Imoca : les dernières infos Tip & Shaft

A partner of Arnaud Boissières in the Imoca class since 2015, La Mie Câline, a Vendée-based franchise network (€200 million in turnover, 235 stores nationwide, employing approximately 2,500 people), has announced “the end of this chapter”. Its CEO, David Giraudeau, explains the move to Sailorz.

Unsurprisingly, Violette Dorange has been confirmed at the helm of the Imoca Initiatives Cœur until the next Vendée Globe; she succeeds Sam Davies, who remains with the team as a coach. Sailorz looks back at this announcement with Franck Vallée, President of Initiatives, co-partner of the project with K-Line.

Started in 2020, the Class40 partnership between Crosscall and Aurélien Ducroz comes to an end this year. The 43-year-old sailor/mountaineer is now focused on a new goal, combining the Vendée Globe 2028 and the ascent of 82 peaks over 4,000 meters in the Alps. He explains it all for Sailorz.

Behind the untouchable duo Jérémie Beyou/Morgan Lagravière (Charal), Francesca Clapcich and Will Harris (11th Hour Racing, ex Malizia) took second place in the Imoca division of the Transat Café L’Or on Friday, November 7. An opportunity for Sailorz to speak with the British sailor, who, at 31, does not hide his Vendée Globe ambitions.

On Thursday, October 23, three days before the start of the Transat Café L’Or, Benjamin Dutreux unveiled the broad outlines of his new Imoca project, with a new boat, a Koch design built at Multiplast in the molds of the future Paprec, and a title partner, the 4CAD group.

The leaders of Macif unveiled the outlines of their new Imoca campaign 2027-2030 in Paris on Monday, with a new Verdier design that will be skippered by Sam Goodchild and the integration of Charlotte Yven into the team. For his part, Charlie Dalin, while waiting to find out if he will be able to sail in 2026, takes on a consultant/advisor role. Sailorz tells you more.

Having served as the doctor for the Finistère offshore racing training centre in Port-la-Forêt for 17 years (until last April), and also for the last edition of the Vendée Globe, Laure Jacolot speaks to Sailorz about the announcement by Charlie Dalin of the illness (gastrointestinal cancer) he has been suffering from for two years, which he also discusses in a book released on Thursday, La force du destin (The Strength of Destiny, Gallimard).

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.

Director of Planète Racing, the organisation that has managed the Imoca Initiatives Cœur project for the past twelve years, David Sineau announced this week  hat the partnership will come to an end at the end of the 2025 season. He explains his decision to Tip & Shaft.

Four years after a ‘irst edition contested in complex sanitary conditions, The Ocean Race Europe sets off from Germany on 10 August, with the ambition of establishing itself as a permanent fixture on the Imoca calendar, despite the seven boats taking part falling a little short of expectations.

After six consecutive Vendée Globe races, Jean Le Cam announced this week in Le Télégramme that he will not be taking part to the 2028 edition, denouncing the “elitism” of the Imoca class and the “infernal” rules. Tip & Shaft looks back at this announcement.