After a transitional 2025, the Imoca class welcomes new skippers and boats in 2026 and opens a solo racing cycle, the highlight of which will be the Route du Rhum–Destination Guadeloupe. The programme also includes a crewed segment with The Ocean Race Atlantic, between New York and Lorient. In a difficult economic climate that is making sponsorship harder to secure, the fleets are expected to be uneven.
“The post-Vendée Globe period is always a bit hard to digest, as we saw last year, says Antoine Mermod, president of the Imoca class. In 2025, we were in a transition phase, with some projects coming to an end and others taking longer to restart; in 2026, the dynamic is different, things are shifting. New faces are joining the class and new boats will be launched over the summer. We are starting to identify the key players for the class’s two round-the-world races: The Ocean Race and the Vendée Globe.”
The season opens with the first solo race since the last Vendée Globe, the 1000 Race, which sets off on 3 May from Port-la-Forêt. “Race director Hubert Lemonnier will adapt the course to weather conditions and fleet characteristics. As most sailors will be competing in their first solo race on their boat, we will avoid putting them under pressure from the outset“, notes Gwen Chapalain, organiser of the event. He adds, regarding a reduced field of seven entries: “The transfer window is still open and some sailors are short on time; I also understand that, in a tight financial context, others are choosing to focus on the major races. We still have a strong-quality line-up, with near parity, as three women are entered [Violette Dorange, Elodie Bonafous and Francesca Clapcich].”
Next comes the Vendée Arctique (start on 7 June), which currently counts ten entrants. The first qualifying race for the Vendée Globe 2028 features a new format: skippers must cross the Arctic Circle (66° North) at a longitude of their choice, opening up a wide range of strategies. “This is a real sporting challenge on a difficult, pioneering course. Some sailors new to the class don’t feel ready to go, but honestly, I understand that the challenge can seem intimidating and that it is difficult for them to begin their Imoca journey on such an extreme race. The level of difficulty limits the field“, comments Antoine Mermod.
How many boats
on The Ocean Race?
After these two solo events, the only crewed race of the 2026 season will take place: The Ocean Race Atlantic. The start of the first edition will be given on 1 September in New York, for a finish ultimately set in Lorient, whereas it was initially due to take place in Barcelona, which withdrew. “The contract was broken last September, reveals Johan Salén, co-director of The Ocean Race. Very quickly, Lorient emerged as a sensible choice, but we had to wait for the March municipal elections for final confirmation [the outgoing mayor, Fabrice Loher, was re-elected, ed.]. In the end, this solution suits everyone, especially as in terms of scheduling it aligns with the Défi Azimut taking place just afterwards in the same location.”
The crews will be fully mixed – two women, two men, and one on-board reporter – with a highly international field, featuring nine nationalities so far. Of the six Imoca entered, two, launched just a few weeks earlier, will be competing in their very first race: Malizia, the Koch design skippered by Boris Herrmann (with Cole Brauer, Julien Villion and Justine Mettraux) and the Verdier design DMG Mori (Kojiro Shiraishi, Sam Davies, Nicolas Lunven, Arisa Moriya). The other entries are 11th Hour Racing (Francesca Clapcich, Alberto Bona, Élodie-Jane Mettraux, Will Harris), Oliver Heer Racing (Oliver Heer), MSIG Europe (Conrad Colman) and Paul Meilhat Sailing Team (Paul Meilhat).
Still in search of partners, the latter is determined to be on the start line: “I hope things will come together in the coming weeks, knowing we have the advantage of a boat ready to sail, so we can move at the last minute, I remain quite optimistic.” And the same for The Ocean Race? “One does not go without the other, continues the winner of The Ocean Race Europe 2025. For me, The Ocean Race Atlantic is leg 0 of the round-the-world race, it is more than ever the objective.”
How many will line up in January in Alicante for the start of The Ocean Race, for which only two teams have been officially announced so far, Malizia and DMG Mori? “It is a very difficult period for sponsorship fundraising. Today, three teams are confirmed [the third not yet announced, ed.], nine are interested in finding a solution. It is hard to estimate the number of starters, but we think it will be between five and seven“, says Johan Salén.
