As a follow-up to her internal conference at UBP in early 2024, skipper Justine Mettraux recently came back for an update, in Geneva and in Zurich. It was a highly anticipated talk because, since her last visit, she has achieved the feat of arriving 8th in the most prestigious round-the-world solo race, the Vendée Globe.
Who is Justine Mettraux?
38-year-old Swiss skipper Justine Mettraux discovered sailing on Lake Geneva at a very young age and quickly got into competing. Having clocked up many successes in team races, she then took up solo skippering on an IMOCA yacht. Crowning her previous achievements, in 2024–25 she entered and completed her first Vendée Globe, arriving 8th – the first woman among the 40 entrants and the fastest woman in the race's history.
Why be a skipper?
What Justine likes about being a skipper is the wide variety of skills that it requires – physical fitness, strategic thinking, geographical knowledge, an understanding of the high-tech equipment, and not least mental strength. She adds that it is well suited to people who have a competitive personality and thrive on challenges. You’ve never finished learning as there are so many aspects to it and the technology keeps getting more sophisticated.
Risk management and problem solving
They say that a skipper can expect one snag per day on average. Whether it’s a torn sail, a broken down device, or an injury, it means you have to dabble in mechanics, electronics, sewing, nursing, and in some cases even surgery. To reduce the risk of trouble occurring in the first place, though, it’s key to monitor all your equipment and give it regular preventative maintenance… when you can spare the time to leave the cockpit.
Mental and physical fitness
One of the biggest parts of being a successful skipper, she points out, is managing your emotions, staying mentally strong to handle adversity. For this, the key is letting go of what you can’t control and remembering that you’re not the only one – the other competitors are having their own problems, and just as many. To preserve that mental strength, it’s important to stay physically fit too. And that takes active care when you can only fit in 5 hours’ sleep in every 24 hours and have to remind yourself to ingest enough less-than-mouthwatering dry rations.
Technological advancement
Sailing is an area where technology, including the use of artificial intelligence, is developing very fast. This is increasing the speed of boats as well as navigation accuracy and security on board. When the Vendée Globe first started, in 1989, the fastest yacht completed the race in 109 days. This year’s winner beat the record, making it in 64 days. This difference can be attributed to hull and sail design, as well as materials used, which are getting lighter and lighter. As for safety, is has been greatly improved by fixed keels that prevent capsizing, and obstacle-detection devices, for example.
Justine time
After some anecdotes about her gruelling 76 days at sea, which included emergency sail and fresh water supply repairs, not to mention a bumpy ride up the Atlantic in a storm bringing 50-knot winds and 8-metre waves, Justine vividly recounted her arrival in Sables d’Olonne. As she approached the finish line with her closest rival hot on her heels – only 25 minutes behind her – she also had the tide to contend with: if she missed her window before the last stretch became too shallow, she would have to wait several hours outside and lose her position. Pushing through the exhaustion and the trepidation, she kept her focus, made the right decisions, and floated in despite her ripped sail, to the heart-warming cheers of the crowd, which included, to her surprise and delight, a group of her childhood friends from Switzerland.
Supporting women in sailing
Despite the dangers and physical strain of such a voyage, Justine is keen to go out there again to recapture the sense of speed and freedom, and is hoping to take part in the 2028–29 edition of the Vendée Globe. She also supports affirmative action to encourage more women to take up skippering. Because she firmly believes that women have all the qualities needed to be good sailors – not least strategy, resilience, and adaptability. They just need the material resources to become professional.
