[Source: Vendée Globe] Winner of the last Solitaire du Figaro, then the Transat Jacques Vabre alongside Jean-Pierre Dick in the autumn, the skipper from Morlaix in Brittany, Jérémie Beyou announced on Friday morning that he will be taking part in the 2012-2013 Vendée Globe aboard the monohull on which Michel Desjoyeaux won the last edition of the race.

Jérémie Beyou will be making his return to the round the world race thanks to the support of his new partner, the Vendée based company Maître Coq, which specializes in high quality poultry products.

The Vendée Globe is pleased to see Jérémie Beyou returning to become the sixteenth skipper to register for the 2012-2013 race, which will start from Les Sables d’Olonne on Saturday 10th November.

The Vendée Globe on track

Following the recent registrations from Alessandro di Benedetto (ITA), Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty (FRA) and Samantha Davies (GBR) last December, Jérémie Beyou’s announcement takes us to sixteen skippers registered, fulfilling the goal set for the next Vendée Globe of seeing between 15 and 20 skippers lining up.

Bruno Retailleau, President of the SAEM Vendée: “The Vendée Globe is really pleased to see Jérémie returning as one of the entrants for the next Vendée Globe. His performance and determination confirm the high competitive standard that we shall be seeing in the next Vendée Globe. As President of the Vendée Council, I can also welcome the presence of another sponsor from Vendée, seeing the positive effects of the business community and leaders in Vendée becoming involved with the skippers. The Vendée Globe is an exceptional way to communicate, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses, who can currently make the most of some great opportunities… With Jérémie Beyou registering, the Vendée Globe is on track to hit the target we set ourselves of seeing between 15 and 20 skippers taking part.”

Beyou making his comeback

He was there at the start of the 2008 Vendée Globe, but after damage to the rig of his monohull, Jérémie Beyou was forced to suspend his race on 23rd November and head for the port of Recife in Brazil, where he announced his retirement from the race shortly afterwards. However, showing determination and strength of character, the Breton skipper promised that he would be back again…, and now he has achieved that first goal.

He began ocean racing at the age of twenty and having taken part in 12 Solitaire du Figaro events and 11 solo transatlantic crossings, Jérémie Beyou recently won the 2011 Transat Jacques Vabre (double-handed with Jean-Pierre Dick) and achieved his second victory in the Solitaire du Figaro (2005 and 2011). On board the monohull which Michel Desjoyeaux sailed to victory in the last Vendée Globe, Jérémie will be at the helm of a boat that should allow him to show everyone the full extent of his talent.

[Source: Groupe Bel] The red monohull, skippered by Kito de Pavant, has been undergoing a complete checkup in Port Camargue for the last six weeks. After forty days in the yard, the VPLP-Verdier plan, which has already sailed 75,000 miles – the equivalent of three round the worlds – since it was launched in September 2007, has returned to its full potential and has a brand new keel.

Friday evening, under the sun and the watchful eye of the technical team and Yann Régniau, Kito’s co-skipper in the next Transat Jacques Vabre, Groupe Bel left her tent, was lifted, launched and then masted. At last ready, the boat with the Laughing Cow® will now get down to a good series of training sessions, in which DCNS 1000, skippered by Marc Thiercelin and Luc Alphand should take part in July. Delighted to see his boat back in the blue Mediterranean Sea, Kito took advantage of it to review this particular season, since it is already aimed at the Vendée Globe 2012.

What news do you have about Groupe Bel after this yard work?
“Groupe Bel now has a latest generation keel. Although it is still based on the same philosophy as the previous one, it meets 2011 design and production standards. The performance of this new part remains to be confirmed under sail. We have also worked on the general condition of the boat. After tests “from roof to sole”, we observed that Groupe Bel’s structure has not changed in any way, which is important after three years of use, particularly in difficult seas such as this winter during the Barcelona World Race. We were able to reduce the weight inside the boat further by 150 kg, with a view to the Transat Jacques Vabre, which is a double-handed sprint that lasts about twenty days, and has very little relation to a round-the-world. Finally, we are postponing one job to August. This will be devoted to changing the roof. We hope to improve the protection and comfort of the helmsman at his station, with a view to the Vendée Globe and to confirm this during the Transat Jacques Vabre.”

