With the ongoing 10th edition of the Vendeé Globe nearing almost a third of the race time over, I suppuse you are checking the live tracker as well on a daily basis. This time it feels especially exciting, at least that is my opinion, because decisions by the skippers kind of feel almost entirely driven by the attempts to interprete and extrapolate weather patterns – with astonishing outcomes right from the start.
As we are slowing down our own pace a bit for Christmas season, I´d like to make suggest another nice film to watch for a lush weekend: It´s a free one too like the last one and you can watch it on YouTube. It is called „There is no Second“. At first I was a bit reluctant to click on the Play-button, because, it´s also more a big PR-advertising for the sponsors (nothing is really „free“) but it is worth watching. At least for me personally, watching this flick made me think of some interesting details …
What „There is no Second“ is about
But first of all, what is this film about? It shows the Ocean Race-campaign of the Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team. Back then, you might remember faintly, the C-flu was having a heavy grip on the world and the racing scene had to come up with „something“ to keep up at least a bit of sailboat racing. Back at that time, the Ocean Race had changed ownership from Volvo to Atlant Ocean Racing – and more or less out of necessity they came up with an idea. Shortening the circumnavigation-route to a smaller, action-packed route around Europe: The Ocean Race Europe was born.
One of the contesting teams, the Mirpuri Foundation Racing teams, is portrayed. Maybe you follow its skipper. Yoann Richomme. Today he is battling alone in his PAPREC ARKEA through the Roaring Fourties and Screaming Fifties. Back in the day, Richomme became the skipper and captain of a whole VO 65 crew. And here´s the first really interesting fact why watching this film, esecially in context to the ongoing Vendeé Globe frenzy, can be so stimulating.
The magic of the VO 65
Are you one of the die-hard solosailing fans preferring the IMOCA-class racing powerhouses with their elaborated technology or the more classic approach to sailboat racing-technology which is incorporated in the VO 65 yachts? Well, maybe you like both of them, for me, the „old“ Volvo Ocean Racers are absolutely fantastic boats. Maybe that is because they are made a bit less extreme on purpose.
The VO 65-class is high-end racing, full planing all-carbon (yacht) built. Designed by Farr Yacht Design to be a more sustainable (well: cheaper) successor to the VO 70s, this boat is still cutting edge. Still, there are no rotating masts and no foils. Ocean Race competition is more about technique and „classic“ sailing. And here we are: That´s the main difference between the Ocean Race and the Vendeé Globe, VO 65 is a one design class. The material, for all teams, is exactly the same.
In this, as Yoan Richomme clearly states at the beginning of the movie, it is about the very people who sail. It´s not about the team with the biggest budget and richest sponsor, it´s not about the team able to pay for the best designers and shipyards to have the latest boat technology available: The Ocean Race is a race between sailors. The best instinct, the best trimming, the fastest maneuvers – in short – the best crew will win. I´d say that this is the true magic of the Ocean Race. It´s about people.
Watching a team effort
Whereas it comes down to a single man having to take all decisions, having to bear all the load, the stress and the work, the Vendeé Globe is focused on the seemingly superhuman venture of covering a circumnavigation in race mode all alone. This is the classic tale of a superhero and of course it is the reason why it is so popular: A win shines much brighter and a loss carries a much bigger tragedy this way. On the other hand, on the Vendeé Globe, our „heroes“ are much more otherworldly and fey: It becomes harder and harder to identify with these guys as their efforts are so far away from our own experiences as sailors.
This is different in crewed racing. Everything becomes much more „realistic“ in terms of bing able to identify with these people. There are helmsmen, navigators, bowmen and such. Decisions are still made by the skipper, yes, but there is at least a sharing of responsibilities, a certain conversation and also discussion about what to do and what not. „There is no second“ shows this in a very nice and clever way. By chance, Richomme – a solo sailing specialist, Figaro-class racer, IMOCA-skipper – is put into this situation where he has to select a crew. Train them. Bring them together and motivate them to make the boat go fast.
It is also quite stimulating to see during the the race, how decisions are made on board. And still, how these can turn out to be right and wrong. That´s the beauty of crewed racing: Burdens are shared, work is split and there are interesting social interactions aboard, underneath a layer of an almost military-like command structure. I guess, many more of us can identify with that too: On our leisure boats, sailing with family or friends, we also need to find and form a crew, give directions and orders. But also, make decisions about stuff which turn out to be bad or good ones.
The cliffhanger
In this, „The is no Second“ may look like one more PR-flick created to praise yet another sponsor or brand, but in the context of te ongoing Vendeé Globe hype I found it very interesting to think about these contrasts: Teamwork versus solo-efforts, split burdens as well as shared happines versus self-centered solo-effort. It´s a bit like the old comparison between Formula 1 and Indycar racing, I guess. The latter with almost the same equipment for everyone focuses on the capabilities of the drivers, whereas in F1-racing money seems to be the deciding factor. Just as in IMOCA.
I don´t want to emphasis that the Ocean Race is „better“ or more „pure“ or anything. Both have their unique fascination and are certainly the pinnacle of offshore racing. But for me, personally, somehow the Ocean Race feels „nearer“ or more comprehensible. As it is something I could imagine myself much better as being a part of whereas the stunts done in the Vendeé Globe and IMOCA-solosailing as a whole are indeed from a completely different dimension.
In this, „There is no Second“ is really a nice movie. Although I am sure the makers (and certainly the racing crews) would have preferred to make a full fledged documentary about the „real“ Ocean Race as we know it, but „thanks“ to Covid had to focus on a smaller race instead. Nevertheless, a tight and exciting race with some nice twists and a real cliffhanger. Worth watching.
My overall accessment for “There´s no Second” is a good 6/10 points
Pictures (c) by Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team
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