Barcelona World Race - Winning is what we are here for

by Alex Thomson Racing on 31 Dec 2014 In the 2014 -15 Barcelona World Race the start gun fired today at 13.00. Alex Thomson and his co-Skipper Pepe Ribes will sail Hugo Boss an IMOCA 60 racing yacht 26,000 Nautical Miles, non-stop, unassisted around the globe.

British sailor Alex Thomson, and his co-skipper Pepe Ribes, were one of eight teams to set sail in the Barcelona World Race (BWR) this afternoon, when the starting signal was given off the coast of the Spanish city.

The Barcelona World Race is the only double-handed (two crew per boat), non-stop, round the world regatta. The race takes the sailors on a course that started and will finish in Barcelona. The course will take Hugo Boss via the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin and Cape Horn. The race is a highlight in the IMOCA circuit and part of the prestigious Ocean Masters World Championships.

The last time Thomson competed in The Barcelona World Race was back in 2007-2008, when he and his co-skipper at the time, Andrew Cape, finished the race in second place.

This time around, Thomson is competing alongside co-skipper, Pepe Ribes; one of Spain’s most experienced and well respected sailors. Thomson and Ribes have over 35 years offshore racing experience between them, and are competing onboard a new generation IMOCA 60.

Thomson made headlines in 2013 when he successfully completed the gruelling Vendee Globe - a solo, unassisted round-the-world race - breaking a British record along the way. Comparing the challenges of the Vendee Globe and the BWR, Thomson said;

'The Barcelona World Race is mentally easier than the Vendee Globe because you have another person there with you. But the Barcelona World Race is a more difficult race physically than the Vendee. It’s a double handed race, so while there are two of you onboard, you are racing the boat to its full potential so it requires more physically.'

Speaking about his co-skipper, Thomson said; 'I met Pepe about four years ago when he was another skipper in the race. He has been working with us for about a year and we have got to know each other well. We’ve done thousands of miles together. We are quite different characters, we look at things in very different ways. But that’s a positive thing. Because we are less likely to let a detail slip.'

The Barcelona World Race will take up to 90 days to complete with the Hugo Boss team is one of the favourites to win.