The refitted Groupe Bel ready to hit the water. Photo copyright Gilles Martin-Raget

Over to training with your co-skipper Yann Régniau. What are you going to work on?
“The first part will be devoted to optimizing the electronics on board during a series of trips out in the bay. The second part will focus on “offshore” sailing. We have planned a few days sailing offshore with DCNS 1000. The purpose of this is to strengthen our watch rhythm and our sailing together double-handed. Finally, we will conclude with ten days or so of maneuver-based sailing. Our boats are complicated as a result of the wide variety of trimming points. We will need to work on the speed of execution since we can gain a great deal by being good in transitional weather areas and points of sailing. We must be able to anticipate, and sail smoothly without rushing!”

Since 2009, the Transat Jacques Vabre has taken you to Costa Rica and not to Brazil, what does this change?
“Our boats are increasingly high-performing and there is little scope for progress. In my opinion, this course heading to Costa-Rica reserves a greater number of pitfalls than the one that took us to Brazil. It is more tactical and there are a greater number of options to be taken. It is almost a Route du Rhum format. For example, I think that the final in the Caribbean is not easy to handle with a strong wind and a very short sea. It could even be a very close finish with the predominant storms at this time of year. We will need to be vigilant. It will be intense and this will make it all the more interesting.”

You are already working towards the Vendée Globe 2012. After this Barcelona World Race in which Groupe Bel rounded the three capes, do you have a better idea of what competing in a round-the-world represents?
“I am much more confident! I admit that mentally these last few months have not always been easy. I am very happy that Groupe Bel is back sailing again. I really missed this! I get the impression that the Vendée Globe will be here before we know it! Four years ago, at the same time, we were still building her, but that feels so long ago. Today, I feel that I am already in line with this single-handed round-the-world. The Barcelona World Race (double) strengthened my confidence in Groupe Bel’s qualities on hostile seas, and in my own ability to handle this type of sailing, which is particularly demanding in the long term.”

What motivation do you have for setting off again and again?
“The desire, the trust I have in my boat and particularly the unfailing support of my partner Bel, and its workers. And finally, of course, my team, which once again has carried out a huge job.”

[Source: Mike Golding Yacht Racing] Gamesa, a global wind power technology leader and a world reference in the development and sale of wind farms, and Mike Golding, OBE, have today announced their intention to be on the start line of the 2012 Vendee Globe in Les Sables d’Olonne, France, on 10 November 2012 with the IMOCA Open 60 Gamesa. The race emerges as this new partnership’s most important challenge, Gamesa having revealed its sponsorship of the Gamesa Sailing Team, led by Mike Golding, to 135 of its top global executives at their annual convention in Windsor, England.

Billed as ‘the Everest of yacht racing’, this will be the fourth start for the Hampshire, UK, based skipper; something he himself describes as ‘unfinished business’.

“This sponsorship comes at an important time for Gamesa and our planned programme of expansion into the offshore market in UK,” Jorge Calvet, Chairman and Chief Executive of Gamesa announced. “The sea and the wind are similarly part of the Gamesa challenge and there are synergies between Mike’s Vendée Globe campaign and our own activities in the wind power market in the UK and globally. We have a vigorous business plan over the coming years with many common values, including innovation, teamwork, leadership and passion for our customers, and we look forward to working with Mike and his team to achieve both our goals and his,” he concluded.

Gamesa is ready to play a significant role in the offshore market. The company is working to launch two offshore platforms (the G11X-5.0 MW and G14X-6/7 MW) and it has also announced that the UK will be the centre of its offshore wind business. It plans to invest over €150 million there by 2014. It will establish an offshore technology centre in Glasgow and will analyse the development of manufacturing, port logistics and O&M capabilities in several UK ports (England and Scotland). Gamesa’s offshore business will be headquartered in London.

Mike Golding is one of the world’s most accomplished solo ocean sailors. With over 250,000 racing miles and some 25 equator crossings, he has competed in three previous Vendée Globes, held three world championship titles and created a reputation for being “King of the South”, setting the fastest speed record in the Southern Ocean.

