OBR, Welcome on board!
15 men and 5 women will run the 48 Hours this Thursday and will experience the Azimut-Lorient Agglomération Challenge from the inside. A separate role which makes this event very specific, which brought together these media(wo)men for a briefing this morning to remind them of the rules and give them some valuable instructions before joining the IMOCAs.
Four questions to Tanguy Conq, used to this exercice, who will accompany Justine Mettraux aboard this year for TeamWork Team SNEF.
What is the role of an OBR?
OBR stands for On Board Reporter. It's someone who's on board, but who's not there to perform, but to report what's happening on board by various means: photo, video or text, and send it all onshore. It's a special feature of the Azimut Challenge to bring together so many mediamen and mediawomen and make them an anchor point for the race.
I started out in 2019, with a strong duo in Jean Le Cam and Nicolas Troussel, and I was immediately hooked. It was a bit of a shock, though, because it was so committed!
What are the rules for carrying out this mission?
“They're pretty clear. We're not allowed to help with performance. So we can't touch the ends. But we do have the right to be on the lookout, and that's a smart thing to do in view of the major deadline that's looming. But if there's no immediate danger, you don't wake up the skipper because the wind is weakening, or you have to change the sail, or do anything that might help them gain miles on their rivals. But we can take part in life on board, like making a little coffee during the night watches.”
And in the event of a crisis?
“Obviously, the rules change. Last year, I experienced a dismasting in rather rough conditions. The situation turns upside down. You're part of the crew, and the human element takes over again to help make the situation safe.”
And in terms of weather, what kind of race are you expecting?
“A good downwind port to head down towards the Gironde. A nice tailwind that will allow us to make some nice images. But it's not going to be too much of a war, and it'll be a bit softer on the way back up. And I don't think the situation will displease any of the technical directors approaching the Vendée Globe.
That's what the Azimut Challenge is all about: seeing performers divided on the inside between the desire to do well and the anxiety of encountering damage or a problem that would compromise the rest of their program”.