Imoca: With some sponsors leaving, should we be worried?

On 30 September, Bureau Vallée announced the end of its sporting partnership in April 2026 with Louis Burton, initiated in 2010. Since the last Vendée Globe 2024-2025, other sponsors have done the same. Is this a direct consequence of the current economic climate or a return to normal after euphoric years? Sailorz investigated.

Several headline skippers from the last Vendée Globe lost their sponsors for the 2025 season (or at its end): Maxime Sorel (V and B, Monbana and the Mayenne department), Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ), Thomas Ruyant (Advens), Damien Seguin (Groupe Apicil), Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian) and, most recently, Paul Meilhat (Biotherm) and Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée). In a press release on 30 September, Adrien Peyroles, CEO of Bureau Vallée, whom we could not reach (nor the skipper), explained: “In a complex economic context, Bureau Vallée has chosen to reallocate budgets dedicated to sailing sponsorship to other strategic company priorities (…) Ending this partnership today is a strategic realignment necessary for the company’s proper development.”

Asked about these sponsor departures, mostly non-renewals, David Sineau, team manager of Initiatives-Cœur until the end of the year and later seeking to host a Vendée Globe 2028 project with his Planète Racing structure (see our article), did not want to sound alarmist. “Things need to be put into perspective: the anomaly is not today’s situation but rather what we experienced four years ago. At that time, sponsor re-engagement rates were nearly 100%, unprecedented. Historically, partnerships rarely last more than ten or fifteen years. So the fact that several long-term sponsors are leaving now at the same time is not abnormal, even if it may appear as a rupture.”

Paul Meilhat, recent winner of The Ocean Race Europe and seeking partners, shares this view: “We are a bit forgetful, we remember yesterday but never the day before. We tend to think that the reality of the last four years was the same as the previous thirty. But that’s not the case. We are moving from an euphoric period to a more “normal” situation. At the end of each cycle, some partnerships end and others begin.” He adds: “Currently, many boats are being built and new sailors are arriving in the class, like Ambrogio Beccaria, Corentin Horeau, Élodie Bonafous, Loïs Berrehar, or Francesca Clapcich.”

It remains that some sailors seeking sponsors are struggling, like Maxime Sorel. “I sent 250 proposals, maybe even more, each customized with a mock-up in the company’s colors and a specific contact, often the marketing manager. And yet, it doesn’t work.“ The 10th finisher of the 2020 Vendée Globe (retired in the last edition) explains: “In my opinion, this is clearly due to the economic context and lack of visibility. It’s not specific to sailing; it’s a wider trend, similar in cycling or motorsport. Companies lack confidence in the future, they remain cautious, preferring to save and avoid risk. When we talk to prospects, they find our projects exciting and would like to join, but they hope for a clearer horizon and often tell us: “We’ll get back to you later.” This means some may miss the 2026 Route du Rhum but will reconsider for 2027.” A view shared by David Sineau: “Before, we could bring partners along at our pace, saying: ‘If we want to be ready, we must decide now.’ Today, it’s more complicated: companies take their time, lengthening the process.”

With over thirty years in sailing market and former team manager for Yannick Bestaven, Anne Combier adds: “The international context doesn’t help; it’s real stress for companies. Everyone I contacted for Yannick gave me as a reason, rightly or wrongly, the economic climate which makes them cautious and hesitant to reinvest. Initially, I was very optimistic because Yannick has a great boat and a turnkey project. We also had many open doors, yet I hit a wall.” More or less optimistic about short-term and medium-term sailing sponsorship, those interviewed agree that offshore racing remains attractive, though there is often a difficult step between generating interest and securing commitment.

In this context, our sources do not expect all 40 IMOCA spots for the 2026 Route du Rhum to be filled, predicting about 25 entrants instead. “In 2014, when I launched my project with SMA, there were only 9 IMOCA at the start and 5 at the finish”, says Paul Meilhat, adding: “It won’t be bad news if fewer than 40 boats compete in 2026; on the contrary. The economic model is more viable for sponsors with 25 competitors, as media exposure is divided into fewer shares.”

The Ocean Race Europe winner also mentions “a backlash” due to overly expensive projects, especially when building a foiling IMOCA, stressing the need to “limit budgets and return to something more reasonable”. Maxime Sorel shares the view: “Insurance alone for an IMOCA costs between 300,000 and 400,000 euros. Today, I don’t have these funds, so the boat stays ashore. I kept my technical team active by finding them work to maintain the structure as long as possible. But clearly, we are approaching a critical zone.”

Yannick Bestaven has faced a similar situation, recently having to put his IMOCA up for sale after failing to secure a new partner to replace Maître CoQ. “To run a competitive Vendée Globe project with a reasonable team, you need at least 2.5 million euros per year excluding taxes,” explains Anne Combier. For comparison, a cycling team costs 15–17 million euros per year. That sport also has many more events than sailing.”

This gloomy context, combined with political uncertainty in France, pushes some sailors to look abroad. “We find the most opportunities” in the U.S.”, notes Maxime Sorel. “You have to open the field of possibilities,” adds Paul Meilhat. In IMOCA, our strength is having an international program thanks to The Ocean Race, and we must take advantage. During The Ocean Race Europe, we made contacts everywhere.” Most IMOCA projects, including international skippers, are therefore based in France, points out Anne Combier, who adds: “If prospecting internationally, it must be with companies that have interests in France, like DMG Mori, for example.”