Golding commented, “This is obviously fantastic for us to be able to formally announce our partnership with Gamesa. With Gamesa’s support and our existing infrastructure we are now certain to be able to mount a very competitive campaign for the 2012 Vendée Globe – which is simply wonderful news. Having enjoyed enormous success in the sport of sailing, the Vendee Globe remains ‘the event’ I would most love to win.”

“Furthermore, having spent the past decade championing environmental products and issues, it is really exiting that Gamesa’s core business is in renewable energy – an area increasingly critical to performance in competitive round the world yacht racing.”

Mike Golding’s Owen Clark-designed Open 60 is currently undergoing some major optimisation work in the UK, with a view to being on the water again later this summer. The first major event for the team will be the double-handed Transat Jacques Vabre from France to Costa Rica in October 2011.

During May 2012 the Gamesa IMOCA 60 will race fully crewed in the Europa Race (a tour of Europe) before the team makes final preparations for the non-stop solo around the world race, the Vendée Globe.

[Source: IMOCA] The IMOCA Executive Committee and Event Committee got together on 31 May to study the postponement of the Europa Race and its consequences on the calendar.

Olay Nautic, organiser of the race, didn’t have enough competitors to envisage organising the event on the scheduled date, which was originally 1 July 2011. The common objective which IMOCA and the organiser had in mind, namely a fleet of 10 boats, wasn’t achieved.

After consulting the skippers, IMOCA suggested to Olay Nautic that they postpone the race until the spring of 2012. Eleven projects have promised to participate in the Europa Race, the start of which will be given in Istanbul in May 2012.

Through this decision, the Class is confirming its desire to have a European Tour (Europa Race) on its schedule every two years, alternating with a Round the World race. Positioned prior to the Vendée Globe and the Barcelona World Race, the Europa Race will contribute towards the promotion of the round the world races, particularly across Europe, which accommodates the bulk of the IMOCA fleet.

On a competitive level the Europa Race, which is run in crewed configuration, shall be a platform for the last fine tuning sessions for the boats and minimises the risk prior to an important event. To suit the needs of the skippers preparing for a round the world, one leg of the Europa Race will be raced in solo configuration prior to the Vendée Globe and double-handed configuration prior to the Barcelona World Race.

Cumali Varer, President of Olay Nautic, is already working on a new race format which will be presented between now and 15 July 2011. Clearly this postponement alters the scheduled programme, particularly as regards The Transat, which was originally due to set sail in May 2012.

OC ThirdPole, organiser of The Transat, was informed of the situation and was consulted prior to the final decision being made. OC ThirdPole has stood by IMOCA for a long while and understands the need of the Class to postpone the Europa Race. It will in turn study the possibility of postponing The Transat with the aim of gathering a minimum of 10 competitors at the start.

Up till now the IMOCA programme followed a four-year cycle of events, punctuated by its landmark race, the Vendée Globe. The integration of the Barcelona World Race, has put a new light on the things through its success and durability. In the future, the IMOCA calendar is set to integrate periods of solo races and double-handed races, each culminating in a round the world. IMOCA is working in this direction, by associating race organisers in its thought processes.

[Source: Banque Populaire] Major player in offshore racing for 22 years, sport with which it shares the values ​of bravery and freedom, the Banque Populaire has developed 5 offshore multihulls with its Team and has always been among the leaders in this class. With the Maxi Banque Populaire V launched in 2008, it now owns the largest ocean racing trimaran ever built in the world (record holder of the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean and of the distance covered in 24h). Its involvement in the competition has been further affirmed in 2004 by entering the Figaro circuit with Jeanne Gregoire, a leading woman in its class, 5th in the French Offshore Racing Championship single-handed in 2010 .

It is with the same spirit of performance enhancement that it supports, since 2000, the French Sailing Federation and the French Sailing Olympic Team. In 2010, it has invested more broadly alongside the National Committee of French Sports and Olympics, the entire French Team for London 2012 Olympic Games and Annecy’s candidacy for the organization of the Olympic Winter Games of 2018.

Through all these initiatives, it shows its commitment to achievement and self-transcendence values through sports competition. Its involvement in sport has even grown since 2003 with a heritage side in participating, alongside the Eric Tabarly Association, in the restoration of the Pen Duick fleet and sharing it with the public.

A new project in the Team Banque Populaire

Banque Populaire today reaffirms its commitment in sport and sailing by presenting this next two years program.

