Vendée Globe: “Our discussions are part of the intimacy of a couple (…), there has never been a desire to break a rule”, defends Clarisse Crémer

Clarisse Cremer sur son bateau Banque Populaire aux Sables d'Olonne. Ici avec son mari Tanguy Le Turquais MAXPPP – Jérôme Fouquet

Le couple Crémer-Le Turquais dément toute triche sur le Vendée Globe.

"Nous n'avons jamais triché". The sailing couple Clarisse Crémer and Tanguy Le Turquais strongly denied on Thursday having violated the rules for assisting skippers during the last Vendée Globe (2020-2021).

Last Sunday, an anonymous email was sent to the French Sailing Federation (FFVoile) to accuse Le Turquais, who remained on land during the event, of having benefited Create a routing (advice on trajectory choices), which is strictly prohibited by the regulations of this solo monohull round-the-world sailing race.

An international jury will judge the case

An international jury was constituted to hear the case. "We never cheated", the sailors wrote on their social networks on Thursday, "nor ever had any desire to break a rule during this 87-day world tour". "During our exchanges which essentially concern the intimacy of a couple, Tanguy never gives me the slightest information that I don'already have' quot;, assures Crémer, who finished 12th, on the sailboat "Banque Populaire".

"No conversation with him contributed to me changing course or making a strategic choice that would have had an impact on my race. I have always made all my performance choices alone and without assistance, in accordance with the rules."

Anonymous accusations three years after the facts

The anonymous accusation is based on screenshots of WhatsApp conversations during the race. "Three years after the end of the Vendée Globe, we can only wonder about the motivations and timing of this anonymous disclosure and we reserve the right to file a complaint if necessary", adds the couple.

The two skippers are currently candidates for the next Vendée Globe, which will start in November from Les Sables d'Olonne. Forty-four boats are pre-registered, but only 40 will be admitted to the start. Four will therefore be eliminated, based on their performances.