Please select your home edition
Edition
2024 fill-in (top)

How sailors and organisers are preparing for The Ocean Race

by IMOCA Globe Series 21 Feb 2019 08:56 PST
The Ocean Race © Thierry Martinez / Sea&Co

The Ocean Race, the crewed round the world race with stopovers raced for the first time on IMOCAs with foils, will start in Alicante in October 2021.

With just over two and a half years to go to the start, the organisers and sailors are already busy preparing behind the scenes for this new event on the IMOCA calendar. We look at the state of play with Johan Salén, co-President of The Ocean Race, and with three IMOCA skippers, who are very tempted to take part in this adventure...

The race is still a long way off, but the clock is certainly ticking. In October 2021, or in other words eight months after the first Vendée Globe competitors finish one round the world IMOCA race, it will be time to set sail from Alicante (Spain), this time with a crew for The Ocean Race (ex Volvo Ocean Race). The race is due to include between seven and nine legs on a course that will be revealed next summer.

The Ocean Race will feature two classes: the IMOCAs with foils (launched after 2010 and sailed by five people + 1 media man) for the overall title and the VO65 one-design boats for a trophy rewarding the best young competitors. While it is still too early to give precise details about the line-up, the organisers would like to see between ten and fifteen IMOCAs at the start of this maiden edition.

Highly professional international projects

"We are talking to everyone and the potential teams can be divided into three major groups," explained Johan Salén, co-President of The Ocean Race. "We are in contact with existing IMOCA teams, a majority of which are French, but also with teams from the last Volvo and some other teams that are completely new. The teams that are interested come from France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the United States, Brazil, Sweden, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, China, South Africa... And we have some other important countries we need to get involved. The goal is to bring together highly professional international teams that are well organised and structured with active sponsors."

For Johan Salén, it is clear that bringing together the ex-Volvo Ocean Race and the IMOCA class is very welcome. "Working with a class that has shown what it can do helps our sport to be less fragmented. It means we can look forward to more feedback with the same platform," he said. What do the sailors already involved in the IMOCA class think about this? We talked to three of them.

Boris Herrmann: "An adventure that complements the Vendée Globe"

In 2020, Boris Herrmann, skipper of Malizia 2, is set to become the first German to take part in the Vendée Globe, but Boris is already looking further ahead. "The Ocean Race interests me a lot," he told us. "The idea is to ensure our project continues with the same boat (a VPLP-Verdier design from 2015, ex Edmond de Rothschild). This crewed adventure complements perfectly the Vendée Globe. In my opinion, there are four big dreams for sailors: the Olympic Games, the America's Cup, the Volvo Ocean Race and the Vendée Globe. Now, two of these four events are raced on the same boat. That is very inspiring."

Already supported by the Monaco Yacht Club, Boris Herrmann is confident he will be able to attract German firms to complete his budget for The Ocean Race. "The crewed round the world race means a lot to Germans. In 2001-2002, a German crew won the Volvo Ocean Race, Illbruck Challenge. There was a huge event organised at the finish in Kiel, which was absolutely incredible. Since then, no major projects have appeared in Germany. This is a great opportunity to get one going again." If he manages to find the required funding, Boris believes that he will set off with an eclectic crew: "The idea isn't to set up a team that is 100% German. In my team at the moment there are as many different nationalities as there are people involved! I love that diversity."

Louis Burton: "I'm waiting to see the course to position myself"

Skipper of Bureau Vallée 2, another VPLP-Verdier design launched in 2015, Louis Burton is also very interested in the idea of taking part in The Ocean Race. "I'm entirely in favour of bringing the two elements together. It's fantastic that the IMOCA class is at the centre of ocean racing. It's a chance to ensure our boats have a good life and to diversify our projects. We can now look forward to taking people with whom we work around the world with us," he stressed. "The race is all the more interesting as my partner is starting to develop abroad. The only drawback is that we don't yet have the race and so it is hard to plan for, as we don't yet know where the stopovers will be held. What sort of budget will be necessary? Will the countries involved interest our partners? I'm waiting to see the race course before positioning myself. We already have the sponsor, the boat and the team. However, to perform well, we will have to come to a decision this summer. After the Vendée Globe, a lot of work will need to be done on the boat to adapt her to ensure she can be sailed well and is comfortable for six people."