As of next winter, the Maxi Banque Populaire V and her crew, led by a new skipper, will attempt the Jules Verne Trophy record, round the world race non-stop and unassisted. On the same route, but single-handed, Banque Populaire, which acquired the 60-foot Foncia monohull, will be present on the IMOCA circuit and will participate in the next Vendée Globe. For this challenge, Banque Populaire has chosen one of the best sailors in the category, second in the last edition and eager to succeed his second round the world solo, nonstop and unassisted:  Armel Le Cléac’h. By then, his program will include the Transat Jacques Vabre 2011 and several other competitions. The responsibility of the new racing team made ​of the Maxi Trimaran Banque Populaire V, the 60-foot monohull and of the Figaro Banque Populaire, is entrusted to Ronan Lucas, appointed Director of the Team Banque Populaire.

Always more action with the French Sailing Federation

Throughout France, Banque Populaire is involved with the French Sailing Federation to allow everyone, beginners or experts, from initiation to competition, to live and share its passion. In 2011-2012, as it has been the case for 11 years, it will thus co-finance the equipment needed by clubs, departmental committees and sailing leagues. It will accompany 9 France Championships, the French Olympic Week and broadly all the Federation activities. This dynamic is multiplied in regions thanks to the involvement of 20 regional Banque Populaire which accompany 22 leagues, 12 departmental committees and many regional or local initiatives for the last 10 years.

Banque Popualire has also decided to contribute to the development of new practices of this sport, responding to strong demand from young people, by embarking along the French Sailing Federation in its project of creating a French team of Fun Board. Antoine Albeau, sailor of the year 2010, will be the ambassador.

2012: An Olympic year for Banque Populaire

Involved in the Olympics alongside the whole French Sailing Team, Banque Populaire wished to particularly support  two new ambassadors, in dinghies 4.70: Nicolas Charbonnier, Bronze Medal at the Beijing Olympics Game in 2008, 2nd in the senior World Championship in 2010 in Holland and his team-mate Jeremie Mion, Junior World Champion and European Champion (under 22) in 2009 and 2010.

They embody, as did the windsurfer Faustine Merret at the Olympics Games in Beijing, Banque Populaire’s support to the Team that will defend France in Weymouth during the London Olympics.

Beyond sailing, Banque Populaire will support every French athletes participating in the London Olympic Games. Under its agreements with the CNOSF, it will develop, during next winter, an operation so that every French people can express its support to French athletes in the spirit of sharing which it is especially attached to.

Programme of the projects

Monohull 60 ‘Banque Populaire:
- 2011
Late April: delivery of the boat in Lorient
Late June: Delivery of the new mast
June-July: training
. Artemis Challenge from August 6th to 13th
. Fastnet starting Sunday, August 14th
. Transat Jacques Vabre starting Sunday, October 30th
- 2012
. Transat in May
. Vendee Globe starting Sunday, November 11th

Maxi trimaran Banque Populaire V:
- 2011
. SNSM record from 17th to 21st June
. Rolex Fastnet Race starting Sunday, August 14th
. Jules Verne Trophy stand by period starting early November

Figaro Banque Populaire:
- 2011
. Solo Massif Marine. from March 17th  to 29th
. Transat Bénodet-Martinique starting Sunday, April 10th
. SNSM record from 17th to 21st June
. Solitaire du Figaro starting July 31st

[Source: Vendée Globe] Bruno Retailleau, President of the Vendée Council officially launched the seventh Vendée Globe at a press conference organised on Wednesday at the Paris Boat Show. The Vendée Globe 2012/2013 will set sail from les Sables d’Olonne on Sunday 11th November 2012 at 1400hrs GMT and already looks like being a vintage edition. With two years to go to the start, twelve sailors have already announced their intention of taking part and between 28 and 35 boats are forecast to be there at the start.

Bruno Retailleau, President of the Vendée Council, Louis Guédon, MP and Mayor of les Sables d’Olonne, Luc Talbourdet, President of the IMOCA class and Patricia Brochard, CEO of Sodebo officially launched the seventh Vendée Globe on Wednesday 8th November at the Nautic, the Paris Boat Show. After reminding everyone of the unique character of the Vendée Globe, an event which is a major sporting event, but also important in terms of the media coverage and the economic consequences (1.7 million people attended the start and the finish generating revenue estimated to be worth more than 39 million euros), Bruno Retailleau announced the official publication of the Notice of Race. He reminded everyone that “the event fits in perfectly with the identity of Vendée, the department so closely linked to the sea” before revealing the new features in the 2012-2013 event.

