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The Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre is the next stage of an ambition which is inspired by the voyages of Ellen MacArthur. Jacky’s successes so far are all the more remarkable as he lost his left arm at the age of 12 in an fireworks accident.
Looking to raise his standards and fast track his solo skills offshore, he has tempted 62 year old British racer Mike Golding back to ocean racing some ten years since he last raced in IMOCA. Golding who started out training crew for the British Steel Challenge round the world races, will accompany Xu on what will be the five times Vendée Globe ace’s ninth Transat Jacques Vabre. TO
Jacky was born into a modest Chinese farming family in the hills above Qingdao. He was expected to take over the family business but his incapacity means this is not possible. Given the choice to pursue a Paralympic sport from sailing, cycling and running, and even though he had never seen the sea or even a boat, he chose sailing.
In 2008, with two teammates, he finished 10th out of 14 in Sonar Class during a Paralympic regatta in Qingdao. At that time Xu was reading about the adventures of Ellen MacArthur and that is where this dream was seeded.
So Jacky what has happened since the Route du Rhum?
That was an incredible experience as it was my first chance to sail the IMOCA solo. But the last year has been very hard work but we made good progress and you can see the team is much more relaxed compared to last year. We have a new sponsor but it was hard to get one.. Finding money is never easy but now we have a better budget to do next year. The conditions for the team are a lot better now and we have the budget to update some new sails. All the rigging now is new and I have four new sails. Hopefully the sponsor will give us more as we get towards the Vendée Globe.
And the following at home in China has grown, there is an interest in ocean racing?
Last year after the Route du Rhum I visited more than 20 cities in China and from last year and so many more people now follow the Vendée Globe, the Transat Jacques Vabre and all the races. And more and more young Chinese people are following now. There are a dozen probably doing their own projects of some kind, all started, Minis and so. We will see them next year. I think it is inspired by what I have done. My experiences show it is all possible and the Mini is a good training place.
You are based in Port la Foret, Brittany all the time now? Have you managed much sailing?
I have been working on the boat the whole year, all the time in Port La Foret I am on the boat every single day looking after it. I am never away from it. I don’t go sailing a lot but the boat is perfect. When Mike visited it for the first time he was surprised it was in such good condition and I think that made him a bit more confident to sail with me.
What are your hopes for this race?
The first thing is to get to the finish. We need miles for the ticket to enter the Vendée Globe. Now we are 38th on the ranking for the 40 places and so we have to do everything. The first time we sailed together was on the qualification and so we don’t have a lot of time on the boat together at all. There are no big problems but we need to find the best way together as it is a bit like two solo sailors at the moment. It’s OK.
And how do the different cultures mix, what is the dynamic and how is the communication between you working?
The biggest problem is the language. My English is not so good and Mike has no Chinese. Sometimes we try hard to understand things, but generally things to do with the boat are OK. We seem to understand.
And who will do the routing, the weather strategy?
Mike will likely do most of the routing, he has done it so much before, he knows the route so well and he knows these boats. I will look after the boat and its maintenance. And really the language is not so, so bad because we both speak a simple English language and Mike speaks in a simple, direct way anyway. But sometimes where there is confusion it can get worse and worse, but we find a way. But we love each other and it will be fine. Mike is really humorous and he likes spicy Chinese food whereas I don’t like Mike’s powdered stuff!
So Mike you have only done the qualifying passage for a few days, how is with the two of you, it can’t be easy?
MG: Jackie really is his own man who has achieved so much on his own it is incredible, looking at where he has come from that requires a very strong will and self reliance. But this is not easy. It is a vey tough thing to do. But I guess with the experience I have with Challenge Business that leaves me open minded. I think he will be fine, I think he would get round (a Vendée Globe) but that might only be limited by how much he embraces my input. He has a hard time. He comes from such a very different background to mine or indeed anyone in this IMOCA world. His life has been tough and he has fought to follow his own path. We all say he is on rails and can’t be turned but he will. That single mindedness is what has got him to this point. And so for him now to relinquish a measure of control, is, I appreciate, quite hard. We will work it out, I am sure.
And what do you hope to achieve on this race together, how will you impart your experiences?
Jacky has done the Route du Rhum which really proved he can get from A to B but the question is wanting to race and be competitive. We have to complete this race and not just do it. And any small problem can become a big problem for his campaign. He is the world’s best preparateur. He can do anything, absolutely anything. He is incredible. I would have him ion any team. The quality of the preparation is second to none. It maybe looks a little rough around the edges but the reality is that is all it is. When you dig down everything is there and everything works. There are a few little things I have been able to improve.
I have been coaching in Class40 very successfully and so there is a difference here. It is not easy with the language, we are struggling at times. But I knew it was not going to be straightforwards and it’s not. But straightforward is boring. And his story is incredible and that motivates me, I just wanted to be here and see how he does stuff and he is incredible. I am in admiration, admiration for where he has come from, admiration for what he can do now on the boat and he can’t be stopped. A race like this will be interesting to see how he operates when he is properly tired. This is my ninth Transat Jacques Vabre and I have always got on with my co-skippers and it has worked out.
And you will do the routing and strategy?
I will be doing the navigation and that we have decided, with the caveat we discuss it and he has the say if there is anything dangerous. And we won’t be doing dangerous. He wants to learn as much as possible this race. But I am having to catch up too, there are a few software updates and so on.
