Presentation
Undoubtably, the ex-Hugo Boss 2015 designed by the VPLP-Verdier duo in collaboration with Alex Thomson’s team was the most revolutionary boat in the IMOCA fleet in the last Vendée Globe!
Her look alone broke new ground with her all over black livery, her plunging bow, her hull forms and above all her foils. In short, the British spectre has always impressed her rivals, especially since her then skipper was already on his third participation… Unfortunately, foil damage offshore of Kerguelen would ‘seal’ her final push, even though the boat’s performance was such that Alex Thomson was a danger right the way to the finish in Les Sables d’Olonne for the winner, Armel Le Cléac’h. And once again, the ex-Hugo Boss fails to register her name on the winners’ list in the last Route du Rhum, but her skipper feel asleep on the approach to Guadeloupe, hitting it… Since then, Charlie Enright took over the monohull rechristening her 11th Hour Racing, in preparation for her third crewed round the world with stopovers. As he awaits his new prototype dedicated to The Ocean Race, the American successfully participated (4th) in the Transat Jacques Vabre with Pascal Bidegorry.
Benjamin Dutreux will take the helm of the IMOCA in 2022 with a view to a second participation in the Vendée Globe in 2024.