Bestaven to helm Parlier’s old boat
by Event media on 21 Sep 2007
Cervin - Yannick Bestaven. Photo: http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/ - Vendee Globe 2008 SW
The skipper Yannick Bestaven and the Cervin EnR Group, which specialises in renewable energy forms, have officially signed up today to compete in the Vendée Globe 2008 on board Yves Parlier’s legendary monohull.
'Robinson' Parlier’s former 'Aquitaine Innovations' has been through a lot. The 60-footer with a prestigious past, one of the most innovative boats of her generation, had been languishing in Normandy for four years.
However, the Winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre, the Route du Rhum and the Europe race was still rearing to go. She was to be put back in service thanks to the stubbornness of two men, Yves Parlier, her godfather, and Yannick Bestaven her new skipper, a yachtsman, who first came to prominence in ocean racing by winning the Transat 6.50 in 2001.
The first observation round, the Transat Jacques Vabre that Yannick Bestaven will be entering with Ronan Guérin and the single-handed return voyage from Bahia - Port la Forêt racing against fifteen or so other IMOCA 60-foot boats, will enable him not only to qualify for the Vendée Globe, but will also give him a chance to measure his boat against his rivals, test her, analyse her reactions, discover her strengths and her weaknesses.
Cervin EnR is not yet fine-tuned. She will be worked on during a major refit in the winter, the results of which will be seen in May 2008 during the single-handed Transat.
Between now and the start of the Vendée Globe, the boat will have taken part in 4 transatlantic races: the Transat Jacques Vabre and the return voyage, the English Transat and the Quebec-Saint-Malo crewed race.
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