Swiss sailors unite behind ambitious new project: Swiss Offshore Team

by The Ocean Race 27 Sep 2024 21:23 NZST

Helicopter shot of Alan Roura and Hublot between Groix and Belle-Île-en-Mer © Jean-Guy Python

A new, Swiss national offshore sailing team is being launched, with the mission to train young sailors and take part in the biggest races on the IMOCA calendar, whether single-handed, double-handed or fully-crewed.

Among the goals - to shine in The Ocean Race Europe in 2025, to compete in The Ocean Race around the world in 2027 and then to take on the Vendée Globe in 2028.

The project aims to unite Swiss sailors, decision-makers and institutions behind the Swiss Offshore Team: One team, with two boats, engaging young women and men to achieve results and build on the legacy of a 'made in Switzerland' know-how, that dates back over 40 years, since the first adventures of Swiss ocean racing pioneer Pierre Fehlmann.

The Swiss Offshore Team is a project that Alan Roura, Elodie Mettraux and Simon Koster have been working on for several months and unites three strong personalities, three inspiring life paths, and three different but complementary approaches to life as a professional sailor.

"I'm currently in the final stages of preparing my third Vendée Globe with my team," explains Alan Roura. "But I'm lucky enough to already be thinking about what comes after. And this aftermath will be in the plural. With Simon and Elodie, things fell into place almost naturally. We've got a boat, we've got a base in Brittany, we've got a team that works really well, and we've got a shared desire to get involved in the crewed races of The Ocean Race after this third Vendée Globe campaign."

Swiss skipper Alan Roura is training off the coast of Lorient - photo © Jean-Louis Carli

At the age of 31, Alan Roura is aiming to complete his third non-stop, unassisted, solo round-the-world race in this year's Vendée Globe. Proud to have represented his country for the past ten years, the Genevan wants to showcase a true Swiss identity for this new project.

"Swiss sailing is in a golden age," he says. "There's a real dynamism in all areas, and a wealth of talent just waiting to express itself on different types of boats. We want to be part of this positive dynamic with our project."

"It will be great to be involved in a Swiss project, with a Swiss boat, Swiss sailors, Swiss sponsors and doing our own thing!" Said Elodie Mettraux. "I know the The Ocean Race very well, as I've competed in it several times. It's a very demanding and difficult event, but it's a fabulous race that requires an extended team to allow rotations over the legs and that is what we will build here."

It is a vision shared by Simon Koster, who points out that the timing is perfect for embarking on this new challenge.

"The decision of The Ocean Race to focus on the IMOCA class is a major factor in our plans," says the most Breton of the Zurich-based sailors, who has been a member of Hublot Sailing for the past two seasons. "There will be three Swiss sailors in the next Vendée Globe (editor's note: Alan Roura, Oliver Heer and Justine Mettraux). It seems logical that at least one of these boats will be lining up for the next crewed races."

Hublot Sailing Team Skipper Alan Roura, in front of his IMOCA sailing boat in Lorient, France - photo © Jean-Louis Carli

For the sporting side of the project, a call for applications to join the Swiss Offshore Team will be launched in the coming months. The three co-skippers are all keen to attract a wide range of profiles. Whether they come from an Olympic, offshore or America's Cup background, or are simply freshwater sailors, all those who dream big will be able to try their luck to join a team that puts diversity at the heart of its program.

It all starts in 2025 with participation in The Ocean Race Europe. In addition to sporting development, this post-Vendée year should also see the announcement of the construction or purchase of an IMOCA boat that is more modern and high-performance than Alan Roura's current monohull.

"Eventually, the idea could be to have two boats on the team," explains Alan Roura. "This will enable us to keep sailing when one of them is under construction. The idea is also to be able to offer Switzerland two opportunities to assert itself in the international fleet of major crewed ocean races. The current boat would be sailed by a crew of young talents developed within the Team. The second boat would be dedicated to the team's professional sailors."

Hublot sailing boat in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2023 - photo © Vincent Curutchet

The next few months will be decisive in ensuring that the project attracts the enthusiasm and support of partners willing to make a long-term commitment by jumping on board with the Swiss Offshore Team.

"We want to give priority to Swiss companies, so as to maintain an identity synonymous with know-how and reliability," explains Alan Roura. "We sincerely hope that this collective project will attract as many partners as possible."