After a lot of work and a long period of fine-tuning, Dominique Wavre and Michèle Paret are now ready. “This is an important time for us,” declared Wavre at the christening ceremony. “We’re proud to have the support of Mirabaud and to have been able to get ready for this round the world race without any pressure. We ended up in third place in the last edition and we plan to do at least as well this time. I can’t wait to get underway. I’m really pleased, as I feel that we’re perfectly ready. We’ve got an excellent boat and have got a lot of things going for us.”

Thanks to the support of Mirabaud, Dominique Wavre and Michèle Paret were able to carry out a vast improvement programme on their boat. The keel head has been replaced, while a lot of work has been done to try to improve the balance of the boat – and therefore her performance. A new nav desk has been designed, while a new lighter engine has been fitted in the boat.

The boat’s godmother, Ainhoa Arteta, was trained at the San Sebastian Conservatory. She studied acting at the Actors Studio in New York then began her career at the Palm Beach Opera House in Florida, before becoming one of the leading opera singers in the Iberian Peninsula. "My career has enabled me to enjoy some exceptional experiences and to meet some incredible people like Dominique Wavre and Michèle Paret", she declared. "I wish Mirabaud good luck in the amazing adventure."