8 days to go to the Bermuda 1000 Race: 17 solo sailors lining up
It is in a week from now on Wednesday 8th May that the Bermuda 1000 race will start from Douarnenez (Brittany). It is the first event in the 2019 IMOCA Globe Series and the only solo race of the season…
It is in a week from now on Wednesday 8th May that the Bermuda 1000 race will start from Douarnenez (Brittany). It is the first event in the 2019 IMOCA Globe Series and the only solo race of the season. Seventeen sailors representing six nationalities are expected to take part, including three women and seven solo sailing rookies. They will be facing 2000 miles of racing back to Brest, via the emblematic Fastnet lighthouse and the Azores. We take a look today at the line-up.
As in all of the events in the IMOCA class, the Bermuda 1000 Race will be bringing together a large and eclectic fleet with sailors competing on boats launched between 1998 (Alexia Barrier) and 2015 (Fabrice Amedeo and Giancarlo Pedote). While there are huge differences in terms of the technology, we shall also see skippers coming from a wide range of backgrounds with different experiences and various goals.
First time on a foiler for Yannick Bestaven and huge appendages for Sam Davies
Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ) has moved up a step by swapping his Farr designed boat from 2006 (now in the hands of Clément Giraud) for a much more recent IMOCA with foils, the former Safran. After a good trial period in Cascais (Portugal) with Roland Jourdain, Yannick will be racing for the first time with this boat, which should allow him to fully express himself. After a long refit, Sam Davies (Initiatives Cœur) relaunched her IMOCA last week and unveiled some new foils, which are impressive in terms of their size. The Bermuda 1000 Race will be a good first test, even if she has not had much time to get to grips with the new foils. We should add that last year, Sam came close to victory, finishing just twelve minutes behind Paul Meilhat.
• Fabrice Amedeo (Newrest-Art & Fenêtres)
• Alexia Barrier (4myplanet)
• Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ)
• Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline-Artipôle)
• Manuel Cousin (Groupe Setin)
• Sam Davies (Initiatives Cœur)
• Clément Giraud (Envol)
• Pip Hare (Superbigou)
• Boris Herrmann (Malizia Yacht Club de Monaco)
• Ari Huusela (Ariel 2)
• Stéphane Le Diraison (Time For Oceans)
• Miranda Merron (Campagne de France)
• Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian Group)
• Damien Seguin (Groupe Apicil)
• Sébastien Simon (Arkea-Paprec)
• Maxime Sorel (V and B-Sailing Together)
• Denis Van Weynbergh (Eyesea.be)
The programme for the Bermuda 1000 Race:
- Monday 6th May: Course to be announced
- Tuesday 7th May, 1730hrs (Douarnenez): Race briefing
- Wednesday 8th May, 1300hrs (Douarnenez): Start of the Bermuda 1000 Race
- Wednesday 15th May (Brest): First competitors expected to finish
- Saturday 18th May, 1800hrs (Brest): Prize-giving ceremony
Teams info
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