Route du Rhum: “It’s so brutal, I was afraid”, Thomas Coville in shock upon learning of the capsize of Armel Le Cléac’h

“I'm searching for my words because I just heard the news about Armel just before and it caught my throat,” on the line during a session on Wednesday, Thomas Coville does not hide his emotion, his voice trembling. The skipper of Sodebo at the helm of his giant Ultim class trimaran was informed of the capsize of Armel Le Cléac'h during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday.

“It’s so brutal”

The 58-year-old sailor was very touched by the news. “When you're on board a boat like us, we have all our senses alert, we're on edge, we're trying to feel everything... And when external news like that comes, it's so brutal. It's not violence but I feel like it was for me. I was scared,” he added before continuing about the man nicknamed the “Jackal” who was rescued by a Panamanian cargo ship: “He’s a guy who teaches me all the time and who has dominated our class for several years. I couldn’t contain my emotion.”

“It’s not the postcard we’re used to getting from the West Indies”

Thomas Coville, who occupies third place in his category this Thursday, spoke of the unstable conditions experienced by the competitors in the fleet since the start of the race on Sunday in Saint-Malo. “I imagine it was when we passed the front up there, we knew it was going to be violent and difficult and very brutal and alone it’s really super difficult sequences to manage. I live the scene, it’s super hot. We are in the north or west of the Azores, these are wild places. This is not the trade wind system. It’s not the postcard we usually get when we go to the West Indies.”