer.

".

And to regret the aggressive communication of the Gabart clan: “

It is regrettable because the exchanges on the subject go back to months and months.

Of course we will respect the decision of World Sailing

”.

And Emmanuel Bachellerie, owner of the former Actual who is looking for partners to launch the boat on the Route du rhum to conclude: “

All this is detrimental for the class of Ultims, including for those looking for money.

And including for Francis himself

”…

Source: lefigaro

All sports articles on 2022-03-28

You may like

Sports 2024-03-13T18:33:15.614Z
Sports 2024-03-10T21:38:35.161Z

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.