© Jean-Marie LIOT / LinkedOut

Founded in1991 and recognised by World Sailing (International Sailing Federation) since 1998, the ‘International Monohull Open Class Association’ manages the class of 60-foot (18.28 metres) Open monohulls. IMOCA defines the rules guaranteeing sporting equity by developing the innovation and safety of the boats.

The aim of the class is to develop the fleet of monohulls and offer its skippers an attractive and coherent sports programme. It contributes to the internationalisation of offshore racing and combines the notions of competition, innovation, human adventure and safety on a day-to-day basis.

Central to IMOCA’s concerns as it evolves is how to constantly respect the environment better. Renewable energies are not merely viewed as a resource, but also a key element in terms of performance.

In 2018, the Class inaugurated theIMOCA GLOBE SERIES: its four-year championship now including the two 'star' round-the-world races, the Vendée Globe and The Ocean Race. The races are part of the skippers' qualification for the Vendée Globe. At the end of each season, the skipper or duo with the most points is crowned annual IMOCA Champion(s). Before each Vendée Globe, the skipper with the most points accumulated over the year will be crowned IMOCA Champion and the great favorite for the solo round the world race.

MISSION

TECHNICAL & SPORT

• Definition and arbitration of the IMOCA measurement rules
• Cooperation with Race Managements for drafting Notice of Race documents
• Any action is carried out with a view to the safety of sailors and their boat as well as for equity in sport

STRATegic & event-driven 

• Management of the race schedule and the IMOCA Globe Series championship
• Definition of a long-term vision for the Class and its sailors
• Stimulation of all its various protagonists to build an ever more collective and virtuoussystem
• Organisation of the New York-Vendée-Les Sables d'Olonne transatlantic race every four years, which the Class owns
• Creation in 2020 of the Vendée-Arctique-Les Sables d'Olonne race

REPResentative

• Giving sailors a voice with race organisers, national and international bodies and joint service providers.

PROMOTIONal & COMMUNICATION

• Developing IMOCA's voice and image through a strong and inspiring identity
• Communicate and promote the Class: its skippers, its boats, its races and the commitments made for an ever more sustainable performance.
• Bringing IMOCA outside of France
• Pooling communication tools and operations
• Animate the community of sponsors and increase the commercial offer of the Class
• Manage the communication of IMOCA-licensed events

IMOCA TEAM

BOARD

Antoine MERMOD, IMOCA president
Greg EVRARD, team manager of CORUM L'Epargne
Clarisse CRÉMER, skipper of L'Occitane en Provence
Arnaud BOISSIERES, skipper of La Mie Caline
Boris HERRMANN, skipper of Team Malizia
Kevin ESCOFFIER, skipper of Holcim-PRB
Thomas RUYANT, skipper of For People
Philippe LAOT, technical diretor of V and B-Monbana-Mayenne

SPORT COMMITTEE

Hubert LEMONNIER, operations at IMOCA et sport committee coordinator
Louis BURTON, skipper Bureau Vallée
Jérémie BEYOU, skipper Charal
Francis LEGOFF, races director
Christophe GAUMONT, FFV
Fabrice AMEDEO, skipper Nexans-Arts & Fenêtres
Romain ATTANASIO, skipper Fortinet-Best Western
Arnaud BOISSIERES, skipper La Mie Câline
Manuel COUSIN, skipper Groupe SETIN
Samantha DAVIES, skipper Initiatives-cœur
Isabelle JOSCHKE, skipper MACSF
Philippe LE GROS, team V and B-Monbana-Mayenne
Giancarlo PEDOTE, skipper Prysmian Group
Thomas RUYANT, skipper For People
Nicolas TROUSSEL, skipper CORUM L'Épargne

CLASS RULES COMMITTEE

Daniel ANDRIEU
Simon FORBES
Philippe PALLU DE LA BARRIERE

TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

Antoine MERMOD, IMOCA president
René BOULAIRE, IMOCA chief measurer
Noémie PROVOST, technical coordination at IMOCA
&
each team's technical representative is invited to participate in the technical committee