The City of Deauville supports Pierre-Louis Attwell, Maxime Bensa and their project "Vogue with Crohn's".
On November 9, 2022, Pierre-Louis Attwell took the start of the Route du Rhum, the most legendary and demanding transatlantic race of the sailing season, aboard his Class40. The challenge was met for Pierre-Louis, who became the first Crohn's disease patient to cross the Atlantic solo, completing the race in 19 days, 5 hours and 10 minutes, in 27th position. He will have been able to count on the assistance of his usual partner Maxime Bensa - co-skipper on the duo races - who for the occasion swapped his sailor's hat for that of technical preparator.
Their boat "Vogue avec un Crohn" will carry Deauville's colors for the 2023 season. As it does in the cultural field with its artistic residencies, the Town of Deauville continues its program of support for young athletes.
Pierre-Louis Attwell is, like Eric Delamare (supported by the City of Deauville at the beginning), strongly attached to Deauville. It was in 2016 on the quays of the Presqu'île from where the Solitaire du Figaro was leaving that year that Pierre-Louis Attwell decided to become a sailor.
As a child, he discovered sailing with his father on the family boat. He practiced light sailing for ten years at the municipal sailing school of Dives-sur-mer, then became an instructor. In 2013, he joined the sports section of the Cercle Nautique de Honfleur where he discovered regattas and joined the national J80 circuit. In 2015, he participated in the creation of the Honfleur sailing school. Diagnosed with Crohn's disease at the age of 16, Pierre-Louis sails under the colors of "Vogue with Crohn's" which allows him to tell the world that "even sick, everything is possible!". After a first year on the Figaro circuit in 2018, a season on the Transat Jacques Vabre in 2019, Pierre-Louis will accomplish his dream by participating in the Route du Rhum in 2022. He thus becomes the first sailor with Crohn's disease to cross the Atlantic in a solo race.
Pierre-Louis Attwell sails with Maxime Bensa, co-skipper. He too has been rocked by family cruises since his youth. Like Pierre-Louis, he has been involved in the J80 circuit and other types of boats. He represented Normandy for several years at the French Espoir Championships and on the Tour de France sailing circuit where he discovered ocean racing. He has been a trainer at the Deauville Yacht Club for several years.
During the first years after my diagnosis, I remained very discreet about my illness. However, one ends up isolating oneself in silence and living with the disease by hiding it becomes very difficult. Starting the "Vogue with Crohn's" project has been one of the most beneficial things I have done for myself. I went from not talking about my disease to anyone to talking about it openly in front of hundreds of people! Today, I am happy to come and talk about my adventure and my daily life as a patient. Communication and awareness about Crohn's disease among the general public have become my main objective and I realize a dream to be able to do it through my sports projects.
THE VOGUE SEASON WITH CROHN'S 2023
"Vogue avec un Crohn" has three objectives, which animated it throughout the 2023 season:
- Raise public awareness of Crohn's disease and hemorrhagic rectocolitis.
- Encourage patients to accept their illness, break their silence and challenge themselves.
- Prove that even when ill, anything is possible.
Program 203
Normandy Channel Race
Start: June 4, 2023
Les Sables - Horta - Les Sables
Departure June 27, 2023
French tour of the film "Une Aventure de Malade" with patients and the medical profession
Transat Jacques Vabre
Start on October 29, 2023
A RESPONSIBLE COMMITMENT FOR THE YOUTH OF DEAUVILLE
Since its birth, Deauville has had its sea legs. For some years now, it has sought to forge a reputation as a leading maritime and sports destination on the West Channel coastline. A home port and stopover for sailors from around the world.
By rehabilitating the entire nautical district of the Presqu'île, it has taken a new step and turned its face even more resolutely towards the sea. After developing the quays around the Bassin Morny and reconfiguring the 6 hectares surrounding it, the City inaugurated the latest nautical developments in 2021: the belvederes - a veritable gateway to the sea - the premises of the Deauville Yacht Club, the harbor master's office and the sailing school.
In order to develop the practice of water sports in the local community, the area has a sports section that offers a continuum of training that combines light sailing and cruising from high school to college. Deauville's support for Pierre-Louis Attwell, Maxime Bensa and their project is in line with this continuity of supporting a new generation of sailors.
In return for its financial contribution, Vogue's commitment to Crohn's takes several forms:
- His boat wears the colors of Deauville.
- In contact with Deauville, he shares his experience on Deauville's websites and social networks.
- More specifically, he is committed to organizing exchanges with Deauville schoolchildren: the youngest members of the Fracasse school, the young members of the Deauville Yacht Club and, more particularly, with the young high school students who are members of the UNSS sailing club and the future students of the André Maurois high school/college sailing sports section.
