Let the French do the talk: “C’est le Lobato show”…
The portuguese sailor is leading the Mini-Transat: La Charente-Maritime, France -> Bahia, Brazil.
The Pogo 2 Roof/TMN, which I am co-sponsoring, is flying at such a pace that even the prototypes are behind him (prototype boats are all-carbon and have many innovation elements that make them clearly superior to Series boats).
I’m freaking proud about having my name on that boat and about that guy: the race only started last weekend but unless bad luck strikes Francisco is there for a fight.
I hope they have some time to enjoy the tons of dolphins that love to stop by in that region (West coast of Spain, south of Finistere). I was there about a month ago, in a trip from the UK to Portugal, and those little fellows are just amazing to watch.
First seen at Yachtsponsorship.
Still fan of the underdogs nonetheless, they just don’t have the budget for this hollywood kind-of production 
Start of the Trophée Marie-Agnès Péron
2 days and 200 miles of non-stop solo sailing along the shores of France. This is one of the first trials that will lead 84 sailors to compete in the MiniTransat, which starts September 13.
The transat is the main even of this class: One guy in a 6,5m boat (that’s small!!!), crossing the Atlantic ocean from France (La Charente-Maritime) to Brazil (Bahia). Almost a month at sea alone to go trough 4200 nautical miles (7800km!), trough a short stop in Madeira (Portugal).
Solo sailors are a class of their own. These sailors are some kind of special blend of unique focus and motivation, self-driven and somewhat sense of misterious loneliness. They go trough sleepless nights because they cant leave the boat alone for too much time, because they are in a fight. They sometimes give away to stress and cry or alucinate due to sleep deprivation.
I’m betting on the Portuguese Francisco Lobato. I’ve joined his recent request for funding before he gathered some cool sponsoring. What he did in the previous Transat and ever since make him candidate to first place and of course my favorite..
The boat
That’s the one i would looove to have. PERIOD! My favourite because it’s sexy, it’s fast and it represents what solo is all about… I love it…. Stuff may happen meanwhile and other cool choices are around; meanwhile, it’s all about counting pennies and day-dreaming!
Mike Golding (Ecover) aerial shorts - Wild and wet
Saturday: 16:00. Working on Online Marketing and Activation for a big pitch. I am now thinking and end up looking at my laptop’s desktop: this image is there since before the Vendee Globe started. I look at my window: it is sunny weather outside, with some low but fast running clouds. I heard some planes at low altitude while flying toward the approaching route to the airport (they go toward Sweden first on the other side of the Øresund). In Østerbo, I hear them all the time when there is some low clouds and wind from NW/W.
I shouldn’t be here today: Windguru says it’s 10-15 nots and the water is 600m away…
The picture
One of my favorites. I usually dont have background pictures, but this time i did… and for a long time. The picture is all about:
- Sailing
- Doing it against (and at the same time in complete harmony with) the elements
- About one man and one boat, completely dependent of each other and on themselves only
- …And about sailing at 30 nots, wet… very wet!!!
Is this what is sailing all about? (
The sailor
Mike Golding is one of my favorite sailors, (if not THE favourite). I would love to meet this guy one day. For me this guy IS solo sailing, self-sufficiency, coolness in tough contexts, and Seamanship at it best.
Still have in my mind when he made the Velux 5 Oceans and was one of the few handling force 10 weather at sea in the Gulf of Biscay, when others went to Port (second at the time behind Bernard Stamm) only to reach the Souther Ocean and divert to reach and rescue Alex Thompson, after which he had to quit probably due to the heavy beating while trying to reach him upwind in tough weather. Also, his recent dismasting during the Vendee, when leading the race…
I would love to meet the guy one day… will add it to the “People and stuff i Admire” section for now…
Now… back to work, it’s time to win that pitch
Note: Image rights belong to Mike golding’s site (even if i couldnt find anything mentioning rights of use). I hope you don’t mind the inclusion Mike..
The Volvo Ocean Race, is proving one more time the value of underdogs.
With lower budgets, low profiles, lower expectations and attention they do have more fun and with that attract broader audiences effortlessly. Like viral, fun works when it’s natural, spontaneuous and unique…
Ericsson 3 is the second team, full of Nordics. They share their fun fun on odd situations frequently. Their “old” skypper Magnus Holson leads the way, the guy is just freaking hilarious.
Same happened in the Vendee Globe. No sail enthusiast can ignore a non-stop, singlehanded race around the world. Now put on top of this a hot girl that keeps having fun (Sam Davies) or Steve White, a guy that placed several mortgages on his house to be able to race (AND finish). These guys are unique.
Sailing and New media: Ridiculous use of the Web, with such an wasted opportunity when introducing extensive coverage onboard. Videos cannot be embeded for instance… Web 2.0 slang is getting too used up, but some basics still apply my friends… Puma is a good example here. Mr VOR, call me
A final note to remember Hans Horrevoets, who die at Sea in the last edition of the race during the same leg across the North Atlantic. It was impressive to follow , both from an human and also from a team perspective. No sailor can ignore situations like those.
One man, one boat around the world…
First hours of race…
force 10 storm in the Gulf of Biscay…
boat breaking conditions send 1/2 of the fleet back to port… a few made it trough without blinking…
Sweeeet!!
