News Around the World In this regard Paul has already announced the composition of his
crew: a dream team made of five men, three women, three nationalities. ‘I wanted to have people onboard who share the philosophy of the project,’ he says… ‘I tried to find a balance, a mix between energy, pleasurable companions and expertise. But we also had to be pragmatic because we will have very little preparation before the race. So I had to surround myself with people who already have the ability, with whom I am 100 per cent sure it will work.’ Some of Paul’s group have a lot of Imoca experience and are them-
selves campaigning for the next Vendée Globe. For them, as for him, The Ocean Race is an opportunity to gain qualifying miles. Others have already competed in round-the-world races as crew, several actually tick both boxes. All are great sailors with a remarkable record, able to make a boat work efficiently and with as little human input as possible to preserve energy. On each stage there will be three men onboard and one woman plus
the reporter. A complete rotation of the workforce takes place over the seven legs. They are, alongside Paul, Giulio Bertelli (America’s Cup, MOD70, TP52, Imoca), Anne Beaugé (Mini and Class40), Ronan Gladu (reporter), Amélie Grassi (Mini, Class40, Ultim Actual), Mariana Lobato
Vendée Globe after breaking in half!]. Later I proposed this hull, designed by Guillaume Verdier originally for an Ocean Race project, which was sitting part-built at Carrington. This allowed us to save 1.5million euros compared to the construction of a 100 per cent new boat. It was good for the finances but also for the timing, and I was still able to make the changes we wanted including cutting 4.8m into the bow to spatulate it. ‘The irony of the story is that after we finished the PRB company was
sold to the international group Holcim who wanted to do The Ocean Race – which was not in our programme originally. This decision was made in July and so straight after launch we had to redo all the decoration! ‘Ironically we bought what had been created as a “crewed” boat for
shorthanded racing and now we find ourselves participating in the crewed race for which this boat was originally designed…’ Like Meilhat, Kevin insists that the changes to be made from one race to the next are minimal. In terms of layout Kevin has opted for a compromise coachroof with
two large rear openings (the coachroof on Maliziais 100 per cent ‘sealed’ like Hugo Boss 2020 while on Biotherm Meilhat prefers to keep some open cockpit as on Charlie Dalin’s brilliant Verdier design Apivia). As a veteran of the Volvo Ocean Race, Kevin highlights the need to
have durable sails for a round-the-world crew because ‘the entire wardrobe cannot exceed 12 sails and some cannot even be changed. No more than eight sails are allowed on each leg (the Imoca class rule), including always a storm sail that has been increased from 20 to 25m
2 ,
a J2 on a fixed stay and a mainsail. I am building a specific set of sails for The Ocean Race, while the current “solo” sails for the Route du Rhum will later be used again for the two-handed TJV in 2023.’ In addition, only one Imoca rule certificate is allowed for the entire
Ocean Race along with only one set of spare foils. Kevin sails an inter- mediate-generation boat, between those of the last VG and the new- generation 2022 boats Charal 2 and Malizia Explorer, not to mention the future boats of Richomme, Ruyant, Dalin… His crew is not yet finalised but we imagine his shipmates from Dongfeng, beginning with Pascal Bidégorry, will be part of the team. ‘In the TJV we’ve already seen a big difference stepping “up” from
solo to two handed. Going to a four or five-man crew will make a bigger difference –with a crew you can go 10-15 per cent faster than the design polars when you get foiling, quite impossible racing shorthanded. Around 30kt you are 3kt faster than the shorthanded target. This is huge! ‘The real problem will be not breaking the boats. A full crew can quite
Jean Le Cam reaches down to pull Kevin Escoffier aboard his own Imoca Yes We Cam! during the last Vendée Globe after Escoffier’s (very high-mileage) PRB buried its nose when sailing downwind in 25kt of wind, split in two at the mast bulkhead and sank in under two minutes. ‘This is not a joke, I am sinking!!’ was Escoffier’s single radio message from PRB before getting in the liferaft and waiting hopefully for rescue by a fellow competitor
(Match Racing World Champion) and Damien Seguin (triple Paralympic medallist, seventh in the VG 2020, competing in the 2024 VG with Groupe Apicil). ‘With sailors of this ability our boat should be at 100 per cent all the
time. There will always be one person on deck just trimming – while in the two-handed TJV one person on watch has to manage everything. ‘The Volvo 65 is a “donkey” boat, the Imoca remains a delicate boat.
You have to manage your great power. You have to listen to your boat. On a one-design it’s always the one with the most canvas that wins. In Imoca it’s different.’ Kevin Escoffier confirmed his entry as his rebranded Imoca, in striking
green and blue, was rolled out of the shed in Lorient and relaunched at the end of August. ‘I love racing, and The Ocean Race is an amazing race where you push 100 per cent all the time,’ he said. ‘And you share this life with your crew. In 2014-15 it was my first race with Dongfeng Race Team and Charles Caudrelier as the skipper. In 2017-18 I was very lucky he called me back to join a winning campaign! ‘Even before the departure of the VG 2020 we had discussed with
Jean-Jacques Laurent, the boss of PRB, following up the project by buying a more modern secondhand boat [Kevin’s previous PRBsank in the 2020
20 SEAHORSE
easily push these boats much harder so we have to be super-careful. They may not even realise they are doing it! The new foils generate increased stresses due to the extra speed, especially on the rigging, plus harsher impacts on the bottom of the hull. We’ll have to sail wisely.’ Given his experience and track record in the Volvo, the skipper of
Holcim-PRB is a favourite for the race. A role he refutes on the basis that the American boat 11th Hour was launched earlier, that she has sailed a lot and that the US team has exceptional human and financial resources. As for the Route du Rhum, which is just around the corner, like other
skippers with new boats, Kevin keeps expectations low: ‘The favourites are the previous-generation boats, tried and tested, reliable and well- known to their skippers. For me the Rhum is about sailing conservatively on the first days especially if there is big wind. I want to be able to take on my crew then return quickly to Alicante after the finish in Guadeloupe.’ Patrice Carpentier
UK Talent factory Britain’s factory of sailing talent is once again whirring at operational capacity with the announcement during Cowes Week in August of the launch of the Athena Pathway Programme, flagged beneath a stated mission to: ‘fast-track development of women into high-performance foiling sailing’. Launched by Sir Ben Ainslie and Hannah Mills, OBE, the programme
arrives with guaranteed PR clout but without the cash support initially of Sir Jim Ratcliffe. ‘Jim’s already committed an eye-watering sum of money to building the fastest boat to win the America’s Cup and giving
JEAN LE CAM
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