Experienced ocean racing sponsors Paprec and Arkéa are extending their joint collaboration with a new skipper, Yoann Richomme who will have a new build, latest generation Imoca for the next Vendée Globe. Richomme is a double winner of La Solitaire, Class 40 winner on the last Route du Rhum and more rcently won the VO65 class on The Ocean Race Europe. Richomme was a regular commentator on the last Vendée Globe

The design of the new Paprec Arkéa will be a partnership of Antoine Koch working with the Finot-Conq group. The Paprec Arkéa project will also work closely with Thomas Ruyant and his team, TR Racing. The two projects plan to create synergies to move forward faster and better together, especially in tuning and testing together but the immediate gain is to Paprec Arkéa as they will have some fast track information which will help Richomme and team get up to speed quickly. 

Two engineers have already joined the subsidiary newly created by the boat's two title partners and managed by Romain Ménard: Gautier Levisse is responsible for the design office and Simon Troël takes charge of technical manager.

The muolds of the boat must be delivered by the Vannes shipyard Multiplast next January; the construction of Paprec Arkéa will be completed one year later.