Engineering student Violette Dorange, 23, will be the youngest skipper in the history of the legendary solo round-the-world sailing race, the Vendée Globe. We met her two days before the big start.
On Sunday, November 10, Violette Dorange will set off on the Vendée Globe aboard her boat, « Hubert, » among the top 3 best-drifter boats in the Imoca class.
At just 23, the young skipper, also an engineering student at INSA Rennes, will embark on a three-month solo, non-stop, and unsupported journey around the world. »This is a project we’ve been preparing for four years, » says Violette. « The first challenge was finding the funding, assembling a team, and then all the physical preparation, navigation, and mental preparation. I even learned repair techniques on board, composites, sails. You need to be a bit of a multitasker.
« The most important moment of my life » Violette has embraced this versatility since a young age. Originally from Rochefort (17), she started sailing at the age of 7. She quickly developed a passion for the sport, winning her first bronze medal at the Junior World Championships in 2016. Three years later, she became the youngest sailor to complete the Mini-Transat (16th place). At 23, she has already completed four transatlantic crossings, three of which were solo, and is about to become the youngest skipper in the history of the Vendée Globe.
« I’ve always loved the adventure aspect. I love being alone at sea. I feel a sense of freedom, being able to control the boat, moving it using just my arms and the maneuvers. The Vendée Globe is my first race of this magnitude. It’s going to be the most important moment of my life.
At engineering school, we learn how to learn.
To achieve her childhood dream, Violette was able to follow a customized path as a high-level athlete. After spreading her first two years of integrated preparatory courses over four years, the engineering student, specializing in physical engineering and materials, has now taken a gap year.
I validate my studies bit by bit, » she admits. « At engineering school, we learn how to learn. It provides a comprehensive view and a logical mindset. This helps me a lot in my sailing practice, especially in understanding how the autopilot works. I’m lucky to work with mechanics for the technical side, and it enriches me tremendously. It’s also incredibly interesting to work on the communication aspect.
Committed to Helping Young People in Need
Violette is also a sponsor for the Apprentis d’Auteuil foundation since 2020, and she will proudly represent the foundation throughout the race, volunteering her time. Through meetings at the foundation’s institutions, onboard her boat, correspondence with students, and tutoring unaccompanied minors, Violette has built a strong bond with the young people and families the foundation supports.
When it’s younger children, I talk to them about the sea, the ocean, and it makes them dream. When they’re a bit older, we talk about sports, projects, and the professions related to it. I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t been given a chance. I want them, in turn, to believe in themselves and in their future.
Source: letudiant
