At 52, the Canadian is continuing his discovery of ocean racing. The man who dreams of taking part in the Vendée Globe is about to embark on his first Transat Jacques Vabre, between Le Havre and Martinique. With just a handful of days to go before the start, he talks about his preparation and motivation.

In the last week he has discovered Le Havre and the Normandy weather, the city rebuilt after the war and the capital of ocean racing. Nearly a hundred competitors – including 40 IMOCA boats – have gathered to compete in the Transat Jacques Vabre, which is scheduled to start this Sunday. Among them, the ‘Be Water Positive’ duo: Canadian, Scott Shawyer,  and Australian Nick Moloney.  Scott who aspires to be the first Canadian to complete the the Vendée Globe in the 2028 edition, is continuing his express apprenticeship in ocean racing and tackling head on the demands of the open sea. The atmosphere here in Le Havre is really great,” says Scott. “The other skippers are very welcoming, which gives you energy! “

“Ready to go” 

As the start of the Transat Jacques Vabre approaches, he’s not hiding a touch of apprehension. “It’s a bit stressful, I feel like there’s so much to do but we have a great team here preparing the boat” he explains. Having joined forces with Alex Thomson Racing he is benefiting from the organisation’s expertise. “The preparations are going well” and Scott says he feels “ready to go physically, mentally and technically”.  Scott and Nick are now studying the developing weather conditions in detail, which “will determine a lot at the start of the race”.