Start on 11th November 2012 at 14hrs GMT

In order to encourage the public, the date chosen for the start coincides with the middle of the half-term holidays in France and is in fact a bank holiday: the starting gun will go off on Sunday 11th November 2012 at 14hrs GMT. 28 sailors are expected to line up to attempt this adventure, including one previous winner: Vincent Riou (PRB). As for the organisers, they were pleased to learn about the recent project announced by François Gabart (Macif), who will be building his own 60-foot IMOCA boat with the Vendée Globe in mind. The technical details for this project will be taken care of by a certain Michel Desjoyeaux, twice winner of the Vendée Globe.

With two years to go to the start, twelve projects are already complete, or in other words one more than at the same time in the previous edition, and we can already confirm the names of nine of them: Arnaud Boissières (FRA, Akena Verandas), Kito de Pavant (FRA, Groupe Bel), Alex Thomson (GB, Hugo Boss), Vincent Riou (FRA, PRB), Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA, Virbac-Paprec), Dominique Wavre (SUI, Mirabaud), Bernard Stamm (SUI, Cheminées Poujoulat), François Gabart (FRA, Macif) and Safran (FRA).

Bruno Retailleau also explained that some projects are due to be finalised in the first half of 2011, and these include Armel Le Cléac’h (FRA), Mike Golding (GB), and Christopher Pratt (FRA), Finally, “ten other skippers have officially announced that they would like to take part in the race and are in contact with a sponsor.” They are Jérémie Beyou (FRA), Yannick Bestaven (FRA), Samantha Davies (GB), Raphaël Dinelli (FRA), Rich Wilson (USA), Yann Elies (FRA), Boris Herrmann (ALL), Dee Caffari (GB), Marc Emig (FRA), a Polish and a Spanish sailor. So in all there are around thirty sailors seriously committed to signing up to line up for the start on 11th November 2012.

As for the boats, at least six new IMOCA monohulls are due to start the race, including the three VPLP-Verdier designed boats sailed by Vincent Riou, Jean-Pierre Dick and François Gabart as well as Bernard Stamm’s Juan K-designed boat. Two other boats are in the process of being built.

New safety arrangements

We can also see that some new safety measures have been put in place, linked to the modifications to IMOCA class rules aimed at reducing damage to masts and keels: power limited by the new righting moment, an air draught limited to 29 metres, annual checks on all the masts and keels, which have to conform to stricter construction rules. In addition, the emergency hatch will have to be located above the waterline and each skipper will have to wear an individual beacon at all times.

For 2012, the prize money will be increased by 100,000 euros in comparison to the last race, which takes it to a total of 600,000 euros (including 160,000 € for the winner, 100,000 € for the runner-up and 75,000 € for third place). As for the Race Directors, an invitation for tender will go out to recruit the Race Director for the 2012-2013 race, and Mathias Lallemand will be taking on the role of permanent shore-based assistant director. Two other developments were announced: the race will be even more of an international affair and there will be a major change to the race village: a new Race Village will be built in Port Olona, and for the first time a Vendée Globe Village will also be set up in Paris.

With the publication of the Notice of Race, registrations can officially begin and will be open until 1st July 2012. The countdown has begun.

[Source: Vendée Globe] At 14h35’50″ GMT today (Sunday 22nd February) Arnaud Boissières, the skipper of Akena Vérandas, crossed the finish line of the 2008-2009 Vendée Globe in seventh place after 105 days 02 hours 33 minutes and 50 seconds of racing averaging 11.04 knots on the water covering 27,841 miles. He sailed the 24,840 theoretical miles at an average speed of 9.85 knots.

A teenage dream came true today. At the age of seventeen, he was present with his father at the start of the first Vendée Globe in 1989. It was a trip to Les Sables d¹Olonne to see the first Vendée Globe heroes and to forget the leukaemia, which had been discovered six months before. After two and a half years of chemotherapy, Arnaud Boissières decided to earn his living from his passion for the sea. Cali raced in the 1999 Mini Transat when terrible conditions decimated the fleet. His boat was dismasted, but he completed the race after a pit stop in France. He raced twice subsequently, finishing third in 2001.

