Mouthwatering


The 2021 Volvo Ocean Race – or its successor – will take place in crewed Imoca 60s probably with a ‘junior’ class competing in the existing VO65s. Foiling offshore monohulls pushed to the human and technical limit with better than ever live coverage... First, however, there are key decisions to make. Former Seahorse editor Marcus Hutchinson collared Johan Salén, one half of the Atlant partnership, new owner of ‘The Race Formerly Known As The Volvo Ocean Race’, and Antoine Mermod, the Imoca class president, to find out how we got here, where we are heading and how we will be getting there


34 SEAHORSE


Introduction The 2017-2018 Volvo Ocean Race is done, we’ve heard that the next edition will be in 2021 and that the race is under new ownership. The VO65s have been sent back to the sheds and everyone involved has been taking a well-earned break. Well, not quite everyone. VOR senior management have been working extremely hard on engineering an intelli- gent convergence in offshore racing… Elsewhere in the offshore racing world


the Route de Rhum starts on 4 November. The French singlehanded classic will take a fleet of 120 boats – six Ultimes, 23 Imoca 60s, six Multi50s and 50 Class40s, along with two other amateur classes – from St Malo to Guadeloupe. Among the Imocas will be the first of the second generation of foiling round-the-world monohulls: Jérémie Beyou’s new Charal, the first of no fewer than six new boats being built for the 2020 Vendée Globe. Only 30 boats will be allowed to enter


the next Vendée Globe and the Route du Rhum is one of the selection events, where 18 boats are competing for the 12 remain- ing places. It’s clear that the Imoca world is in rude health and doing things right. VOR management, reflecting on why they could muster only seven boats for the last race, are more than aware of this. Seahorse: Ericsson, SCA, Assa Abloy, EF Education, Intrum Justitia, The Card… Johan, you and your business partner Richard Brisius have been around successful projects for 30 years. Now suddenly not only are you in charge but you own the product too… Johan Salén: For us it was a big surprise. It wasn’t our intention to get involved in this edition. We got a call last October from Henry Stenson, chairman of the Volvo Ocean Race. He explained to us that not only had Mark Turner decided to resign as CEO but that Volvo were considering selling the event. Henry asked if we could help out as it would be difficult to find a


THIERRY MARTINEZ


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