Transat 650
7 Questions Net to : Lucas Schroder
"I want to finish at least in the top 10, but my objective is top 5"
jeudi 30 août 2007 –
Lucas Schroder, 32 yo, from Netherland, did bought a Pogo in 2006 to enter this year in the solo Transat 650. In the serie division, he is going to cross the Atlantic from La Rochelle (France) to Salvador de Bahia (Brazil) and to compete with top sailors such as Francis Lobato, Gerard Marin and lots of french skippers. Mail interview before Lucas joins La Rochelle.
1° Lucas, how did you discover the mini 650 and the Transat 650 ?
– Lucas : It was in 2002 when i was delivering a 56’ yacht to the Acores. A fellow crew member told me about the class. First i thought it was crazy, but it stayed on my mind ever since.
2° Why did you chose to compete on a one-designed mini instead of a prototype ?
– Lucas : Lack of time, money and experience were the reasons. I started my campaign really late. I ordered my boat at Structures (the shipyard builder of the Pogos) at the end of Februari 2006 ! So there was no time at all to start a proto campaign. But if i would have the time, i would still have chosen the one-design mini. I did not know the class, i spoke very little French, i was not at all experienced in off-shore sailing and i am not a experienced in complex boat maintenance and materials. So i already had a lot to learn. Trying to start directly in a proto would be a too big a challenge for the first time. I also think my budget was too small to run a good proto campaign from the Netherlands. Running a campagn from holland involves much more time and money. Finally, i really like the principe of one-design. When everybody has almost the same boat, it’s up to the sailor, not the material, to win. I like sailing like that !
3° what is you sailing and offshore experience before entering the mini circuit ?
– Lucas : I had very little off-shore sailing experience. My main off-shore experience was a place as crew for 3 months on an old 56 foot racing yacht. We sailed it across to the Azores. My main experience is dinghy racing. I started doing club racing with a 20ft catamaran when i was a student. After that i raced for 2 years in a 470, 2 years as crew on a f18 catamaran and one season on a i14. Besides that i did some in-shore yacht racing.
4° Which are your first feelings about this class before entering the Transat 650 ?
– Lucas : I have really fallen in love with the boat and the class ! it is so much fun. The boat is good fun ! It’s almost the perfect combination of the thrill of off-shore sailing and the feeling and adrenaline of high-performance one-design dinghy racing. The big fleets at the start of each race provides for fantastic high level racing. And the atmoshpere at the dock is great. Although there is big rivalery in a race, on shore everyone is willing to help if you have a problem. I find that really special in a sailing fleet of this level !
5° How did you prepare yourself and the boat for the mini ?
– Lucas : Preperation started already in 2006. After qualifiying in 2006, i did an intense training course - done buy Charles Euverte (Yacht-Man.com) and Tanguy Leglatin - of 4 months this winter with 3 other mini’s (Koen, Francisco and Oliver). I am very happy to have Charles as my coach. He helps me manage the project, prepare the boat, sail development and coaches me in preparing for the race, also mentally. This year we also worked on sail development together with Koen van Esch and Xvoiles. Finally we had a very good meteo-course by Jean-Yves Bernot. So i think i have done the most i can. It is now really up to me !
6° Which are your goals in the Transat 650 ?
– Lucas : I want to finish at least in the top 10, but my objective is top 5.
7° And after the Mini ? Do you already have any goals ? (proto, figaro, class 40...)
– Lucas : I have plenty of dreams and idea’s, but for now i am really focussed on the Transat 650. I will let you know when i arrive in Bahia !
Voir en ligne : Lucas web site : www.ocean-challenge.nl
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