Tests like a sword of Damocles hanging over you

Everyone knows that a strict protocol must be adhered to by the Vendée Globe skippers and their teams. Among the key measures highlighted in the appendix to the Notice of Race published on 29 September 2020 is the obligation to undergo scrutineering. Giancarlo Pedote and his fellow competitors will notably be required to take a serological test this Saturday to check for any previous exposure to COVID-19 and the degree of immunity, followed by two PCR tests, on 31 October and 6 November. “It’s obviously a necessity, but it naturally generates a little stress as we know that the stakes are high”, notes the skipper of Prysmian Group, who points out that a sailor who tests positive will not be allowed to take the start on 8 November 2020. “I feel quietly confident all the same as I’m keeping a good distance between myself and other people. Over recent days, when I’ve been walking around the race village, I’ve changed my itinerary according to the crowd. It’s felt a bit like working out the tactics when racing so you’re optimising your journey from point A to point B”, jokes Giancarlo, who has been wearing his face covering constantly over the past few weeks, aside from when he’s in his immediate family sphere. “My children have been in lockdown in the house since the start of the school holidays and, as I said, I too am being very careful. It’s not always easy but that’s the name of the game and part and parcel of the vagaries associated with this 9th edition of the Vendée Globe. I hope that the 33 skippers will be able to set sail in good conditions and that once we’ve completed our passage around the world this whole affair will be over. That’s really the hope I have for everyone”, concludes Giancarlo Pedote.