Clarisse Cremer. FRED TANNEAU / AFP
In the turmoil after the eviction of the navigator for reason, among other things, of her maternity, the group prefers to give up participating in the 2024 edition.
Thunderbolt in the world of French sailing. Banque Populaire, a major sponsor of ocean racing for more than three decades in various categories, announced on Friday that it was giving up participating in the 2024 edition of the Vendee Globe after the eviction of the navigator Clarisse Crémer because of her maternity. This shelving had sparked a lively controversy in February.
«Banque Populaire considers today that the conditions are no longer met to be able to approach the Vendée Globe calmly and announces its withdrawal from the 2024 edition. Banque Populaire regrets the current situation and understands the emotion it has aroused among the public“, indicates the group in its press release.
«Banque Populaire will actively pursue its involvement in work to advance the place of women in sport, particularly in ocean racing.“, Continues the press release in which Banque Populaire “reaffirms its commitment to sailing».
Banque Populaire singled out
On February 2, Clarisse Crémer, who gave birth to a daughter in November 2022, announced on her social networks that she would not, as initially planned, be at the helm of “Banque Populaire” for the next edition of the Vendée Globe. , a solo, non-stop round-the-world trip, nicknamed the Everest of the seas, which will set off from Les Sables d’Olonne on November 10, 2024.
«The Vendée Globe rules for the 2024 edition require all skippers to compete 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.“, she had explained.
«Today Banque Populaire decides that this represents a risk for them that they ultimately do not want to run“, continued Crémer who had finished 12th and first woman of the last edition of the Vendée Globe.
Earn miles
To justify its decision, Banque Populaire had invoked the changes in the regulations of the event: skippers who do not have a new boat, as would have been the case of Clarisse Crémer, are obliged to participate in a certain number of races qualifiers until the start and to accumulate the miles to decide between them, if the number of candidates exceeds forty. The president of the Vendée Globe Alain Leboeuf had criticized a decision “hastyfrom Team Banque Populaire.
On social networks, many sportswomen had given their support to Clarisse Crémer, such as judoka Clarisse Agbégnénou, discus thrower Mélina Robert-Michon or navigator Camille Lecointre, while Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra explained that she discussed with the organizers of the event, believing that “Clarisse’s chances (of participating, editor’s note) are not extinguished».