Four years after a difficult race in which he ended up 13th, Jérémie Beyou of Charal is back with the same ambition: winning!. He has a new Sam Manuard IMOCA which he has been refining and making more reliable for a full three years and he is very well resourced as he sets about tackling his 5th Vendée Globe.

Time passes and his motivation is as high as ever. Jérémie Beyou has been pursuing the same dream for 14 years, that is to say winning the Vendée Globe. The round-the-world race has become his lifelong goal, testing his tenacity and his ability to never give up. Over the course of his four participations, there have been the joys of a podium (2016-2017), the disappointment of two retirements (2008-2009, 2012-2013) and the bitterness of a race spent at the back of the fleet after a having to return to Les Sables for repairs (2020-2021).

Already during his last bittersweet Vendée Globe he was already setting plans in place for this new edition. At sea, he took part in meetings with his design office to shape his new boat, Charal2. After its launch in July 2022, Beyou built momentum and was almost always in the running (2nd in Retour à la Base, 3rd in the Route du Rhum and in the New York Vendée – Les Sables d’Olonne). But for this hard driving, hard bitten perfectionist winning the Vendée Globe is all that matters. 

Vendée Globe :
You are going to compete in your 5th Vendée Globe…. How would you describe your attachment you to this race?

I have a hard time explaining how I ended up doing it. I was 13 years old during the first edition, in 1989. It seemed crazy to me that sailors would set off around the world, non-stop, on these machines. Even though I was passionate about racing, about boats, the Vendée Globe seemed impossible to me, so far from my skills as a young sailor.

Vendée Globe :
When did you realize that you were capable of it?

I had just done a season double-handed with Vincent Riou in IMOCA. That's when I said to myself: "technically, it's not very far from what I know how to do, it's becoming possible". It was a time when, when you shone in the Solitaire du Figaro, skippers graduated towards the Orma circuit more with the desire to do the Route du Rhum. For me, that question never arose. I wanted to do the Vendée Globe since I won the Solitaire du Figaro (2005).

Vendée Globe :
And since your first participation, it's been fourteen years of history

I'm someone who likes to do things well, it doesn't really suit me to go from one circuit to another. I like to finish the stories that I start and my story with the Vendée Globe is not yet over, it is not fully successful and there remains a little feeling of unfinished business. There were my two withdrawals (2008-2009, 2012-2013), my 3rd place in 2016-2017, my return to Les Sables during the last edition... I have the impression of having experienced everything in this race except the victory.

Vendée Globe :
What you have experienced, precisely, has never made you want to give up on the Vendée Globe?

No, no breakdown, no hard moment traumatized me enough to put me off this race. Of course, there are moments of discouragement, hard knocks but they are never stronger than the desire to do well and the will to give the maximum in order to be as strong as possible. Not everything is controllable, you have to work hard while accepting that hazards that are not your responsibility come to destabilize you. But that is part of the sport. For my part, I come back to each edition even more motivated with the desire to do even better.

Vendée Globe :
As part of your preparation for this edition, you climbed the Pic de l’Aiguille du Midi, in the Mont Blanc Massif, with the mountaineer Charles Dubouloz. What do you remember from this experience?

For him, it was a weekend hike but for me it was Everest. I am not really comfortable in the mountains and I quickly became out of breath and tired. At one point, I found myself stuck on a ridge. There was a 500-metre drop and I had no way of turning back. It took me a while to pull myself together and move forward again, little by little. We then spent a night in a refuge and we talked together, talking about our experiences and this type of situation. We both operate in a hostile environment in total autonomy. And if I have to face a similar situation, it will be valuable to remember it.  

Vendée Globe :
In addition to all your essentials, are there any unusual objects that you take on board?

No, not really, I always try to take as few things as possible. The big news is that I will take a good pillow! I still have the usual one – a ball pillow – but I will also have a feather pillow. I know that it helps me sleep better!

Vendée Globe :
How do you experience being away from your loved ones?

I am lucky that my wife and two children are involved in the project. They support me understand, support me. We prepare the Vendée Globe together and it’s also their adventure. I don’t have many photos hanging on the boat. On the other hand, my wife always makes me a little laminated album with nice photos of my three children… I like to look at it from time to time.

Vendée Globe :
Regarding your diet on board, have you changed your habits after four editions?

Over time, you inevitably end up getting tired of certain dishes. I have a lot of trouble with dishes in sauce for example. I take a mix of freeze-dried dishes and vacuum-packed dishes. But what I like most is to prepare them myself: I open several bags, I prepare vegetables, then meat and I add a condiment or olive oil. It takes me a little longer but it brings me closer to a classic meal. 

Vendée Globe :
Do you ever get scared on board?

Stress isn't constant but of course it's there. At sea and solo, the slightest mistake can be costly. It involves a certain amount of stress, tough moments but it's not negative or blocking. On the contrary, it allows you to always be alert, to always challenge yourself to find the right trajectory and make good decisions.

Vendée Globe :
So an element of doubt, of the unexpected is important to approach a challenge like the Vendée Globe?
 

Yes, I think that in sport you don't progress if you don't doubt. You have to constantly question yourself in technical and strategic choices, the weather... You have to doubt but in a healthy way. On the other hand, I don't doubt those around me, the work that has been done by the team, the trust of my loved ones, the support of my sponsors. They all contribute to shaping a reassuring universe, which is an essential key to performance. 

Image: 

LORIENT, FRANCE - 17 AVRIL 2024 : Jérémie Beyou (FRA), skipper de Charal, à l'entraînement, le 17 avril 2024 à Lorient, France. (Photo par Marin Le Roux / Polaryse)