IMOCA Ocean Masters: New boats launched and in building
by Marion Cardon 20 Jun 2015 18:15 BST
20 June 2015
Launching of Armel Le Cléac'h's IMOCA Banque Populaire VIII © Thierry Martinez / BPCE
Something's brewing in the IMOCA Class as the first dates of the IMOCA Ocean Masters draw near. In Port-la-Forêt, Banque Populaire was launched and then quickly delivered to Lorient right in time for the Volvo Ocean Race start. In Italy, Andrea Mura's project is coming together.
Armel Le Cléac'h is clearly under the spell of his new mount, which sports decorations in sharp contrast with his previous boats, a new design by VPLP - Verdier, and the addition of much-heralded foils meant to provide significantly increased performances at certain speeds. This being a new research field, new habits will surely need to be developed to optimize the foils' potential. Racers, architects and shipyards all agree that it will be difficult to compare the navigation angles of foil-equipped monohulls with those of more standard units, but therein lies the excitement
For Eric Bellion, to find himself at the start of the next Vendée Globe is already a victory. An experienced sailor, he purchased the former DCNS with the contribution of numerous patrons he managed to convince. Comme un seul home (Stand as One) is now based in Port-la-Forêt, the Mecca for offshore racing. Most importantly, Eric secured crucial support from Michel Desjoyeaux himself, which allowed him to have his IMOCA entirely overhauled by the technical teams of Mer Agitée.
Two more boats should soon join the water. Andrea Mura had his monohull (also designed by VPLP - Verdier) built by the Persico shipyard, regarded as state-of-the-art. In Vannes, the St-Michel - Virbac hull has just been unmoulded at the Multiplast shipyard. For Jean-Pierre Dick it is a first since all his previous boats were built in New Zealand.
From 16 to 19 June, four IMOCA boats will be training at the elite training centre "Pôle France" in Port-la-Forêt. It is sure to be an exciting confrontation: two of the most competitive 2012-generation monohulls, Vincent Riou's PRB as well as SMA skippered by Paul Meilhat (having taken over François Gabart's former boat), will be facing the very latest designs, Morgan Lagravière's Safran and Armel Le Cléac'h's Banque Populaire. We can now find out...
In their own words
Armel Le Cléac'h (Banque Populaire VIII): "We're looking at a finished object with its own soul, which it is now my responsibility to turn into a winning machine, this time with the help of the entire sailing team. For that we'll have to make all the ideas developed at the shipyard tangible, and refine and control them on the water."
Andrea Mura (Vento di Sardena): "Our goal is now to be ready to sail by the end of July. We will then convoy to Lorient or La Trinité-sur-Mer for all the necessary measurement checks and to finish equipping the boat. We intend to race the Trophée Azimut, which would be an excellent rehearsal for us before the Transat Jacques Vabre."
Eric Bellion (Comme un seul homme): "We are a tiny team, so things move forward a little slower than with the bigger teams. Luckily we have the support of Mer Agitée and Michel Desjoyeaux, which allows our team to learn from them and make progress. But we have quite a lot of work to do, the boat hasn't sailed for two years. Our goal is to be ready for the Rolex Fastnet Race."
IMOCA Ocean Masters Championship programme
- Rolex Fastnet Race (double-handed), Cowes – Plymouth (GB), start 16 August 2015
- Transat Jacques Vabre (double-handed), Le Havre – Itajai (BR), start 25 October 2015
- Transat B to B (single-handed), Saint-Barth – Roscoff, start 6 December 2015
- Transat New York – Les Sables d'Olonne (single-handed), start 29 May 2016
- Vendée Globe (single-handed), start 6 November 2016
www.imocaoceanmasters.com
www.imoca.org