Français
The serious business begins. On Thursday, Cindy Brin hits the road to reach the town of Roscoff, in northern Brittany. A boat is waiting for her in a hangar. But not just any boat. The one with which she'll be sailing for weeks to come, to be able to cross the Atlantic aboard her in the Transat Paprec.
Her co-skipper Thomas André has already been on site for a few days, initiating the safety equipment inventory. The aim is to get the boat in the water this weekend, with a view to launching the first races on Monday January 20. And, finally, to resume training on the Figaro Bénéteau 3 for Cindy, a boat she hasn't sailed since October (JSB 1591). Sailing sessions will take place mainly in Port-la-Forêt, at the "Finistère course au large" center.
"The duo will have to get to grips with the task of getting the boat up and running safely, in order to cross the Atlantic," explains project supervisor Éric Péron. Until February, the focus will be on learning the basics, before concentrating on performance from March onwards. "We need Cindy to feel good, to eat a bit, to learn the shortcuts quickly," adds the sailor.
An "ultra-motivated" young teammate
Throughout her adventure, Cindy will benefit from the expertise of Éric Péron, as supervisor, and Damien Cloarec as technical coach. The professional skipper will come aboard the Figaro Bénéteau 3 for the first few days to help Cindy get used to the boat. The sailing instructor will also be able to count on the help of her teammate. Despite his young age (24), Thomas André has significant transatlantic experience.
In 2023, the Breton finished 5th in the Mini Transat, a race from Les Sables d'Olonne to Saint-François in Guadeloupe. He's a young man we've spotted and who has talent," says Éric Péron. I have no doubt that he will perform well in this race. "The project coordinator chose to rely on the motivation of a novice skipper rather than a seasoned sailor to accompany Cindy. Experience isn't everything," he insists. He's got fangs, he's ultra-motivated, it will be more than beneficial. "
"Sharing this experience together
The choice of this duo also stems from the positive dynamic between the two athletes. "Thomas is a caring person, and he's not one to go it alone," adds Éric Péron. During his participation in the Mini Transat, Thomas André regularly visited Breton schools to explain his project, and his choice to compete under the colors of Diwan, the network of Breton-language schools in which he grew up. He knows all about teaching and sharing.
"This transatlantic race is also an opportunity to sail double-handed, to share this experience together, and to benefit from the vision and experience of my team-mate and the other skippers.It's also an opportunity to sail double-handed, to share the experience, to benefit from my teammate's vision and experience, and to come away with a shared experience," says the bilingual Breton-French sailor. Perhaps on the boat, between two maneuvers, Cindy will take the opportunity to learn a few words of Breton.
