The navigator explained in early February on her social networks that she had not been kept by the shipowner, in particular because of her maternity. The group finally decided to withdraw from the 2024 edition.
The winds were too contrary for Banque Populaire to stay the course. This Friday, the sponsor announces that it is renouncing to participate in the 2024 edition of the Vendée Globe, this solo and non-stop round the world race, nicknamed the Everest of the seas, which will set off from Les Sables d’Olonne on November 10, 2024.
The epilogue of a controversy born in early February, when the 33-year-old sailor Clarisse Crémer, twelfth in the last edition of the Vendée Globe, explained that she had not been kept to represent the shipowner. A decision which was, according to her, largely linked to her motherhood, Clarisse Crémer having given birth to a girl in November 2022.
In its press release, Banque Populaire explains that “the conditions are no longer met to be able to calmly approach the Vendée Globe”ensuring “to regret)” et “understands (re)emotion […] aroused in the public”. “Banque Populaire will actively pursue its involvement in work that helps to advance the place of women in sport and in particular in ocean racing”continues the group while “reaffirms (ing) its commitment to sailing”.
In a post on Instagram, Clarisse Crémer explained on February 2 the reasons given by the shipowner for not keeping her: “The Vendée Globe rules for the 2024 edition impose competition on all skippers based on the number of miles covered in the race. On this criterion, of course, I fell behind the other competitors at the start, this maternity having prevented me from being present in the qualifying races for a year. […] Today Banque Populaire decides that this represents a “risk” for them that they ultimately do not want to run.
Strong mobilization on social networks
To justify its decision, Banque Populaire had invoked the changes to the regulations of the event: skippers who do not have a new boat, as was the case of Clarisse Crémer, are obliged to participate in a certain number of qualifying races until the departure and to accumulate the miles to decide between them, in the case where the number of candidates exceeds forty. The president of the Vendée Globe Alain Leboeuf had criticized a decision “rushed” of the Banque Populaire team.
On social networks, many sportswomen had given their support to Clarisse Crémer, such as judoka Clarisse Agbégnénou, disc thrower Mélina Robert-Michon or navigator Camille Lecointre. The Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castéra had explained that she was discussing with the organizers of the event, considering that “Clarisse’s chances (of participating) are not extinguished”. It now seems more compromised than ever.