Exclusivity: Boris Plays is the big winner of the transat

Firstly, how are you? Not too tired after this Transat?

Boris: I’m good! I see you are a true connoisseur, you know how exhausting it can be to virtually sail a boat from a smartphone

Believe it or not, I got back to full physical shape pretty quickly.

how did you manage to do such a good race and to reach this performance?

Boris: Ask Pierre Dreulle and he will undoubtedly answer you that, as in karting races, I won because I am a lightweight and therefore that the result is biased.

In reality I think I was just consistent in logging in very regularly and a bit lucky at the one point in the race that required making an important choice.

Is it true that you wake up at night to calculate new waypoints?

Boris: No… But it’s true that I was logging in almost every day for every new weather update. I didn’t set an alarm to wake up for the 5 AM update but since my wife is an early riser, I tried to follow her example and at least open my eyes for a few minutes and make my route adjustments before falling asleep again

Frankly you got some tips we didn’t have right?

Boris: Oh maybe one, yes: I watched a live stream of “Le Stream du Large” which explained how to use waypoints to do some very precise maneuvers around shores, for example to pass the mid-race island. It has also been useful for the last minutes because my boat crossed the line when I was in a middle of a meeting wit the the French bridge federation. Obviously I couldn’t log in to sail manually

Is sailing your passion?

Boris: Almost as much as bridge

What is your next race planned in VR?

Boris : I raced a few others after the Jacques Vabre but the race I’m looking forward to the most is the next 52 Entertainment race! I have to say that without my colleagues by my side the adrenaline is not the same. And now I have a title to defend!

Your name is « Plays ». Is that help?

Boris: Unsure, but in doubt and in a constant goal of improving my performance I may start the administrative process to change it into “Sails”.

Last words : What do you think of your amazing prize (This amazing sleeveless jacket)..

Boris: I have to confess that I can’t really wrap my mind around the concept of a sleeveless winter jacket

But hey, I’d like to thank the Virtual Regatta team anyway, for the gift but more importantly for the organization of this race. That was fun!