Arnaud Boissières finishes seventh in Vendée Globe. Les Sables d’Olonne, 22 February 2009. Photo copyright Pierrick Contin / Vendée Globe

He also worked as a preparateur for Yves Parlier and Catherine Chabaud and sailed with Olivier de Kersauson on his Oryx round the world race attempt. Today, twenty years after the first Vendée Globe, his life has come full circle back to Les Sables d¹Olonne, where today he was welcomed by tens of thousands of spectators, as was the case for the six competitors, who finished before him.

In this particularly tough Vendée Globe, making it back to Les Sables d¹Olonne is in itself an achievement. Cali, as Arnaud is nicknamed, could never have imagined finishing seventh, when he set out. The icing on the cake after a round the world race that he managed prudently on his Open 60 which was launched back in 1998.

A Finot-Conq design with a fixed keel that finished sixth in the hands of Thomas Coville in 2001 and fifth with Sébastien Josse in 2005, apart from a ripped solent, a broken wind generator and a satellite dome ripped off in the Pacific, he did not suffer any major damage, in spite of going through some severe storms, including one at Cape Horn, which he rounded for the first time on 16th January.

After a long struggle with Dee Caffari and Brian Thompson, Arnaud Boissières got left behind in the climb back up the Atlantic, where he was handicapped by his torn solent. After a final North Atlantic low on 6th February, Cali completed his Vendée Globe in light airs in the Bay of Biscay. A gentle finish, mirroring the character of the skipper, whose quiet determination ensured that the project was smoothly run from the beginning to the end.

[Source: Vendée Globe] At 14h35’50″ GMT today (Sunday 22nd February) Arnaud Boissières, the skipper of Akena Vérandas, crossed the finish line of the 2008-2009 Vendée Globe in seventh place after 105 days 02 hours 33 minutes and 50 seconds of racing averaging 11.04 knots on the water covering 27,841 miles. He sailed the 24,840 theoretical miles at an average speed of 9.85 knots.

A teenage dream came true today. At the age of seventeen, he was present with his father at the start of the first Vendée Globe in 1989. It was a trip to Les Sables d¹Olonne to see the first Vendée Globe heroes and to forget the leukaemia, which had been discovered six months before. After two and a half years of chemotherapy, Arnaud Boissières decided to earn his living from his passion for the sea. Cali raced in the 1999 Mini Transat when terrible conditions decimated the fleet. His boat was dismasted, but he completed the race after a pit stop in France. He raced twice subsequently, finishing third in 2001.

Arnaud Boissières finishes seventh in Vendée Globe. Les Sables d’Olonne, 22 February 2009. Photo copyright Pierrick Contin / Vendée Globe

He also worked as a preparateur for Yves Parlier and Catherine Chabaud and sailed with Olivier de Kersauson on his Oryx round the world race attempt. Today, twenty years after the first Vendée Globe, his life has come full circle back to Les Sables d¹Olonne, where today he was welcomed by tens of thousands of spectators, as was the case for the six competitors, who finished before him.

In this particularly tough Vendée Globe, making it back to Les Sables d¹Olonne is in itself an achievement. Cali, as Arnaud is nicknamed, could never have imagined finishing seventh, when he set out. The icing on the cake after a round the world race that he managed prudently on his Open 60 which was launched back in 1998.

A Finot-Conq design with a fixed keel that finished sixth in the hands of Thomas Coville in 2001 and fifth with Sébastien Josse in 2005, apart from a ripped solent, a broken wind generator and a satellite dome ripped off in the Pacific, he did not suffer any major damage, in spite of going through some severe storms, including one at Cape Horn, which he rounded for the first time on 16th January.

After a long struggle with Dee Caffari and Brian Thompson, Arnaud Boissières got left behind in the climb back up the Atlantic, where he was handicapped by his torn solent. After a final North Atlantic low on 6th February, Cali completed his Vendée Globe in light airs in the Bay of Biscay. A gentle finish, mirroring the character of the skipper, whose quiet determination ensured that the project was smoothly run from the beginning to the end.