Always go higher, always go further, that is Maxime Sorel’s philosophy for life. He is a qualified civil engineer who loves nothing more than to challenge his limits. He proved this during his first Vendée Globe four years ago by finishing in a commendable 10th place, but underlined it again when he climbed Everest last May or indeed on the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc this summer.
And he will out to abide by that philosophy when he competes again on the Vendée Globe 10th edition.
Sorel has greater ambitions. Now racing a foiling Verdier design launched in 2022 on which he has finished Top 5 in the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe 2022, in the Rolex Fastnet Race 2023 and in The Transat CIC 2024. Now he aims for the top five on the Vendée Globe, clearly equipped with a very tough mentality and physical prowess.
Vendée Globe :
How are you approaching your second Vendée Globe?
“I am more serene than during my first one as have already achieved the objective of finishing it, which is already a big milestone when you know that almost one boat in every two abandons. This time, I will be able to set the performance cursor higher. What worries me a little is when I see the pace we set in IMOCA on the transatlantic races and I realize that it could be that high for 70 or 75 days! (Laughs) We're going to have to go fast but also the man and the machine have to keep up the pace over time! Overall for me there are fewer questions and fewer unknowns than four years ago, even if I know that there will inevitably be new, different questions asked. In terms of objectives, when we started building the boat, we immediately announced our ambitions to finish in the Top 5. We've finished Top 5 several times, but we're well aware that today, nearly twenty competitors are capable of doing so. In short: we know that it's possible but that it's going to be very complicated."
Vendée Globe :
What did you experience in 2020-2021 that you hope to relive differently this time?
“I don’t have very great memories of the Southern Ocean. Before starting the race, I spoke with people around me who had already done it. I saw in their eyes that it was crazy stuff and that they had loved it. When I found myself there, I actually saw something crazy but something that I didn’t necessarily find cool! (Laughs) I hope that this time it will be less chaotic and that I can enjoy it!”
Vendée Globe :
Technical preparation, physical preparation, nutrition, mental preparation… you seem to have pushed each facet of performance really into the small detail…
“Yes, but it’s also because I’m passionate about it. I chose a very dense program over the last three years. It clearly forced me to prepare well. I’m not sure that I would have gone into this much detail if I had only done offshore racing. I pushed it to the limit. I love trying to find different and useful things for my activity. It's the same for food. We worked on the subject a lot and there are lots of things that we're going to try in the Vendée Globe. Finally, I may have worked more on my preparation than on the boat itself. On the technical side, we really preferred to work on the reliability part rather than trying new things, like rebuilding a new pair of foils. We worked on things, of course, like the sails for example, but we're still a small project financially speaking."
Vendée Globe :
What do you think makes you strong today?
"I think it's my mentality. The fact that I've put myself through the mental and physical wringer in various activities, like climbing Everest, has naturally strengthened me. I hope that this experience will be useful to me during this round the world race. It's very important to accept what happens when it's hard. Managing to place the cursor in the right place so as not to be in great pain during the slightly tricky passages allows you to set off again fresher afterwards.”
Vendée Globe :
What do you fear the most?
“I would say breakage because a Vendée Globe is very long. It's ultimately a bit like an ultra-trail: you don't need to be in front from the start to win at the end. You mustn't take too many risks or do stupid things at the start. If some people go crazy fast at certain times when I don't feel like doing it, it's not a big deal. We've seen it in quite a few races. Sometimes, the weather pattern means that it never comes back but most of the time everything remains possible as long as the line isn't crossed.”
Vendée Globe :
‘No stress, no limit’: is that still your mantra?
“Well It's no longer written in big letters on my but it's definitely part of me. The harder it is, the easier it is!"
Vendée Globe :
What was the most emotional part of your first Vendée Globe?
"The start. That moment really got me going because I didn't know where I was going. I didn't know when I was going to come back, or even if I was going to come back. It had a bit of an impact on me, especially since with Covid-19, it had been a bit unusual. There was no one on the pontoons and at the time I thought it wasn't so bad in terms of emotions. Setting off on a solo round-the-world sailing trip is big, very big.
Vendée Globe :
When you think of the Vendée Globe, what are the first images that come to mind?
“Images of starts but also and especially of finishes. Those of Ellen MacArthur, in 2001, and François Gabart, in 2013, particularly marked me. Those who finish the round the world are transformed people because they have experienced something crazy, completely different. It’s impossible to imagine until you’ve done it.”
Vendée Globe :
Your best memory at sea?
“The finish of my first solo transatlantic: the Route du Rhum in 2014. Before that, I had never done a solo race in my life. For me, it’s really something that will always be with me.”
Vendée Globe :
Your best moment on this boat?
“The Route du Rhum 2022. As soon as we hit the trade winds and found ourselves downwind, I discovered that my boat could fly for hours, almost without landing. I then really realised that the IMOCA foilers were completely crazy boats!”
Vendée Globe :
What is your wildest dream about this Vendée Globe?
“Winning it. It’s probably too ambitious but there’s no limit to dreams!”
Vendée Globe :
The sailor who inspires you the most?
“Franck Cammas. He’s a jack-of-all-trades sailor. Every time he changes his boat, he manages to make it work. The work he did with Jérémie Beyou on Charal is quite incredible. He’s comfortable in everything he does. Every time he’s given a boat, it works. He also has an extraordinary track record.”
Vendée Globe :
What do you do when you’re not sailing?
“I try to put my body through its paces. I like to challenge myself and do things where I say to myself “well, I’m not sure that’s going to work”! (Laughs). However, I don’t do anything head down, without preparing myself well.”
Vendée Globe :
The thing that never leaves your side?
“My phone. I’m a real geek! ”
Image: LORIENT, FRANCE - 16 AVRIL 2024 : Le skipper du VandB - Monbana - Mayenne Maxime Sorel (FRA) à l'entraînement, le 16 avril 2024 au large de Lorient, France - Photo Maxime Falcone