Bonnegueule becomes the official on-land outfitter of the SVR-Lazartigue trimaran
We are proud to support the SVR-Lazartigue trimaran crew as official outfitters for the Transat Café L'Or (formerly Transat Jacques Vabre).
To support the team, we logotyped several pieces from our current wardrobe, without any specific production, in an eco-responsible approach.
We were also lucky enough to meet skipper Tom Laperche, who took part in an exclusive interview. In it, he talks about his career, his daily life as a sailor... and even a little about his clothes!
The departure is approaching: see you in Le Havre on October 26 to cheer on our favorite team and experience this great adventure together!
The crew's changing room
Why become a shore-based equipment supplier? And why the SVR-Lazartigue trimaran?
This is a first in the history of Bonnegueule: we've never before associated our brand with a sporting project.
When the SVR Lazartigue trimaran's teams proposed this partnership, we didn't hesitate for long.
Firstly, because we believe it is the most beautiful trimaran in the Ultim class. A symbol of excellence, and proof that performance and aesthetics are not incompatible. This kind of balance speaks to us!
But also for the values espoused by the skippers and by the KRESK Group, and its brands SVR, Lazartigue and the KRESK4OCEANS endowment fund.
Resilience, the quest for performance, team spirit and respect for the environment.
More than a sporting partnership, it's a natural encounter between two demanding worlds, driven by a shared ambition: to prove that technicality and aesthetics can move forward together.
We were lucky enough to meet Tom Laperche between two training sessions in Concarneau. We'd like to thank him and the whole MerConcept team for their warm welcome.
Interview with Tom Laperche, skipper of the SVR-Lazartigue trimaran
Bonnegueule: Tom, can you start by introducing yourself?
Tom: I'm Tom Laperche, skipper of the SVR-Lazartigue trimaran. Today, we're in Concarneau, two weeks away from the start of the Transat Café L'Or. It's an important stage in our season, and our big goal of the year, the 24H Ultim race, and next year the Route du Rhum, with this great trimaran we've been developing for several years.
I'm 28 and I'm originally from Brittany, near the Gulf of Morbihan, near Quiberon Bay, La Trinité-sur-Mer.
"It was between the ages of 20 and 25 that I really learned to push my limits, to deal with sleep deprivation, competition and fatigue."
Bonnegueule: How does one become skipper of a trimaran like this?
Tom: I started sailing in Trinité-sur-Mer, when I was about 7 or 8. In the beginning, you train and sail with your little Optimist, and you soon feel the responsibility of having your own boat, and the freedom of being able to go wherever you want. It's fascinating to be in contact with the sea, the wind and nature.
The first competitions, the first regattas, were daytime outings, with you spending an afternoon on the water. Then the boats get bigger, the formats change. In sailing, there are two main paths:
- the Olympic route, with short regattas where you go ashore to sleep in the evening,
- and that of ocean racing, which has always attracted me: spending the night at sea, going further, seeking adventure, with a deeper personal commitment.
That's the path I've chosen. I started young, at around 15-18 years of age, first on crewed races, then solo on the Solitaire du Figaro. It was between the ages of 20 and 25 that I really learned to push my limits, to deal with sleep deprivation, competition and fatigue.
Since then, I've spent a lot of time at sea. These days, I spend a good quarter of the year at sea.
"At sea, you sleep in twenty-minute shifts".
Bonnegueule: Precisely, how do you sleep? Do you sleep when you can?
Tom : Exactly. In racing, it all depends on the format.
When you're with a crew, you take turns every two or three hours, and it's a bit easier to fall asleep, surrounded by people you trust.
Double-handed, as will be the case with Franck (Cammas) in 2025, we work a bit like two solo sailors: taking turns, depending on the conditions.
And true sleep management is for solo sailors.
On these big boats, the adrenalin is constant. You have to anticipate maneuvers and always be a step ahead. As soon as there's a good moment to sleep, you have to take it.
Over a 24-hour period, we try to sleep for about 5 to 7 hours, but in short naps of 20 to 30 minutes. You can take one nap after another, but you have to stay alert, watching what's going on around the boat, and whether the wind has shifted.
What's quite stimulating about this exercise is that you rediscover things within yourself: even when you're asleep, you can feel if the boat is accelerating or if the wind is turning, and these sensations are multiplied tenfold and speak to us.
Bonnegueule: What about hygiene and clothing?
Tom: (laughs) It's more "wipe" than "hot shower under pressure". Sometimes we use a little fresh water, sometimes a few liters to clean ourselves, but that's it. That's another thing about sailing: you learn to live with limited resources - water, energy, food. And it's great to learn how to manage that: your energy, your water, your food.
We desalinate sea water with a small pump, so we have what we need to drink, but not to wash often.
You also have to remember that, apart from our perspiration, the sea is hyper-clean: the air couldn't be purer, there's no pollution, so in the end, it's fine.
Bonnegueule: And what about eating? Do you have any favorite foods that you like to take with you?
Tom: Yes, I'm a big fan of chocolate, I eat a chocolate bar a day... I'm exaggerating, every 2 days. As for the rest, it's a lot of freeze-dried stuff - powdered dishes that you rehydrate with hot water.
It's not great gastronomy, but it's come a long way in the last 20 years! The advantage is that it's light and practical. There are also ready-to-use sauce dishes, which you just have to reheat. What we lack most is fresh produce: fruit, vegetables... we don't have a fridge. We pack a little for the first three days, but that's it. On arrival, it's always the fresh fruit that's lacking the most.
Bonnegueule: What do you miss most when you're at sea?
Tom : Of course, family and friends. But we make sure we don't miss much. For me, going away for a few dozen days is like a parenthesis. You get away from everyday life on Earth. We love it, but we can't wait to get back. Life on land is beautiful too.
Bonnegueule: And when you're not at sea, what are your days like? What does your job involve?
Tom: There are several aspects:
- racing days or training on the water,
- technical days, to develop the boat, test equipment and work with experts.
Every year, there's also at least 3 months of work on the boat, when it's completely dismantled and inspected. I take part in these phases, working with the design office, to contribute ideas and help the boat evolve, improve performance and develop new parts. It's all about teamwork and prioritizing, just like at sea: knowing where to put your energy, what will really make the boat progress.
Bonnegueule: The last question is a little different: what's your relationship with clothes? Be honest!
Tom: (smiling) I'm not a fashion enthusiast, but I do like technical clothing. Whether at sea or in the mountains, I like what's practical: breathable, light, supple. I love merino wool products, for example, because they're top of the range in terms of comfort and performance.
Bonnegueule: We know it well, we've made a lot of them at Bonnegueule, so it's a material we use a lot.
Tom: Yes, it's really effective: odorless, breathable, pleasant. When it comes to fashion, I'm a little less knowledgeable... but my wife helps me out (laughs).
Bonnegueule: Thanks a lot Tom!
We wish you all the best for the Transat Café L'Or and the continuation of the SVR-Lazartigue project.
Tom: Thank you very much! And come and see us when you're in Concarneau!
