Vendée Globe

July 28. 2009 at 16:04Alex Thomson to take part in the Fastnet Race

The Rolex Fastnet Race will be Alex Thomson's first major race aboard Hugo Boss since the Vendée Globe. The black monohull has undergone a long refit in Gosport and will be setting out in the Fastnet Race from Cowes on 9th August with a number of prestigious guests aboard, including the director and founder of Team Origin, Sir Keith Mills, as well as several experienced sailors, such as Rob Greenhalgh and the navigator Andrew Cape. Both recently gained a lot of experience on board Puma in the Volvo Ocean Race. The British champion skier, Graham Bell, known for his Olympic campaign and more recently as a competitor in the triathlon, as well as for his work as a TV sports presenter, will also be going aboard for this legendary race, which he believes is "one of the most adventurous things I've ever done."

July 24. 2009 at 11:44Team Pindar up for sale

The Team Pindar monohull, which completed the 2008-2009 Vendée Globe in fifth place with Brian Thompson as her skipper will be sailing one final race - the Artemis Challenge – before being put up for sale. Last year the British Open 60 won this race around the Isle of Wight revealing her full potential before the Vendée Globe. This year, it will be Mike Sanderson, who was involved in the design of the boat, who will be at the helm on 5th August to defend Pindar's title, while attempting to beat the race record set by Brain Thompson (4 hours and 14 minutes). Brian confirms that Pindar is a boat that should have a bright future ahead of her: "She's a magnificent boat, which should achieve some more great victories in the future. The Vendée was one of the highlights of my life and in spite of the tough race conditions, she proved herself to be fast and safe!"

July 20. 2009 at 17:25Vendée Globe skippers taking part in the Transat Jacques Vabre

For the moment, between 12 and 14 of the skippers, who took part in the last Vendée Globe are expected to line up at the start of the 2009 Transat Jacques Vabre in Le Havre on 8th November to set sail for Puerto Limon (Costa Rica). Among them, the two-time winner of the Vendée Globe, Michel Desjoyeaux, who will be taking Jérémie Beyou aboard his Foncia, as well as Marc Guillemot (Safran) with Charles Caudrelier, Samantha Davies (Artemis) alongside the French sailor Sidney Gavignet, Roland Jourdain (Véolia Environnement) with Jean-Luc Nélias, Arnaud Boissières (Akena Vérandas) with Vincent Riou, Marc Thiercelin (DCNS) with Christopher Pratt, Armel Le Cléac'h (Brit Air), Sébastien Josse (BT) with Jean François Cuzon, and finally Kito de Pavant (Groupe Bel), who has chosen to join up with the young Figaro racer François Gabart. At the moment three British competitors, Dee Caffari, Mike Golding and Alex Thomson, are also on the provisional entry list.

July 01. 2009 at 10:11Bruce Schwab puts his Ocean Planet up for sale

It is the end of an era for Bruce Schwab, who was the first American officially to complete the Vendée Globe back in the 2004-2005 race. After two round the world races aboard his 60-foot custom-built boat, Bruce sailed his monohull around the Caribbean this winter, but the Foundation, which has been financing the project is experiencing the effects of the global economic crisis and Bruce is now forced to sell his faithful Ocean Planet. Indeed, the situation has reached the point where her owner would like to make a quick sale.
 

June 22. 2009 at 15:25The Round Britain and Ireland record for Dee Caffari

After becoming the first single-handed woman to sail non-stop around the world in both directions, Dee Caffari has just set a new monohull record for the Round Britain and Ireland course. With a completely female crew, including Samantha Davies, Miranda Merron and Alex Sizer, she completed the voyage in 6 days, 11 hours, 30 minutes and 53 seconds, beating the outright monohull record set in May 2004 by Solune. 

Dee Caffari, the skipper of Aviva: " The outright speed record was always our goal and I am ecstatic that we accomplished our aim. In sport, as in many areas of life, choosing the right team is vital to success and over the last six days, Aviva has had a strong, focussed team aboard pushing her every inch of the course. We have all given it 110% and clear communication has played a key part in this achievement. It has very much been a team effort and having the other three girls with me has been a blast."

