In April 2018, the Voilz'arts association from the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Lille took part in the 50th edition of the EDHEC Cruise Race in Brest, the biggest student sporting event in Europe. It is a five-day regatta consisting of coastal races.
Organized by the French Sailing Federation, the EDHEC cruising race welcomed more than 3,000 participants in 300 boats. The Arts et Métiers engineering students Arts et Métiers Lille had two boats to their credit: a 7-meter-long J70, which can accommodate up to four people, and an 11-meter sailboat that carried seven students and the boat's owner.
The students from the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Lille chose to participate in this major event primarily to fulfill their desire to experience a major sporting competition. Augustin Ory, president of the Voilz'arts association in Lille, says, "Participating in this race was very stimulating. Not only did we develop a sporting spirit and physical abilities we never imagined we had, but it was also an opportunity to immerse ourselves in an incredible student atmosphere." Indeed, the race brings together 3,000 students with very different profiles, each with a different approach to the race. "The business school students were good at finding partnerships, so they had an advantage before the race and could afford a skipper. On our side, as engineering students, we are pragmatic, we sailed ourselves and were able to solve any technical problems we encountered on our boats." The engineering students were particularly challenged when one of their sails tore.
In addition to developing skills related to the technical requirements of a sailing race, the engineering students developed managerial and organizational skills. "We revived an association, which meant dividing up the tasks." The biggest task ahead of the race was finding sponsors. The students had to raise funds to cover the cost of renting one of their boats, transporting it to Brest, and their accommodation. "We found sponsors, including Versailles+, Forecreu, and Calcia."During the race, the students realized how difficult it is to combine athletic performance with active communication. Augustin says, "It's not easy to communicate on a daily basis, but it's essential to keep our sponsors informed of our progress." This last point will therefore be an area for improvement for the next time the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Lille participates in Europe's largest student sporting event. "We're already planning for next year! After such a great experience, we can't wait to do it again!" concludes Augustin.
