Vendée Globe

A fervent ecologist at home in Les Sables

Originally from Arcachon, Raphaël Dinelli has beyond the shadow of a doubt been a local hero in Les Sables, since he moved to the home of the Vendée Globe. Known for being somewhat of a daredevil at the start of his career, he has now become one of the race’s icons, as he enters the race for a fourth time. Back in 1996, the unofficial entrant, who was miraculously rescued, Raphaël is one of those, who have lived a near-death experience. The picture of him standing up on his sinking, overturned yacht in mountainous seas is one of the iconic images of the yachting world, as is his heroic rescue by Pete Goss, the British yachtsman.
A lot of people would never have gone back after such an incident. Yet, Dinelli most certainly did. In 2000, he raced on the boat, which had belonged to the Hungarian sailor, Nandor Fa «just to go round again.» He managed that, but was not ranked as a collision with a whale forced him into South Africa for repairs. In 2004, for his third attempt, Raphaël finished in twelfth place. For this 2008 race, he will be attempting to turn his boat into a think tank for energy saving ideas, before maybe getting his hands on a real prototype in 2012?

Press Contact : Virginie DINELLI
+33 (0)6 09 18 70 33 / presse@fondationoceanvital.com

• 3rd in the Route du Rhum 1998 on a monohull
• Winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre 1997 in a 50-foot boat
• Took part in the Vendée Globe 1996/1997 (shipwrecked in the Southern seas)
• 10th in the Figaro single-handed event in 1995
• 2nd in the newcomers category in the Figaro single-handed event in 1993

On the 60’ « Fondation Ocean Vital »
• 12th in the 2004-2005 Vendée Globe
• Took part in the 2000-2001 Vendée Globe (Suffered damage. Completed the race, but not ranked)

For the third time, Raphaël Dinelli is setting sail on the boat that used to belong to the Hungarian yachtsman, Nandor Fa. Whilst it is clear that the boat cannot rival the prototypes from the latest generation, she is a reliable boat that the skipper knows like the back of his hand.

Boat - Designer: Nandor Fa - Boatyard : Fa Ayo - Launch date: 1996 - Previous name for the boat and previous skipper : Akena - Length :18.28m (60’) - Beam : 5.90m (19’4’’) - Draught: 4.50m (14’9’’) - Displacement (weight): 11,500kg - Number of daggerboards: 2 - Mast height: 26.50m (87’) - Keel blade: carbon - Upwind sail surface :240m2 - Downwind sail surface : 350m2

© François Chevalier

• 14/03/09 : A real homecoming
• 14/03/09 : Raphaël crosses the line
• 14/03/09 : 4 miles to the finish
• 14/03/09 : Alongside Raphaël
• 14/03/09 : Lining up for the finish