Ten days. That was all Team Paprec had.
When Yoann Richomme damaged his ribs at the Trophée BPGO, his place in the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec was gone. The decision to replace him with co-skipper Martin Le Pape was made collectively, with Richomme himself, the medical staff, and Paprec Group Vice-President Sébastien Petithuguenin all involved. On Thursday 7 May, ten days before the start, team managing director Romain Ménard rang Le Pape and put the challenge to him.
What followed was a compressed effort across every department simultaneously: technical, logistical, administrative, and communications, all running at once, with an IMOCA build already under way in the background.
"In our line of work, what matters most is being able to manage the unexpected," said Hugo Le Pomellec, deputy team manager. "What we went through wasn't exactly in our crisis management scenarios."
Boat preparer Alexandre Derrien got straight to work adjusting the Figaro Paprec to suit its new skipper. "The two skippers don't have the same needs or the same habits," he said. "There were small details that had to be changed, particularly around sail trim settings and on-board arrangements." Even the name sticker on the coachroof had to be swapped out.
Le Pape was not coming in cold. He had sailed with the team earlier in the season at the Trophée Laura Vergne, Spi Ouest-France, and Trophée BPGO, which meant the faces and the rhythms were already familiar. "I'm not coming from nowhere," he said when the decision was announced. "I know the team's faces, how it operates. That helps you get ready."
Provisioning was rethought to suit his diet, clothing in his size was sourced, and accommodation for his family at the Pornichet and Le Havre finish ports was arranged. A press release went out on Monday 11 May, three days after the team had been brought into the picture. New posters, dedication cards, and press kit materials followed, along with a fresh image library for social media and the website during the race.
Communications manager Aurélia Mouraud had kept the broader context in mind throughout. "The Solitaire du Figaro Paprec was an integral part of Yoann's project towards the 2028 Vendée Globe, at the time his IMOCA is being built," she said. "With Martin, we had to tell a different story, and show that the strength of the project also lay in the team's ability to bounce back when circumstances demanded it." The comms team also had to get to know Le Pape personally to shape the new narrative, while helping him get across their tools and protocols. "There's a whole series of small tasks we quickly listed one by one, to get everything done without forgetting anything," Mouraud added. "And if it worked well, it's also because our suppliers, who are trusted partners, know how to be responsive when needed."
Press officer Isabelle Delaune noted that "Martin was very professional in everything he said publicly." She also had Richomme's support throughout. The runner-up in the last Vendée Globe shared his meteorological expertise with Le Pape in the lead-up, contributed to coverage in Le Figaro and Ouest-France during the race, and stayed at Le Pape's side until the start. "Yoann's involvement was total, exemplary, and it created a very positive dynamic," said Le Pomellec.
Three stages of fierce racing later, Le Pape finished sixth overall, equalling his best-ever result in the Solitaire du Figaro. "Throughout this season I discovered a real team," he said afterwards. "I was pleasantly surprised by their professionalism, the ease of communication, and their ability to optimise everything."
Richomme, watching from shore, put it plainly: "I find it admirable that the team wasn't destabilised by my withdrawal. It shows our ability to bounce back in any circumstances. Paprec is a great team, and this challenge has demonstrated that once again."
Editor’s Note: A victorious return to the water
Following his withdrawal from the Solitaire du Figaro, Yoann Richomme made a remarkably swift and successful recovery from his rib injury. Just months later, he returned to competitive racing as the navigator for Team Paprec aboard the TP52 circuit. Richomme’s tactical brilliance helped guide the team to a historic victory at the Lanzarote 52 Super Series Sailing Week—marking Paprec’s first TP52 circuit win in fifteen years.
