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IMOCA Programme 2009-2012

IMOCA DEFINES FUTURE DEVELOPMENT 

With 27 IMOCA 60’s racing across the Atlantic in the Jacques Vabre, the transatlantic BtoB return race, or around the world this winter in the Barcelona World Race, and the Vendée Globe just one year away, the IMOCA Class Association has never been so strongly represented in terms of numbers, quality, nationalities and boat sponsors. In the recent years IMOCA has attracted a great amount of new companies – of very different profiles and sizes- willing to share some of the great successes of the IMOCA ocean racing world championship. The IMOCA 60 fleet today is clearly the largest that has ever existed in professional ocean racing.

 This success also gives the IMOCA Class great responsibilities and requires both vision and professionalism in order to maintain this level of success after the 2008 Vendée Globe. IMOCA is now proposing an attractive circuit with a fine balance between round the world races, transatlantic racing and other hospitality events.

Today, in Paris, IMOCA has announced the main elements of the 2009-2012 IMOCA calendar.

In its decision process, the IMOCA management team took along six important criteria:

1 – Have a 4 yearly circuit articulated around the Vendée Globe and the Barcelona World Race, ie a round the world race starting every 2 years

2 – Develop the internationalisation of the circuit, without destroying its French roots

3 – Favour events that are IMOCA Class only

4 – Maintain the values that have made our success: Adventure and Emotion

5 – Control costs and increase media return for our members and their sponsors

6 – Welcome a title sponsor to the IMOCA Ocean Racing World Championship

Our 2008-2012 IMOCA event calendar will therefore be based on:

-         Vendée Globe en 2008

-         Barcelona World Race on December 31^st 2010 minimising the media conflict with Route du Rhum 2010 

-         Vendée Globe en 2012

 

Another new IMOCA event is being created as the round Europe “IMOCA European Pro Tour”. This new race will take place in September 2009, and again in 2011, as the main sporting event of the post Vendée Globe year, allowing good hospitality activities for sponsors in 5 or 6 of the best port cities of Europe, inviting them and their public to take a closer look at those unique single-handed skippers and their boats. 

As of today, IMOCA has issued a complete specifications package available for candidate organisers that wish to apply for the organisation of the 2009 edition as a license within the IMOCA Ocean Racing World Championship. The formal announcement of the race format and its organisation will take place during the first half of 2008. Particular attention has been given to timing issues on the different races avoiding conflict of interests and creating a clean, simple but strong championship concept in which as an example the now classic Calais Round Britain Race has also confirmed for 2009 and 2011.

Other races, following IMOCA’s specifications, might be added to this long term calendar in the future but our intention today is to make clear that IMOCA is aware of her responsibilities and has been taking her role with great care.

Our goal is to develop the IMOCA Ocean Racing World Championship into the strongest ocean sailing championship in the world, creating great human stories, and providing valuable return for our members and their sponsors.

The IMOCA 2009-2012 major events

2009

Jan-Feb: Vendée Globe race (start Nov.2008)

Mid-June: Calais Round Britain Race

September: IMOCA European Pro Tour

2010

Spring-Summer: To be confirmed

Oct-Nov: Route du Rhum

31 december: Start Barcelona World Race

2011

Jan-Feb-March: Barcelona World Race

Mid-June: Calais Round Britain Race

September: IMOCA European Pro Tour

 

2012

May: The Transat

November: Vendée Globe