STARK

Going by the name of Aviva, her British sailor got a feel for her boat during The Transat (6th) going on to change the keel of her Owen-Clarke design prior to her singlehanded round the world. Sixth at the finish in Les Sables d’Olonne, Dee Caffari invited fellow Britons Sam Davies and Miranda Merron aboard for an express Round Britain (record in 6d 11h 30’), then took part in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2009 with Brian Thompson (8th) and the Barcelona World Race with Spanish skipper Anna Corbella, in the colours of GAES Centros Auditivos. At the end of the double-handed race around the world, the monohull was put up for sale in 2012, but only found a buyer five seasons later: Finnish sailor Ari Huusela qualified on her for Route du Rhum, which saw him secure 11th place in the IMOCA fleet. After the singlehanded Bermudes 1000 Race (16th), then the double-handed Transat Jacques Vabre with Michael Ferguson (26th), the Scandinavian is preparing the boat in Lorient for what will be his first Vendée Globe.