Presentation
Ex Mono 60 Edmond de Rothschild (Gitana 16) she is one of seven new prototypes designed by VPLP-Verdier for the Vendée Globe 2016-2017.
Launched in 2015, she was helmed by Seb Josse from Nice, who teamed up with Charles Caudrelier for the Transat Jacques Vabre. Unfortunately, the boisterous conditions forced the crew to retire as a result of rig issues. Delivered to St Barth’s, she took victory in the return transatlantic race, the B to B. The skipper then had to retire from The Transat due to snapped battens, before securing second place in the New York-Les Sables d’Olonne. In the Vendée Globe, following serious damage to the foil casing whilst in the leading group, Seb Josse was forced to retire and make for Fremantle in Australia.
In March 2017, Boris Herrmann took the helm in the colours of the Yacht Club de Monaco, finishing 3rd in the Fastnet Race (with Pierre Casiraghi), then 4th in the Transat Jacques Vabre (with Thomas Ruyant). Fifth in the Route du Rhum 2018, Boris Herrmann worked assiduously to prepare for the Vendée Globe 2020-2021 (GP Guyader, Bermudes 1000 Race, Fastnet Race…), even taking the young Greta Thunberg to the USA on her, before a lacklustre Transat Jacques Vabre with Will Harris after a failed weather option. Malizia II-Yacht Club de Monaco underwent a complete overhaul in 2020 and was rechristened Seaexplorer - Yacht Club de Monaco. She took the start of the Vendée Globe 2020-2021, finishing in 5th place after colliding with a fishing boat the day before the finish.
In 2021, Romain Attanasio acquires this highly sought-after VPLP Verdier design, now christened Fortinet-Best Western. He finished 7th in the Transat Jacques Vabre with Sébastien Marsset, then 17th in the Vendée Arctique Les Sables, after a European tour between Lorient, London and Lisbon. Since then, Fortinet - Best Western has racked up a string of top-10 finishes in the IMOCA Globe Series.
In 2022, the boat finished tenth in the Route du Rhum.
In 2023, Romain Attanasio teamed up with Loïs Berrehar for the double-handed races of the season.
In 2024, after dismasting during the Défi Azimut, Romain had to urgently find a new mast to ensure his participation in the Vendée Globe. Maxime Sorel, who had a compatible spare mast, offered to sell it to him—sacrificing his own backup just a few months before the start. Thanks to a crowdfunding campaign to support the project, Romain achieved his goal: making it to the starting line of the Vendée Globe. He went on to finish the race in 14th place.