If he decides to jump in, Louis will set sail with an experienced co-skipper, "to have two pillars." Very keen on the training aspect, he would like to complete the crew with youngsters from the six years of the "Youth Selection" created in Saint-Malo in 2013, with the aim of introducing one young talent each year to the world of ocean racing.

Paul Meilhat: "Wider communications for a budget which is not that much higher"

Winner of the 2018 Route du Rhum and currently looking for partners, Paul Meilhat is planning to start work in the coming months on the construction of an IMOCA to take part in the 2020 Vendée Globe, The 2021 Ocean Race and the 2022 Route du Rhum. "I always loved sailing with a crew," he told us. "To start off with, I was probably more interested in theVolvo Ocean Race than in the Vendée Globe. The fact that the crewed round the world race now takes place aboard IMOCAs has opened up more doors for me. I believe I have what it takes to run a project. I know this kind of boat and sail them well."

In terms of money, Paul Meilhat is convinced that it is a good idea to have the solo round the world race followed by the crewed race: "By talking part in The Ocean Race, we add in an international dimension and wider communications with a budget that is not that much higher than if we simply took part in the Vendée Globe. We can therefore offer a wide ranging programme." Paul recently visited Alicante to meet the organisers and confirm his pre-registration. He is currently in talks with potential partners. The timing is getting tight to get his hand on a brand new IMOCA, but this is the vital element to ensure the project lives up to his ambitions. "I am convinced that with the same boat, we can take part in both events. In my crew, I'll include sailors with a wide range of backgrounds from Figaro and IMOCA racing."

Related Articles

IMOCA introduces an impact reduction rule
The initiative marks a historic shift in the maritime industry IMOCA establishes pioneering impact reduction rule, leading sustainability in sailing by requiring a 15% reduction in boat's construction emissions between 2025 and 2028. Posted on 20 Apr
Shawyer qualifies for the New York to Vendée Race
The Canadian skipper is preparing to line up with 30 fellow IMOCAs Scott Shawyer, the Canadian skipper of the IMOCA Be Water Positive, will be competing in the prestigious single-handed transatlantic race, the New York Vendée, which starts on 29 May 2024. Posted on 19 Apr
The Ocean Race joins world leaders in Athens
Nature's Baton and the Relay4Nature connect at Our Ocean Conference The Ocean Race joined world leaders at the Our Ocean Conference 2024 at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) in Athens, Greece on Tuesday, who had gathered to advance measures to protect and restore ocean health. Posted on 17 Apr
The Ocean Race sails into Athens
For the Our Ocean Conference UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Ocean hands Nature's Baton to Greece's Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Oceans and Coordinator of the conference. Posted on 15 Apr
The Ocean Race and IOC UNESCO collaborate
Contributing towards the science we need for the ocean we want In the lead up to the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference, The Ocean Race today shared the impact of the data collected by teams and sailors through the race's science on board programme. Posted on 9 Apr
The Ocean Race gathers critical polar ocean data
From Antarctica and the Northwest Passage The Ocean Race is providing critical data to international scientists studying the impact of climate change and plastic pollution on ocean health. Posted on 8 Apr
Team Malizia's IMOCA yacht is back in the water
Spring has made its way to Lorient, as has a new set of foils Spring has made its way to Lorient. The first flowers are blooming and the IMOCA racing boats are, just like the blossoms, gradually appearing, emerging one by one from their sheds after three months of winter refit. Posted on 27 Mar
The IMOCA Holcim-PRB relaunched in Port-la-Forêt
After a three-months refit to prepare the 60' for the 2024 season This Thursday the IMOCA Holcim-PRB was relaunched after a three-months refit. Since the arrival of "Retour à la Base" on December 11th, the technical team of Team Holcim-PRB has been working in Port-la-Forêt to prepare the 60' for the 2024 season. Posted on 21 Mar
Boris Herrmann awarded German Cross of Merit
One of Germany's most prestigious recognitions Team Malizia's Boris Herrmann received one of Germany's most prestigious recognitions today in a ceremony at Hamburg City Hall. The skipper was awarded the Cross of Merit for his achievements in climate action and sports. Posted on 14 Mar
Transatlantic Race 2025 to allow autopilots
Aiming to ease crew concerns It's the middle of a foggy night in the North Atlantic. The breeze is fickle and there is nary a star or landsight by which to guide the yacht. Posted on 14 Mar
Selden 2020 - FOOTERDoyle_SailWorld_728X90px-01 BOTTOMRS Sailing 2021 - FOOTER