Malizia-Seaexplorer on the start

IMOCA – New York Vendée-Les Sables d’Olonne

29 May 2024

The IMOCA fleet are back out at sea on another challenge crossing the North Atlantic from west to east. A few weeks after a superb performance in The Transat CIC (formerly the English Transat) in which Boris Herrmann from Yacht Club de Monaco finished 2nd, the 60-footers have left Manhattan and its skyline. For this 2nd edition of the New York Vendée-Les Sables d’Olonne, 28 skippers were on the start line that was anchored off the American coast.

Ahead lies 3,100 nautical miles of racing to reach the Vendée port. A dress rehearsal before the Vendée Globe which kicks off on Sunday 10th November, this event has special meaning for the sailors in competition. While for some it’s their last chance to qualify, for others it’s an opportunity to put their boats to the test one last time.

“I want to cover as many miles as possible solo,” says Boris, “And if there’s a race on the calendar, I’m up for it. I have already qualified for the Vendée Globe and technically don’t need to do this race. But I just want to be there and sailing as much as possible. The goal is to get a good result to give another boost to my confidence in the boat and myself. The better the position, the better the race will be and the fewer the questions we need to ask ourselves”.

Pushing the boat to the limit, fine-tuning the trimming and staying near the top of the leaderboard will be the objectives of some competitors. A dozen could be expected to finish in the top five. The benchmark time in IMOCA is currently held by Jérémie Beyou of 9 days 16 hours 57 minutes 52 seconds.