Laure Gallay – Kevin Bloch: “we will be very complementary”

WORDS FROM A DUO. Watch out, outsiders ahead! Laure Gallay continues her relentless progression in the Figaro, having recently shone in the Solo Guy Cotten. For her second transatlantic race, the first in the Figaro, the sailor supported by DMG-Mori has decided to partner with her coach, Kevin Bloch. A well-known face on the pontoons, he is experienced in both the Figaro and the Class40. Together, they form a duo that works well together and is aiming for a place of honor. Laure spoke about her project and her ambitions.

This is your second season in the Figaro. Was competing in the Transat Paprec a logical next step?

Laure: Yes, absolutely. I've already competed in a transatlantic race in a Mini. I'd suffered a bit of equipment damage, so I wanted to do it again fairly quickly. The Transat Paprec was the perfect opportunity, especially since it's a championship race: everything was in place to participate.

What did sailing the Mini give you in preparation for your apprenticeship in the Figaro?

It gave me a lot of experience in single-handed sailing, especially having already spent nights at sea. What's very different in the Figaro is the one-design, whereas in the Mini, I was in a prototype. The level is also very high. But I'm quite relaxed on the boat; they're tried and tested, solid, and thanks to the Mini, I'm quite handy. I know that if there's a problem on the boat during the transatlantic race, it won't be a problem!

You'll be partnering with Kevin. Was the fact that he's a coach a real plus in your decision to partner with him?

Learning every morning and telling myself that I'm going to improve is what gets me up in the morning. Kevin coached me last year during my first season in Figaro. I really liked his way of doing things, his approach, his way of helping me think in order to improve. He doesn't just help me find the right solutions but also helps me ask myself the right questions. Now we're going to continue together, it's great. He has a lot of experience, you're starting to get some too...

"I'm really happy that he agreed to take on this challenge with me."

Is it a good mix to be successful?

There are undoubtedly duos who have more experience than us. Kevin also went through the Mini, he did the Figaro, sailed on very different boats. And I too am starting to have a little more. And then humanly, we get along well, that's what matters. I know we will be very complementary in the race.

Is there an idea of being very bold or conservative ?

We discussed the objectives together and we will stick to them. We don't forbid ourselves from not following the fleet, from making different choices. We haven't said we wanted to do it, but if we think it can pay off, we will.

Do you feel ready to spend about twenty days at sea together ?

Yes, that was definitely a top criterion when choosing my co-skipper. When you spend 18 days at sea, alone together, it can be a long time if you don't get along very well. That's not the case for us, I know we get along well. We've already done an offshore race together, we've spent time at sea, and everything went very well. I'm really happy that he agreed to take on this challenge with me.