From professional yachting to ocean racing
Gilles Lamiré has a somewhat unusual career path in the world of ocean racing. Coming from the professional yachting world, he entered the racing world by participating in the Route du Rhum in 2006. "I put my finger on it in 2006 and I never stopped."
Since then, he has participated in four Route du Rhum, the Transat Anglaise, the Québéc-Saint-Malo and four Transat Jacques-Vabre. "I've accumulated a lot of transatlantic races and I've specialised in multihulls because of my taste ."
He is making his debut in ORMA, "the reference multis, the most beautiful Formula 1 cars that have never existed, with an incredible set. "And today he sails in the Multi50.
"The Multi50s are very similar to ORMAs. They are small ORMAs that go as fast, or even faster. Today, these modern multihulls are equipped with foils and fly, reaching peaks of over 40 knots. The record is 42 knots.
We talk a lot about the Ultimates who make peaks at 50 knots, but in Multi50, 40 knots is already incredible considering the difference in size between these two supports. These are spectacular boats. I like multihulls, because they are the fastest boats. It's going very fast, and that's what I like about crossing the Atlantic at vitesse?!"
Whaou III Pancakes ©History of thehalfs
The Multi50 CGA Group Thousand and One Smiles, a machine to win
Since April 2019, Gilles has been sailing on the Multi50 Groupe CGA Mille et Un Sourires thanks to the commitment of Groupe GCA, which has decided to invest in sailing sponsorship for a 4-year programme, the final outcome of which will be the Route du Rhum 2022.
This 15 m long and wide multihull is the former FenêtreA Mix Buffet skippered by Erwan Le Roux. "It's a great boat that has already won the Transat Jacques Vabre three times. Equipped with foils, it offers quite incredible performance. By virtue of its track record, it is one of the best boats on the plateau. I'm very happy to be the skipper."
Indeed, there was no question for the skipper to build a new boat - an ambitious and expensive project. "Why build a boat when there's the one you want, ready, with the keys dessus?? Erwan Le Roux participated in its design, followed its construction and then developed it on his behalf."
For the moment, the skipper has not made any optimisation or modification. He first devotes himself to taking it in hand. "I'm already apprehensive about my boat and maybe I'll bring something new later on. He's already at the top. Erwan did everything it took to make him a top performer."
French Tech Rennes Saint Malo is looking for a new skipper
Before, Gilles Lamiré was working on La French Tech Rennes Saint-Malo, a Cabaret/Irens plan from 2009. A boat on which he sailed for four seasons and won the Transat Bakerly in 2016.
"I started out on the French Tech Rennes Saint-Malo and I've made a lot of progress, but it's a boat without a foil. I was capping and had no chance of winning. With this new boat, I have all the skills to win and I like it."
The Multi50 is now in Saint-Malo waiting for its new skipper. Fabrice Payen had planned to take the start of the Transat Jacques-Vabre 2019 aboard, but due to lack of resources, he had to abandon this project. "It's an excellent boat wide. He is in very good condition and still has good hours of offshore racing ahead of him. I'm currently preparing him for his new skipper. This year, it was too close for Fabrice Payen to set up a financially viable project in the long term."
The DNA of an ORMA
Gilles had been watching his new boat for a while, which was for him a "obvious choice" given his DNA. " Franck-Yves Escoffier, former president of the Multi50 class, had this boat built in 2008 under the name of Crêpes Wahou III. It was the reference and it was developed by one of Multi50's most experienced skippers. It is a VPLP plan built at CDK Technologies and based on the ORMA class. We find in the architecture of this boat much of the experience developed in this class of trimarans."
A class that "made you dream" Gilles, admiring Franck Cammas' Groupama. From now on, there is no need to dream, he finally has his "little Groupama, which was the best of the ORMAs."
The discovery of foils
"The big new thing was the foils." While he has no a priori on these appendages, Gilles is pleasantly surprised by what the foils on the Multi50 bring. "It's incredible in terms of speed and acceleration. The boats are gaining 3 to 4 knots, it's really important. On a reaching edge across, with the foils, we were going between 25 and 35 n?uds?! Even without lift on the rudders, the boats volent?!"
Rake, which allows the incidence of foils to be adjusted to provide more or less lift, also plays a major role in safety. "In the breeze, the rake is set at maximum to raise the float above the water and have more stability. We pass over the waves in a very stable way, in complete safety, with a great feeling of speed."
The Multi50 Group GCA Thousand and One Smiles © Bonnie and Clark
Objective wins on the TJV 2019?!
