Louis Burton is a young, French sailor who we’ve supported for many years. He now sails in the IMOCA Class and has had successful Transat Jacques Vabre and Route du Rhum campaigns. His main goal this year is to finish the incredibly challenging race, the Vendée Globe, where he will have to sail single-handed around the world, and without assistance. Recently Louis visited Gill HQ to talk with our product development team, and while he was over we took the time to ask him a few questions on his plans for the upcoming race.

What are the essential areas of preparation for a skipper before the Vendée Globe? In winter my plans are to take time with my partner. But from February to the start date in November, I begin with a lot of physical preparation with our coach, along with medical preparation. For six months, from January to June, there is technical preparation for the boat. And after June, it’s sail, sail, sail…

How much do you rely upon your team before the race and how do they assist you? The team organise all things for me. I just have to go where they tell me! The team prepare the boat, I arrive on the boat and just have to sail. I go to see my sponsors and speak, but all of that is organised by the team. It is a bit like Formula 1 – but cheaper! This just allows me to concentrate on sailing.

How do you train to be in good physical shape for the Vendée Globe You have to increase your strength, and you have to work on your legs especially – because on the boat you don’t work them as much. And if you are in the boat for a long time your muscles and legs can grow weaker. You also have to take big sails in the bags, and move them around the boat, and that requires a lot of stretching exercises. You have to be like a cat! As for food, I don’t have any special diet – not for me! I love to eat good things, so no. Before the Vendée Globe I want to eat what I want.

How do you get your mind ready for the race? The big part of preparation is to develop inner confidence and spend time in a relaxing, Zen-like environment, without too much stress. This can mean making sure we have enough money to pay the team and pay the boat, to try to know after this Vendée Globe we have a future with our partners. This minimises the stress.

But one of the realities is actually to prepare for the after race. After pushing my body for 24 hours a day, when you arrive back on land you can have a very big mental crash. Every time you are pushing physical and mentally, and afterwards it can be incredibly difficult.

In 2012 you were the youngest sailor in the Vendée Globe – what have you learned in those four years to get you ready for 2016?

I have also learned humility. When I started with the Route du Rhum, I felt good. And the year after for me was also very good. When it came to the Vendée Globe [in 2012] 5 days after the start, I crashed and stopped. It is very humbling. And it’s a lesson to learn.