First SolOceans race delayed until 2011

by Pauline Morvan on 1 Apr 2009 In the context of the world economic crisis, SailingOne and the sponsors from the private and public sectors of the SolOceans* - the first round-the-world single-handed race on equal footing raced on 16-metre high tech monohulls - have officialised this morning the postponement of the start of the first edition initially scheduled on 25 October 2009 until 23 October 2011.

Yvan Griboval, CEO of SailingOne and creator of the SolOceans, explains the reasons behind the two-year postponement of the SolOceans. 'At the end of last summer, we have started a huge consultation with our partners, but also with the key players of the International Ocean Racing Industry: Company directors who are already sponsors and/or boat owners, councillors, skippers, the media, sport marketing specialists, race organisers and our shareholders from Eurosport Group. The dazzling speed of this worldwide economic crisis which bursts just when the companies' budgets were voted, when the communication budgets were scheduled, has postponed sine die the commitment of the companies which were to buy a sufficient number of SolOceans one-designs in order to have on 25 October 2009 an interesting starting line in terms of competition as well as for the partners and for the public.'

'The decision to postpone the first edition of the SolOceans from 2009 until 2011 enlightens the fact that SailingOne and its public and private sponsors desire is to establish the foundations of the first Oceanic one-design Class for solo sailors on sound basis. The aim is to run the one-designs over more than fifteen years. So either it concerns the SolOceans one-design Class or the SolOceans race, we are looking for a long-term development and not short-lived events communication. If this general economic crisis forces us to temporarily modify our short-term program, on the other hand some interesting opportunities open up to us', Yvan Griboval concluded.

In this context, Veolia Environmental Services stops its sponsoring but will keep an eye on the preparation of the 2011-2012 SolOceans as well as on the development of the 16-metre one-design Class specially designed for this event and to the OceanoScientific Campaign. Let's recall that Veolia Environmental Services has been the historical main sponsors of the SolOceans and its evolution until the end of 2008.

Of a common accord, SailingOne, the Lower Norman authorities and Wellington City Council have decided to suspend their sponsoring and to postpone the start and the arrival of the SolOceans for two years. The Financial participations of the authorities are also postponed for two years.

The first unit of the SolOceans one-design Class was re-launched this morning, Monday 30 March. Following the recommendations of Michel Desjoyeaux, the technical consultant of the series production of the SolOceans one-design, she can now be seen in her final shape.

During the four coming months, the first unit of the SolOceans one-design will be sailing in the Channel as well as in the Atlantic Ocean with onboard numerous sailors from various backgrounds. It will be a great opportunity to test the OceanoScientific Campaign and to make it more reliable. In the meantime, the second unit will be fitted out for a delivery next summer.

*The SolOceans is the first single-handed round-the-world sailing race on equal footing on high-tech 16-metre monohulls (52.5 foot) all identical: the SolOceans one-designs. They will all be fitted out with an OceanoScientific Kit enabling them to collect the scientific information needed to study the world climate changes in unexplored areas of our planet for the Scientists all around the world. The first edition of this round-the-world will leave Caen la mer (Normandy - France) on 23 October 2011 after the prologue at Cherbourg (Normandy - France). The solo sailors will stopover at Wellington, the Capital of New Zealand and will then resume their voyage towards Lower Normandy with the arrival line off Cherbourg (Normandy - France). This round-the-world race is composed by two legs and rounds the three Capes: Good Hope in South Africa, Leeuwin in Australia and Horn in South America. Each leg will last between 50 to 55 days for a total of 26 000 nautical miles (48 000 kilometres) sailed around the planet. The SolOceans will be raced every two years in-between the Vendée Globe and the Route du Rhum.

http://www.soloceans.com