Vendée Globe : les dernières infos Tip & Shaft

Designed by Antoine Koch and the Finot-Conq studio, Thomas Ruyant’s Imoca For People was launched last Thursday in Lorient. It carries the colors of both Advens and Leyton, who are combined in a twinned project which links Ruyant the winner of the Route du Rhum 2022 with the Briton Sam Goodchild. Tip & Shaft tells you more. 

On Friday February 17th Banque Populaire announced their withdrawal from the Vendée Globe 2024, as a result of the “Clarisse Crémer affair”. Tip & Shaft has tried to find out more about the reasons for this decision.

Paprec Arkéa will be launched on February 22 in Lorient. It was designed by Antoine Koch and the Finot-Conq studio as was the new Imoca for Thomas Ruyant, launched in March. And so this is a timely opportunity for Tip & Shaft to discuss with the engineer/architect Koch.

Banque Populaire announced on Thursday noon that they have been “forced to change skipper” for the next Vendée Globe thereby confirming the information revealed a few minutes earlier by Clarisse Crémer. Their decision, motivated by the Cremer having fallen behind in the race for qualifying miles due to her maternity plus the “inflexibility” of the organization of the Vendée Globe despite the sponsor’s requests has provoked a big reaction. Tip & Shaft tells you more.

Britain’s Phil Sharp announced this week that he will have the third Sam Manuard designed IMOCA to be built by Black Pepper Yachts. One of the most successful Class40 skippers of recent years, is also a highly talented mechanical engineer. With his OceansLab he plans to highlight the hydrogen fuel cell technology system which he co-invented and is presently commercialising for the leisure and commercial marine sectors.

On Monday in his hometown of Port-la-Forêt, Jean Le Cam unveiled his 2024 Vendée Globe project. It will feature a brand new boat with daggerboards designed by David Raison and he will be backed by the Finistère department (region), Armor-lux and a group of partners for a budget totalling 4 million euros over 4 years. Tip & Shaft tells you how this project came about.

The Vendée-Arctic-Les Sables d’Olonne, which started last Sunday has proven particularly engaging, with very different weather choices and conditions and now the neutralization of the raceto the east of Iceland which was announced Friday morning. Charlie Dalin was the first to cross the virtual line ahead of Jérémie Beyou and Thomas Ruyant. Tip & Shaft looks back on these first five days, with three Imoca skippers, Clarisse Crémer, Kevin Escoffier and Yoann Richomme, as well as the president of the Imoca class, Antoine Mermod.

25 solo sailors crossed the start line of the Vendée Arctique-Les Sables d’Olonne on Sunday, the first of the five qualifying races for the Vendée Globe 2024. It is a good opportunity for them to rack up precious qualifying miles (3,500 for those who finish).

With Hublot (Alan Roura), Biotherm (Paul Meilhat), Guyot Environnement (Benjamin Dutreux), Freelance.com (Guirec Soudée) over the past two weeks several sponsors have revealed their colours attached to various Imocas, all with the next Vendée Globe in their sights. Meantime for other skippers, the quest continues.