Barcelona World Race - Riechers and Audigane confirm Mare entry

by Barcelona World Race on 22 Jan 2013 The second boat to sign-up for the Barcelona World Race 2014-15 made the formal announcement to confirm their entry at a press conference at Düsseldorf's Boot 2013 sailing and watersports show. German sailor Jörg Riechers and Nikolaus Gelpke, Director of the Mare-Verlag publishing house sponsoring the team, unveiled their project to leading journalists attending Europe's most important sailing show.

'I developed this project with one of the most competitive boats of the current fleet and Sébastien Audigane is an ideal companion by their experience in offshore sailing and the IMOCA Class.' Jörg Riechers, one of Germany's most seasoned ocean sailors also has extensive experience in the Mini and 40 classes. Riechers, who took victory in last year's Solidaire du Chocolat alongside Marc Lepesqueux, will have Frenchman Sébastien Audigane as co-skipper for the round the world race. Audigane took part in the last Barcelona World Race with Kito de Pavant on Groupe Bel and is an expert ocean sailor. The double-handed crew will be sailing the current Maître CoQ, one of the most competitive IMOCA Open 60s around.

Nikolaus Gelpke, Director of the Mare-Verlag publishing house, said: 'This is our third and most important project of the Mare Racing Team. We have great enthusiasm in this offshore sailing team that will compete at the forefront. Jörg has a great resume in the Mini Class and Class 40 and we will give him the proper continuity in the IMOCA class'.

Andor Serra, Managing Director of the FNOB, underlined the importance of having the Mare Racing Team on board for the Barcelona World Race: 'It is very important and very positive indeed that a skipper of the calibre of Jörg Riechers and a sponsor such as Mare-Verlag, who are so deeply involved in the development of ocean sailing in Germany, have chosen the Barcelona World Race and have chosen to share the regatta's objectives, to adapt to the current economic climate. This is confirmation of our mission to work towards the expansion of values within this sport and to forge links with fields such as innovation and scientific research, as well as our commitment to the environment. These are the bases on which the third edition of this regatta is being built'.

The aim of the team now is to begin preparing the new boat as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Jörg Riechers will be taking part in numerous 40 Class and Mini Class races during 2013 and will be taking on the Route du Rhum in the 40 Class in Barcelona World Race website