Samantha Davies: " It was fantastic to be onboard Aviva for this record breaking trip. We pushed ourselves and the boat hard but it was definitely worth it to finish inside the record. I think I'm almost as exhausted after this trip as I was after the Vendée Globe - although that's probably as much from the constant chatting as the sailing!"

June 21. 2009 at 19:05Five IMOCAs in the SNSM Record

At 18h local time on Sunday 21st June, 53 boats lined up for the start of the fifth SNSM Record, raced again this year between Saint-Nazaire and Sainte Marine. Among them there were five Imoca monohulls, which took part in the last Vendée Globe: Michel Desjoyeaux's Foncia, Roland Jourdain's Véolia Environnement, Marc Guillemot's Safran, Armel Le Cléac'h's Brit Air and Arnaud Boissières on Akena Vérandas (ex PRB) accompanied by Vincent Riou and Jean Le Cam. They are due to finish on Tuesday.

June 17. 2009 at 18:19Dee and the girls currently behind the record

Aboard the monohull Aviva attempting to beat the Round Britain and Ireland record, Dee Caffari, Sam Davies, Miranda Merron and Alex Sizer are currently climbing up the North Sea coast and this morning were sailing off Newcastle around 3 hours behind the monohull record held by the French sailor, Jean-Philippe Chomette. Sam Davies admitted yesterday evening that it felt rather strange to be sailing on another boat and with a crew after so many hours of solo sailing. Since the start on Monday evening, the wind has remained light, but as they make their way north towards the Shetlands, it is due to strengthen with gales forecast. Sam added that her faithful companion, Lucky the duck was also on board, but has not been feeling very comfortable on the nav desk, as Aviva seems to bounce around more violently than Roxy. More to follow…

June 17. 2009 at 18:09A busy schedule for Alex Thomson

Since being relaunched last month and after sea trials, Hugo Boss has been busy on trips out around the Solent with guests on board, but Alex Thomson has also sailed a lot further, as he recently delivered her all the way to Monaco, where she took part in the festivities surrounding the F1 event with the McLaren team. Among the guests, who went aboard during this stop in the Mediterranean, Lewis Hamilton and his family. During the return trip to England, Hugo Boss had a stopover in Barcelona to carry out some PR work with the Spanish press. A few days after her return to Gosport and she has just set off again to head for Germany to take part in Kiel Week. Alex will be flying out to join the crew before sailing her home to take part in Cowes Week and the Fastnet Race. This will indeed be the first major event for Alex aboard Hugo Boss since he was forced to retire from the 2008-2009 Vendée Globe.

June 08. 2009 at 18:295 skippers from the Vendée Globe in the 2009 "Solitaire du Figaro"

For the fortieth edition of the Solitaire du Figaro, which will begin on 30th July in Lorient, five skippers, who took part in the last edition of the Vendée Globe will be lining up for the start. Michel Desjoyeaux, the skipper of Foncia has won the Figaro event three times and the Vendée Globe twice. Yann Eliès (Generali) is making his comeback after winning his first two races at the start of the season. But we shall also be closely watching Armel Le Cléac'h (Brit Air) and Jérémie Beyou, who respectively won the 2003 and 2005 edition of the event. Last but not least, Jonny Malbon (Artemis Ocean Racing) will be taking part for the first time in the series and is competing therefore as a novice.

June 05. 2009 at 16:46Steve White already thinking of 2012

The Weymouth-based sailor Steve White, who finished eighth in the last edition of the Vendée Globe, is already looking for a partner with whom he can work towards the 2012 edition of the race. Meanwhile, he has just announced his plans for the 2009 season. In August, he will be taking part in the Fastnet Race before setting off to Scandinavia to take part in the Archipelago Raid, which is raced aboard F18 catamarans between Sweden and Finland. He will be in good company this year, as he will be competing against two other Vendee Globe racers from the past, Ellen MacArthur and Conrad Humphreys. In November, he will be back aboard his Imoca 60 to line up for the start of the Transat Jacques Vabre. After attending the recent Vendée Globe prize-giving ceremony, he appears to be even more enthusiastic than ever about taking part again in 2012 and is convinced that the coverage offered by such a race would be exceptional for a sponsor.