José, how have you been since our last interview?

 

I’m doing very well, but I realise now that our last interview was almost a year ago… It’s amazing how time flies! The Globe40 is already knocking on our door… My goodness!!!

 

How do you manage to organise yourself between your busy professional life (professor of medicine and renowned neurosurgeon in Sao Paulo) and your Globe40 project?

 

I think there’s time for everything… I work 12-13 hours a day looking after my patients and carrying out operations. And then after work, I spend a few hours with my family, a few hours preparing for Globe40 and then about 4 hours of sleep because I don’t sleep much… In fact, that’s always been a strong point for me in ocean racing! On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and during the regattas and training periods, the medicine is on standby (no one is irreplaceable) and I devote myself 100% to sailing…

You’ve left your Class40 n°151 in Europe for the winter, but that hasn’t stopped you from continuing to sail frequently in Brazil, particularly via the Barco Brasil Mussulo project; can you tell us more about this project?

The Barco Brasil project was designed to publicise our trip around the world and at the same time use the Barco Brasil concept as an ambassador for Brazil around the world. However, over the last few weeks we’ve decided to change that and put stroke at the centre of our campaign… We want Barco Brasil to be an ambassador for the fight against stroke. We need to show that stroke is preventable and treatable. We’re going to hold conferences and devote this training year to getting society involved in stroke treatment.

You’re very involved in the development of ocean racing in Brazil. What do you think is the place of offshore sailing in Brazil today?

Unfortunately, offshore racing in Brazil is very underdeveloped, despite the fact that several Brazilian sailors around the world take part in regattas and similar events. We are in talks with the governing bodies of sailing in Brazil to discuss how the Globe 40 can be an example….

Getting back to your Globe40 project, do you already have a clear idea of the crew that will accompany you around the world?

In principle, I’ll only have one co-skipper for the whole Globe40. That’s Luiz Bolina.

So, your Class40 is currently being built in Europe; what modifications or adaptations would you like to make to your boat in preparation for Class40?

My boat, Class40 151, is a Mach 40.3. For me, it’s the best version of a ‘sharp’ boat. That’s why I’m not planning to make any major modifications. It will be more to adapt the boat to the Race Direction’s requirements, such as adding watertight bulkheads. Apart from that, I’ll of course be checking the keel and mast, changing the sails, etc.

The start of the 2nd edition of the round the world race is fast approaching. What is your training and racing programme for 2025 before the big start?

I’ve decided not to do any racing, just some training sailing! I’m going to do a qualifier in March 2025 with a return trip to the Azores after training around La Coruña. In July, I plan to go as far as the Fastnet. The big start is in September, so that’s going to happen quickly!

What did you take away from the 1st meeting between the organisers and the competitors last week? What lessons did you learn from this first exchange?

I liked seeing the enthusiasm of the competitors.

In a year’s time, you’ll be in the Indian Ocean on the Globe40. What’s your state of mind as you approach this great challenge?

Actually, I’d like the start to be tomorrow…