Vendée Globe boats occasionally change hands and are sailed by other teams, once the round the world race is over. That is the case for Paprec-Virbac 2 and Gitana Eighty, soon to be flying the Spanish flag, as they will belong to the FNOB and will be sailing this summer in the Mediterranean. Another famous boat from the last race is expected to have a new owner before the end of the month. The former skipper and her new skipper will be sharing time at the helm for a while… But what else has been happening to the monohulls from the last Vendée Globe? We take a look here at what is going on, as the Imoca class prepares for its next general meeting in Spain.
Before the general meeting of the Imoca class even begins in Barcelona tomorrow, we can already state that the next important date for the Open 60 boats will be the Transat Jacques Vabre, which will take place this autumn with double handed crews between Le Havre and Costa Rica in Central America. This is an event that Armel Le Cléac’h, recently named Imoca world champion, is looking forward to winning on his Brit Air.
Sébastien Josse will be back on his BT tomorrow in the Port of Antwerp, after the boat was transported by cargo ship from New Zealand, where repairs were carried out this winter. A few days ago, Hugo Boss was put back in the water in Gosport, after several months of work on her at Endeavour Quay. After some trials in the Channel, she is due to set sail for the Mediterranean and will be in Monaco in mid-May when the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix is being raced, as Hugo Boss is a partner of the McLaren team.
Sticking with the Brits, Samantha Davies is dreaming of a new boat for the next Vendée. Roxy is expected to stand by her, but with the backing of other partners, as the budget will not be the same as for the former PRB. In Gosport, Dee Caffari's boat is undergoing a refit. Six weeks of work are planned, as it was necessary to carry out a thorough inspection of the whole boat and many parts have been sent back to the manufacturers to be examined. The Owen/Clarke designed boat is in good company as her sistership, Ecover 3, is moored alongside her. The aim is to get Aviva back in the water before the end of the month so she may be prepared for an attempt at the Round Britain and Ireland record in June.
Jonny Malbon's monohull, Artemis, which also returned by cargo ship from New Zealand a fortnight ago, is not far from there either in Southampton. Mark Turner, who has been entrusted with the running of the project has indicated that the Rogers designed boat will continue racing in the circuit and that Jonny, her skipper in the Vendée Globe, may well be taking part in the Figaro single-handed event this summer, where he would be up against some other round the world racers, such as Michel Desjoyeaux, Armel Le Cléach, Jeremie Beyou and Yann Eliès. Staying with the Solent, the charity Toe in the Water is stepping up its presence this year. Several boats displayed its colours for the early races of the season following in the footsteps of Steve White in the Vendée Globe.
In France, several 60-foot boats will be back in service at the Petit Navire Grand Prix in Douarnenez at the end of the month for the May 1st bank holiday weekend: Foncia, whose skipper Michel Desjoyeaux has not excluded returning for his third Vendée Globe in three years time, Brit Air, and possibly Safran, if the work being carried out on her in La Trinité sur Mer is completed. As for Veolia, once repairs are finished, she is almost certain to be lining up for the start of the Transat Jaques Vabre in the autumn.
As for the others, we shall have to wait and see… Vincent Riou clearly intends to take part in the 2012 Vendée Globe on a new boat. As for Marc Guillemot, with Jean-Pierre Dick and one other competitor, who will be announcing his plans at the end of the month, he is one of the only competitors already certain of the support of his partner for the next solo round the world race. Watch this space…
