Vendée Globe

« The new Basque Neptune »

«The Basque Neptune», is what the Spanish media have nicknamed the yachtsman, Unai Basurko, who became something of a hero in Euskadi during the most recent Velux Five Oceans in 2006/2007… which, indeed, started and finished in his hometown of Bilbao. Unai Basurko has therefore already experienced one single-handed round the world race, but with stopovers. However, he was not just there to take part: in May 2007, it was in Bilbao that the Basque sailor with the shaved head managed to take Pakea Bizkaia to third place in the final rankings, after an epic transatlantic duel with a certain Sir Robin Knox-Johnston during the final leg. He thus became the first Spaniard to reach the winner’s podium in a round the world race.

It is said that he is also an expert cook. Apart from sailing, he enjoys climbing and scuba diving too. In the forthcoming Vendée Globe, Unai Basurko will once again be competing against Bernard Stamm, twice winner of the Velux, as well as many former Figaro racers, whom he came up against in the French classic in 2003. Unai knows the southern latitudes well: he has sailed a lot in Australia and among his successes, there was a win in the Trans Tasman Race.

• Record in the Bilbar (Bilbao-Barcelona) 2004
• Took part in the 2003 Figaro single-handed event
• 2nd in the World IMS Championships 2002
• Took part in the Round Spain race 1999
• Winner and record-holder of the two-handed Trans Tasman Race 1998
• Winner of the Plymouth-San Sebastian 1998
• Winner of the Commodores’ Cup 1997

On the 60’ « Pakea Bizkaia»
• 15th in the 2007 Transat Jacques Vabre
• 3rd in the 2007 Velux Five Oceans
• Forced to retire from the 2008 Artemis Transat

Pakea-Bizkaia is an Imoca Open 60’ designed by the Australian architect, Andi Dovell, and built under the direction of Kanga Birtles (B.O.C 90/91) in Jervis Bay (Australia). Designed to be as light as possible, but sufficiently robust to withstand tough sea conditions, her lines are very extreme and her hull very flat at the bottom to enable her to reach maximum speeds on the long surfs.

Boat - Designer: Murray-Burns & Dovell - Boatyard : Jarkan – Kanga Birtles - Launch date: 2005 - Previous name for the boat and previous skipper : Pakea - Length : 18.28m (60’) - Beam : 5.40m (17´8") - Draught: 4.50m (14’9’’) - Displacement (weight): 9500kg - Mast height: 25m (82’) - Keel blade : steel - Upwind sail surface : 280m2 - Downwind sail surface : 500m2

© François Chevalier

• 17/01/09 : A great welcome for Unai
• 07/01/09 : Unaï sets sail again
• 29/12/08 : Unai heading for Portugal
• 22/12/08 : What happened to....
• 11/12/08 : Unaï's adventure continues