Vendée Globe

The youngster has really grown up

When in 2004, he started out on the Vendée Globe, Sébastien Josse wore his heart on his sleeve and was full of doubts. The Sébastien, who will be setting sail this time will not be a bragger either, but… In four years, the young yachtsman from Nice fitted out by the Figaro team in Port-la-Forêt has come a long way. At the end of an exemplary Vendée Globe, he finished fifth, in spite of sailing a boat that could not rival those of the leaders. With the bow and rig damaged following a nasty incident with a growler, which almost saw his boat sink, he showed relentless determination attracting everyone’s admiration.

One crewed round the world race later, and Jojo is coming back to the Vendée Globe and that is really good news. Firstly because that means there is another favourite in with a chance, but above all because everyone, who knows him cannot but appreciate this endearing sailor, who has never forgotten where he came from and what he owes all those that have supported him. Jojo is not the type to fake his emotions, and is certainly not calculating. He pushes all the way when racing and takes us with him. Then, there is that little touch of humour, which has never done any harm to him or his boat.

Press Contact : Julie ROYER
+44 (0) 870 063 0210 / julie.royer@ocgroup.com

Lou NEWLANDS
lou.newlands@ocgroup.com

• Winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race (IMOCA) in 2007
• 4th in the Volvo Ocean Race (skipper of ABN AMRO 2) in 2006 and 24-hour distance record, in the monohull category the same year
• 5th in the 2004-2005 Vendée Globe
• Winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race (IMOCA category) in 2003
• Jules Verne Trophy Record (64 days) on board the Orange maxi-catamaran in 2002
• 2nd in the Figaro single-handed event in 2001

On the 60’ « BT »
• Retired from the 2008 Artemis Transat (in the lead when forced to retire)
• 2nd in the Artemis Challenge

For this next race, the yachtsman will have at his disposal one of the latest Farr Yacht Design, LTD designs, the sistership to Vincent Riou’s. Sébastien will moreover have benefited from the extreme professionalism of Ellen MacArthur’s team and we can be certain that he will thus be sailing on a well-honed boat.

Boat - Designer: Bruce Farr Yacht Design, Annapolis, USA - Boatyard: Offshore Challenges Sailing Team, Cowes, GB - Launch date: July 2007 - Previous name of the boat and previous skipper: Estrella Damm - Length: 18.28m (60’) - Beam: 5.85m (19’2’’) - Draught : 4.5m (14’9’’) - Displacement (weight) : 8400kg - Number of daggerboards : 2 - Mast height: 27.5m (90’2’’) - Keel blade: steel - Upwind sail surface: 310m2 - Downwind sail surface: 590m2

© François Chevalier

• 22/01/09 : 74th Day of the Race: A story to tell
• 06/01/09 : Séb Josse in Auckland
• 29/12/08 : Sébastien Josse officially retires
• 23/12/08 : Number crunching
• 16/12/08 : Failures are bound to happen