“How could we make a decision like that…”: The boss of the Vendée Globe defends Clarisse Crémer

Team Banque Populaire's decision to part ways with its navigator Clarisse Crémer for the next edition of the Vendée Globe continues to make waves.

On Thursday, the 33-year-old sailor, 12th in the previous edition who gave birth last December regretted "that the rules chosen by the Vendée Globe prohibit a woman from having a child".

She received many supports from athletes and that of the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castéra.

Skippers who do not have a new boat are required to take part in a certain number of qualifying races until the start and to accumulate the miles there to decide between themselves, if the number of candidates exceeds forty.

“We are at 0 thousand and those in front of us are at 1,600. These people will be doing the same races as us so we will never catch up with them… And these are 42, 43 people who are in front”, explained Thursday in conference of press Ronan Lucas, director of Team Banque Populaire who also assured "having done everything possible" with the organizers to change the rules or "obtain the guarantee of a wildcard".

“Clarisse will be able to do what is necessary”

The president of the Vendée Globe, Alain Leboeuf, criticized Team Banque Populaire's position on Friday, calling it "hasty".

“Banque Populaire would like to be selected before everyone else.

It is not possible.

You cannot go around the world alone on the oceans without there being intermediate stages.

I don't understand how we could make a decision like that.

There are a lot of races left and Clarisse will be able to do everything necessary to be on the starting line in 2024, I really hope so.

The regulation was voted in 2020, everyone knew it.

You cannot change the rules of the game during the game.

The wildcard was not intended to be used until the end of the selection process” in June 2024.