On 27 October, Gilles will be sailing his first transatlantic race in his new Multi50, accompanied by Antoine Carpentier in this Transat Jacques Vabre 2019 with a single ambition:" Gagner?!" .
It is thanks to a mutual friend - Maxime Sorel, skipper of the IMOCA V and B - Mayenne - that Gilles met Antoine. In 2017, the skipper of the 60-foot monohull ran and won the Transat Jacques Vabre with Antoine Carpentier in the Class40 category.
"Maxime asked me to come and sail with Antoine Carpentier, who knows my boat well. He won the Quebec Saint-Malo on board. I found the idea excellent and in my method of operation, it is essential to have someone with me who knows the boat. It was obvious. We got along well, he knew the boat well and he was available. I'm happy to sail with him, we have the same mindset."
Apart from the respective affinity between the two men, it was also the sailor's record that convinced Gilles. "He's a very tall sailor, with about 50 victories to his credit. He's highly motivated and has a taste for winning."
Gilles Lamiré and Antoine Carpentier © Défi Nautic
A very high level
Even if this year, the class will be under-represented in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2019, it is in full development. "Next year, we know there will be eight boats with an equivalent level."
They will therefore be three teams to start, including Thibaut Vauchel Camus and Fred Duthil on Solidaires En Peloton - ARSEP and Sébastien Rogues and Matthieu Souben on Primonial.
"I have a lot of respect for them. They are very great sailors. The level will be very high, but that's what's interesting. All three boats can win the event."
For this crossing of about 10 days, Gilles doesn't want to give up anything. "We're going to be fast, and sail cleanly to be at the finish. If there was a prognosis to make, I would say that the race will take place in a pocket handkerchief until the finish. It's going to be up to us to be in the front. We're waiting for the game, it's going to be exciting."
The Multi50 Group GCA Thousand and One Smiles © Nautic Challenge
A very beautiful and exciting race
"The Transat Jacques Vabre is an exciting race." This 4350-mile transatlantic race between Le Havre and Salvador de Bahia starts in the northern hemisphere and ends in the southern hemisphere . "The course is longer in distance, but shorter in duration than the Route du Rhum."
What pleases the skipper of GCA Milles et Un Sourires are the different conditions encountered. "The phases are very varied: the exit from the Channel, then the crossing of the Bay of Biscay, the descent along Portugal, then from downwind off Africa to cross to the islands. Finally, you have to cross the doldrums then make a final run in the south with south-westerly tradewinds and then sail along the coast of Brazil downwind."
The Multi50 Group GCA Thousand and One Smiles © Bonnie and Clark
A sharpened program for the future
After the Transat Jacques Vabre 2019, Gilles will defend his title in the Transat in 2020. A motivating challenge since he will have been able to cover many miles aboard his new boat in the meantime. This new route between Brest and Charleston is "very interesting and suitable for Multi50s with a less risky route."
He will then follow up with Quebec - Saint-Malo with a crew in the summer of 2020. A race he knows well to participate in for two editions and which takes place every four years. "I have a lot of friends there and when I get there, it's like I'm getting to the home in Saint-Malo."
In 2021, the Transat Jacques Vabre will make its comeback and finally, the Route du Rhum 2022. "This is the reference race. I would dream of winning the RDR 2022."
This four-year programme, which began with the Transat Jacques Vabre and ended with the Route du Rhum, will alternate between crew and solo sailing, a format that Gilles particularly appreciates.
"I like solo sailing. I'm not a bear either and I like to sail in pairs, but the solo sailor is a challenge to myself and there's nothing more beautiful. I am very demanding, more so with myself than with others. I like challenges and I like to surprise myself. I leave nothing to chance. Winning alone is really fulfilling."
A cause of solidarity
With his sponsor Groupe GCA, Gilles supports the association 1001 Sourires, a cause that is close to his heart. "We live off our passions and that's great. But it's important to highlight a cause or association to make a contribution."
Gilles is a sponsor of the association, which helps sick children and their families. "It means a lot to me, because it's real. We can do beaucoup?! First of all, at the level of research to treat these diseases, but also by taking care of them. A child should not be malade?! Sometimes the family does not have the means to provide for these specific needs. The disease is turning upside down tout?!"
The association therefore tries to provide funding so that each sick child can share moments of happiness with his or her family.
"It is important to shed light on this association and to help them finance these concrete actions through our partners. Last year, on the Route du Rhum 2018, a sick child was offered a dream every day. At the start of the Transat Jacques Vabre, I would be with Jules, 7 years old, a victim of acute meningitis at birth. The idea is that he'll come with us to bring him stars in his eyes."
