Presentation
The virtual sistership to Hugo Boss designed in 2007 by Jean-Marie Finot and Pascal Conq, DCNS was initially destined for Marc Thiercelin, second in the Vendée Globe 1996-1997 behind Christophe Auguin. A sturdy boat built at Multiplast, she’s launched late, at the end of August 2008 and just three months before the start.
Unfortunately, DCNS dismasts on the first night in a Bay of Biscay swept up by more than 50-knot winds. After a lacklustre season in 2009, albeit with a new Trans-Mediterranean record (1 day 9 hours) to her credit, the skipper, accompanied by Christopher Pratt, is forced to retire from the Transat Jacques Vabre due to a keel issue. Characterised by her double cuddy, DCNS is then optimised and made lighter to prepare for Christopher Pratt’s Route du Rhum 2010, finishing 8th. Marc Thiercelin’s next objective is to train up the former world champion skier Luc Alphand with a view to the Transat Jacques Vabre 2011, but energy problems force the duo out of the race.
Transformed for the fiction film ‘En solitaire’, with French actor François Cluzet in the role of skipper, but helmed by Alex Pella, the boat is then bought by Éric Bellion, a sailor who had already rounded Cape Horn with two friends on an eight-metre steel boat by the name of Kifouine. CommeUnSeulHomme finishes 7th in the Transat Jacques Vabre with Briton Sam Goodchild. Very close to retiring from the Vendée Globe 2016-2017 offshore of South Africa, Eric Bellion repairs a dislodged rudder, sets sail again, manages to give his rivals the slip, powers across the Southern Ocean and then finishes 9th and first rookie.
Damien Seguin takes on CommeUnSeulHomme in 2018 for the Route du Rhum (6th), then finishes the Transat Jacques Vabre with Yoann Richomme in a more modest 14th place. On his return, the team follows the advice of Jean Le Cam and decides to completely rebuild the coachroof. Damien Seguin takes the start of his first Vendée Globe in 2020, finishing in 7th position and 1st IMOCA with classic straight daggerboards.
Leased by Tanguy Le Turquais in 2021, the IMOCA will take part in the Guyader Bermuda 1000 Race 2022, then the Vendée Arctique under the colors of Banque Populaire, with Nicolas Lunven at the helm, replacing Clarisse Crémer during her pregnancy. The two-time winner of the Solitaire du Figaro finished a splendid 4th and 10th respectively.
Tanguy Le Turquais, who hopes to take part in the Vendée Globe 2024, supports the Lazare association created in 2010, which organizes and develops shared accommodation between young active volunteers and the homeless. It's a great initiative, and one that deserves to mobilize partners so that the sailor can promote this association around the world.
After a promising 2022 season, Tanguy Le Turquais is more than motivated for 2023. In November, after a delayed start due to a storm, Tanguy and Félix hit a UFO just a few hours after leaving Le Havre. Forced to make a stopover in Lorient, the two sailors set off again six days later, aiming to be in Martinique before the line closed. And they arrived in Fort-de-France... 8 hours before the line closed! The skipper of Lazare did not stop in his exploits, as he set sail again just 10 hours later for the Return to Base, which he finished in 20th place. On arriving at the pontoon in Lorient, having sailed brilliantly up the fleet, he exclaimed: "We've proved that we can win without finishing first!