26 for the Rhum?
Looking back at the 2026 season, after the traditional Défi Azimut–Lorient Agglomération in mid-September, attention turns to the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe (start on 1 November), whose organisers published the entry list on Thursday, featuring 26 Imoca skippers. A participation level in the upper range of recent editions, with 9 Imoca in 2010 and 2014, 20 in 2018, and 38 in 2022. “The 2022 edition is not a reference point, it was absolutely exceptional, notes Antoine Mermod. All things considered, we will likely have our second-best participation figure. More importantly, seven or eight boats will be in a position to win, including latest-generation Imoca.”
Five sailors will indeed be racing new-generation boats launched after the last Vendée Globe: Élodie Bonafous, Armel Tripon, Boris Herrmann, Sébastien Simon and Thomas Ruyant. The latter, although entered, is not yet guaranteed to take the start. “Entry is an important step, but nothing is decided. To make the dream a reality, we still need one or more partners to finalise the project”, says the reigning Route du Rhum champion.
The entry deadline, set for 31 March, has prompted other sailors who had not yet secured funding to step forward. One is Robin Marais, who after several Figaro seasons aims to make the step up. “I want to acquire a daggerboard Imoca, I am currently targeting a specific boat, he explains. I have a base of partners to launch the project, and I am actively seeking to complete the budget for the Route du Rhum and then the Vendée Globe. I hope being officially entered will help things move forward.”
Maël Garnier, also from the Figaro circuit, is in a similar situation: “At some point, you have to go for it, it helps you move forward and show you are active, explains the sailor, who would ideally like to acquire Violette Dorange’s former boat. Right now, I have half the budget to get started this year. I have two months left to find the rest, around €400,000, I am working on it day and night.”
“I get the feeling that
things are starting to move a bit”
Another newcomer: Jean-Baptiste Daramy. After taking part in the Transat Café L’Or on Manu Cousin’s foiling Imoca, he initially hoped to buy a similar boat, but will ultimately turn to a daggerboard design due to the geopolitical context. “I was in advanced discussions with major industrial partners and everything stopped overnight, at the start of the war in Iran. They have other constraints and the climate of uncertainty prevents them from planning ahead. I still have a group of partners that allows me to move forward, and I am giving myself until the end of the month to buy a boat.”
The same applies to François Guiffant, who after being denied entry to the last Vendée Globe is trying to secure partners to relaunch a project and line up for the Rhum, but admits: “Since March, the situation has been difficult, with decision-making slowing down. As the boat (Partage, a 2004 Lombard design) has not been sold, I have reconnected with the owner, I am looking for €400,000, a Class40-level budget. For now, I have a few partners, but I have not yet reached the minimum to be certain of starting the Rhum.”
Although these sailors took the risk of entering – €30,000 excluding VAT, half refundable if they withdraw before 15 July – this is not the case for Romain Attanasio, who explains: “The situation is very difficult, everyone seems to be in a waiting position. My efforts are well advanced for 2027, but for 2026 it looks very uncertain, even though I get the feeling things are starting to move a bit. Proof of that: I received a call from a company after the feature on France Info, so I still believe in the Rhum for a few more weeks [the race notice for the Route du Rhum allows the organiser to issue invitations, ed.].“
Indeed, the second-hand market also seems to be picking up slightly, with several boat sales announced in recent weeks: Olivier Heer has taken over the former Teamwork, Pierre-Louis Atwell the former Lazare, and Masa Suzuki the former Fives Group–Lantana Environnement. These sailors will be at the start of the Rhum, along with Davy Beaudart on Louis Burton’s former Manuard design – now moved to Ultim – and with the same partner, Bureau Vallée, which has extended its sponsorship this season. Enough to remain optimistic ahead of the 2028 Vendée Globe? “I would not be surprised if we once again get close to 40 entries, replies Antoine Mermod. There are around thirty projects sailing this year, which leaves room for about ten more to be launched in two years at relatively reasonable costs. Given that the Vendée Globe is highly bankable, it offers a very attractive ROI (return on investment), so to any potential candidates: the door is open!”
Photo : Jean-Louis Carli/Alea
