Record fleet in New York for solo test

Twenty-seven IMOCA class solo sailors make up the list of competitors for the second edition of the 2020 New York-Vendée-Les Sables d’Olonne Transatlantic Race.

The line-up is twice the size of four years ago for this 3500-mile course from the USA to France and the quality is certainly there too, as the race will bring together the eight new generation IMOCAs built for the 2020 Vendée Globe.

Among the competitors is 2016 winner Jérémie Beyou.

27 sailors, 7 nationalities, 5 women
There were 14 in 2016 for the maiden edition of the transatlantic race and there will be practically twice as many this year, confirming once again just how healthy the IMOCA class is, setting new records for the number of entrants.

Starting June 16, the fleet will have sailors representing seven countries: France, Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Japan, and New Zealand. Five women have registered: Clarisse Crémer, Sam Davies, Isabelle Joschke, Miranda Merron, and Pip Hare.

17 foilers including eight new generation boats
For the first time, the eight IMOCA boats built for the 2020 Vendée Globe are expected to line up for the same race. Defending champion Jérémie Beyou (Charal) will be attempting to smash his own reference time on this course of 9 days, 16 hours, 57 minutes, and 49 seconds. Other sailors with brand new IMOCA boats are Charlie Dalin (APIVIA), Thomas Ruyant (ADVENS for Cybersecurity), Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG Mori Global One), Sébastien Simon (ARKEA PAPREC), Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss), Armel Tripon (L’Occitane en Provence), and Nicolas Troussel (CORUM L’Epargne).

No doubt there will be a lot to learn from this first battle between these boats designed by four different architects. The majority of boats will be foilers, and it is likely there will be seventeen of them at the start.

The prologue to the Vendée Globe
The New York-Vendée-Les Sables d’Olonne will be the final test before the round the world race Vendee Globe to start November 8, 2020. The sailors aiming for the top spots will want to leave their imprint with less than five months to go to the start of the Vendée Globe. For others, the main goal will be to complete the race to achieve their qualification for the solo round the world race, if they have not yet done so.

There will be a lot at stake, as by the end of the race, the final line-up for the ninth Vendée Globe will be confirmed. The finish in the harbour entrance in Les Sables d’Olonne will be one of the highlights, offering the skippers a foretaste of the strong emotions they will feel in November.

The 27 skippers registered for the 2020 New York-Vendée-Les Sables d’Olonne:
· Fabrice Amedeo – Newrest-Art et Fenêtres
· Romain Attanasio – PURE
· Yannick Bestaven – Maître CoQ
· Jérémie Beyou – Charal
· Conrad Colman – Ethical Power
· Manuel Cousin – Groupe Setin
· Clarisse Cremer – Banque Populaire IX
· Charlie Dalin – APIVIA
· Sam Davies – Initiatives Cœur
· Benjamin Dutreux – Water Family-Océania Hotels
· Kevin Escoffier – PRB
· Pip Hare – Pip Hare Ocean Racing
· Boris Herrmann – Malizia II-Yacht Club de Monaco
· Isabelle Joschke – MACSF
· Stéphane Le Diraison – Time For Oceans
· Miranda Merron – Campagne de France
· Erik Nigon – Vers un Monde sans Sida
· Giancarlo Pedote – Prysmian Group
· Alan Roura – La Fabrique
· Thomas Ruyant – ADVENS for Cybersecurity
· Damien Seguin – Groupe Apicil
· Kojiro Shiraishi – DMG Mori Global One
· Sébastien Simon – ARKEA PAPREC
· Maxime Sorel – V and B-Mayenne
· Alex Thomson – Hugo Boss
· Armel Tripon – L’Occitane en Provence
· Nicolas Troussel – CORUM L’Epargne

Key dates for the race:

In New York:
– 10th June: date by which the boats must be present in the Brooklyn Navy Yard
– 11th June: Skippers’ meeting at the French Consulate
– 13th June: Exhibition race in the form of runs at the foot of the Statue of Liberty
– 16th June: Star of the New York-Vendée-Les Sables d’Olonne

In Les Sables d’Olonne:
– 25th June: Opening of the Village
– Between 25th and 28th June: ETA for the boats
– 28th June: Epilogue – runs off the main beach in Les Sables and prize-giving ceremony

Source: IMOCA Globe Series