JUSTINE METTRAUX – “We’re going to increase our ambitions.”

IMOCA

Now with a budget and a future TeamWork-Team Snef, the Swiss yachtswoman wants to launch herself headlong into the battle for the Vendée Globe 2028.

Has becoming the fastest woman in the Vendée Globe changed your daily life as a sailor?

Not fundamentally, no. My day-to-day life remains pretty much the same, but it’s true that I’m more in demand. Above all, it has given me a form of recognition and strengthened my legitimacy, which makes it easier to build this new project.

In 2024, your goal was above all to finish the race. What will your position be for the Vendée Globe 2028?

I remain faithful to my way of working, which is more important to me than the sporting objective per se. But with greater resources, you’re bound to have the right to aim higher. We’re going to increase our ambitions. That said, the level of competition continues to rise: new boats, very good skippers… the battle promises to be tough.

Your future IMOCA, designed by Guillaume Verdier and built by CDK, is due to be launched in 2027. What will it look like?

I’m not necessarily going to revolutionize naval architecture. Everyone is looking for versatility. This boat will go well in the sea, with good ergonomics to compensate for the shocks associated with speed.

Unlike many, your new boat will be a one-off, with no sisterships. What’s the point of a completely bespoke design?

Yes, it’s a real luxury to have a bespoke design, totally adapted to my needs. This allows us to incorporate the latest innovations and to seek performance at every level. The decision not to pool the construction also stemmed from a schedule constraint: we wanted to control the timing of the project from start to finish.

You’re going to sell your old boat. Is it difficult to part with it?

We’re not there yet. I’ll be racing this boat for the rest of the 2025 season. So I’ve got plenty of time to prepare for the separation. Of course, the moment when we really hand over the keys, after four years of sailing, will be an important step, for me and for the team. I hope it will be in good hands again.

The IMOCA boats are gaining in power. The Vendée Globe is becoming increasingly violent for the skippers. Do we have to sacrifice everything for speed?

We’ll always try to have the best-performing boat possible. That’s the basis. After that, you have to know how to measure up. We make compromises according to the state of the sea, the equipment and the pace we can maintain over time… but the aim remains to sail fast. That’s the game.

This autumn, you’ll be setting sail on the Transat Café L’Or with Xavier Macaire. How is the partnership going?

Xavier has a little less IMOCA experience than I do. On the other hand, he’s an experienced sailor who’s been through all the other circuits. Once he’s learned the boat, he’ll be able to give it his all very quickly and express himself fully. I’m very confident.

And this summer, you’re sailing with Team Malizia, in The Ocean Race Europe, with Boris Herrmann…

Yes, it was planned even before the Vendée Globe. The idea is to sail with a crew, on another boat, and to continue learning in a different context. Every experience counts, especially in IMOCA racing.

You also won the ArMen Race with Armel Le Cléac’h’s Banque Populaire. What was the aim of this foray into Maxi Multihull racing?

I’ve always said I was interested in this circuit. Banque Populaire invited me on the boat. It was great to be able to sail with a crew on a machine that’s very different from what I’m used to. It may be an isolated experience, or it may be repeated, but I don’t have any projects in mind on this type of boat.

Your financial partners have renewed their support, even beyond what we dared to imagine… Some are talking about a budget of 11 to 12 million. How do you explain this miracle?

It was really a discussion between the different partners. Everyone wanted to get going again, and we found ways of doing it together. It’s the fruit of a relationship of trust and a real shared desire.

There’s also a substantial operating budget. How does TeamWork-Team Snef work?

First, we define an overall budget for the entire Vendée Globe campaign. Each year is budgeted. The partners commit to the total and to the annual amounts. We have to respect this envelope. You’ve often campaigned for greater equality in sailing.

What do you think of the Athena Pathway program initiated by Hannah Mills and Ben Ainslie?

This project was born with the aim of performing at the Women’s America’s Cup with dedicated resources. It wasn’t just a means to an end, as we’ve seen with other teams. If the AC40 program had continued, it could have enabled a Swiss women’s team to train on this type of boat, with adequate funding. Creating women’s teams gives women access to all positions on the boat, so they can then join the main event teams.