Wavre, the insatiable

The laughing eyes of Dominique Wavre behind his roundtheworld glasses have been part and parcel of the Vendée Globe for the past four editions. The skipper of Mirabaud crossed the finish line in Les Sables d’Olonne last Friday at 1516 GMT. Mister Wavre secured seventh place in the Vendée Globe, behind Jean le Cam and Mike Golding, the other two members of the club that he himself christened the ‘Tontons Flingueurs’ (Crooks in Clover).

This bit of humour, derived from Michel Audiard (a French screenwriter and film producer), fondly highlights a steely passion for the sea and offshore racing, for which he himself is one of the ambassadors. Still, it should also be highlighted that at 57 years of age, Dominique has just completed his tenth circumnavigation of the globe!

Even when the boat is hammering along, even when he’s in the thick of things and the event seems interminable, the Swiss accent resonates with an unbroken love that will never tire. As someone who has long defended the interests of the IMOCA Class as President and administrator, he perfectly illustrates the magic of this circuit, which mingles fates, compares profiles and brings the generations together.

Thanks Dom’ and hats off to you!