The "little" new ones
The Bermuda 1000 Race is the first solo IMOCA race for seven of the sailors in the fleet. While they are used to solo sailing on other circuits, this will be a great first in the Open 60. The objective for them will be to get their bearings and succeed in completing this first course. They will also be able to test each other, but also find their place in a fleet that has already been formed.
This will be the start for Sébastien Simon (Arkea-Paprec, ex-PRB) after 35 days of sailing and two transatlantic races with Vincent Riou. The Italian Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian Group) will also be on an IMOCA hydrofoil boat and will come to test himself for the first time against the competition after a two-month training period.
Among the newcomers, we also find the British Miranda Merron (Campagne de France) and Pip Hare (Superbigou), Clément Giraud (Envol), the Belgian Denis Van Weynbergh (Eyesea.be) and Maxime Sorel (V and B-Sailing Together).
On their boats for the 2008-2009 Vendée Globe, their first objective is to finish the race and accumulate miles for the selection of the solo round the world race. But let's not forget their competitive side which promises us a great race.
"When my préparateurs leave me shortly before the start, I will really discover my boat alone at sea. It's a bit scary, because it's a big machine with a lot of canvas and it requires a lot of anticipation. I'm going to be very careful and I'll have to learn to ease off", confides for example Maxime Sorel.
Yannick Bestaven, even if he is not really a rookie, will be racing for the first time on his new IMOCA (ex-Safran). After a test campaign in Cascais (Portugal) with Roland Jourdain, he is now throwing himself into the deep end with a hydrofoil monohull that will allow him to achieve his ambitions.
The "tourdumondists
Among the fleet are three sailors for whom the solo round-the-world race is not unknown. Starting with the British sailor Sam Davies, who will be on Initiatives-C?ur, recently relaunched and now equipped with impressive new foils. It is true that she is still quick to get the hang of it, but let's not forget that last year she missed out on victory by just 12 minutes to Paul Meilhat.
In this category, we also find Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline-Artipôle), who has 3 Vendée Globe finishes to his credit and wants to make this year about performance. He has equipped his IMOCA with foils since last season.
Finally, Fabrice Amedeo (Newrest-Art & Fenêtres), 11th in the 2016-2017 Vendée Globe, has put his boat back in the water on April 29, 2019 and comes with "measured ambitions".
If these last two sailors are automatically selected for the next solo round the world race in 2020, it is important for them to participate in the circuit events, and in particular, in the only solo race of the year.
Regulars looking to qualify
Six competitors have completed the 2018 Route du Rhum and need to continue to rack up the miles, starting with Germany's Boris Herrmann (Malizia Yacht Club de Monaco), who is mastering his mount better and better and has high ambitions. fourth in the IMOCA Globe Series, he intends to take advantage of this 2,000-mile race to climb up the rankings, in the absence of his three direct competitors.
Both on Finot-Conq boats, Damien Seguin (Groupe Apicil) and Stéphane Le Diraison (Time For Oceans) have the means to finish at the top of the straight daggerboard boats, and why not leave a few foilers in their sterns.
The Finn Ari Huusela (Ariel 2), Manuel Cousin (Groupe Setin) and Alexia Barrier (4myplanet) will try to repeat their performances in the Route du Rhum euros Destination Guadeloupe, which was for all three the first major solo experience in IMOCA.
The participants
Fabrice Amedeo (Newrest-Art & Fenêtres)
- Alexia Barrier (4myplanet)
- Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ)
- Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline-Artipôle)
- Manuel Cousin (Setin Group)
- Sam Davies (Initiatives C?ur)
- Clément Giraud (Envol)
- Pip Hare (Superbigou)
- Boris Herrmann (Malizia Yacht Club of Monaco)
- Ari Huusela (Ariel 2)
- Stéphane Le Diraison (Time For Oceans)
- Miranda Merron (French Campaign)
- Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian Group)
- Damien Seguin (Apicil Group)
- Sébastien Simon (Arkea-Paprec)
- Maxime Sorel (V and B-Sailing Together)
- Denis Van Weynbergh (Eyesea.be)
