Armel le Cléac'h : The winner of this edition launches himself on a new support: the Ultimates, with the construction of his maxi trimaran Banque Populaire IX . His IMOCA Banque Populaire VII, a hydrofoil boat, winner of the 8 e edition, has therefore passed into the hands of another skipper, with his sights set on the 2020 Vendée Globe, Louis Burton, under the name Bureau Vallée 2.
Alex Thomson hugo Boss is one of the most powerful boats in the fleet, but also the one with the most radical design. The Welsh sailor who had planned to keep it and make it evolve to be even more efficient would finally leave with a brand new boat, as explained by Jean-Jacques Laurent, CEO of the PRB SME (which sponsored Vincent Riou) to Sud-Ouest.
Jeremie Beyou a year before his departure on the Vendée Globe, Jeremie Beyou knew that his partnership with Maître Coq would end on his return. He will now sail under the colors of Charal and a new IMOCA hydrofoil boat, in the brand's colors, is currently under construction for a launch in 2018. The former IMOCA Maître Coq was sold to Tanguy de Lamotte, under the colors of Initiatives-C?ur.
Yann Eliès according to Ouest France, Queguiner Leucémie Espoir (ex-Safran), the first boat without foils to complete the round-the-world race in this 8th edition of the e edition should be sold to an anonymous sailor for his 2020 Vendée Globe project. The latter is said to have planned to equip it with foils. And if we are to believe Yann Eliès' program for the year, he will mainly sail on Figaro Bénéteau, except for the Transat Jacques Vabre, which he will race on St-Michel Virbac, alongside Jean-Pierre Dick.
Louis Burton the skipper arrived 7 e at the arrival of this 8 e edition of the Vendée Globe has bought Armel le Cléac'h's Banque Populaire VIII. This decision was announced before the start. From now on, the IMOCA winner of the solo, non-stop, non-assisted round-the-world race is called Bureau Vallée 2. The former Bureau Vallée is currently still for sale.
Sébastien Josse the latter will now devote himself to the Ultimates circuit, like Armel le Cléac'h. He will launch his Gitana 17, a 32 m maxi trimaran in July 2017. The ?3 million euro boat was put up for sale before the skipper's departure for the Vendée Globe. It was bought after Sébastien Josse's retirement by Boris Herrmann, a 35-year-old German skipper, ex-teammate of Francis Joyon on Idec, thanks to the help of a private investor.
Morgan Lagravière with his retirement from the Vendée Globe, a race that he took very badly because of its harshness, the 29-year-old skipper no longer wanted to hear about the race. Now, he has been able to get all that out of his system and now wants to embark on a new Vendée Globe 2020 program with his boat Safran. But his sponsor is ending its partnership, so he will have to find another sponsor, capable of buying the boat back from him.
Tanguy de Lamotte tanguy de Lamotte had to turn back and abandon his boat due to a damaged mast on Initiatives-C?ur. He sold his boat to Yannick Bestaven and recovered the former Maître Coq, equipped with foils, from Jeremie Beyou, to put it in the colors of Initiatives-C?ur.
Yannick Bestaven even if he was not present on this 8 e edition of the Vendée Globe, he will indeed participate in the 2020 edition. And to prepare, he has already bought Tanguy de Lamotte's former Initiatives-C?ur. He will launch his boat soon (beginning of May), under the colors of Bastide Otio, and hopes to be able to equip it with foils for the next edition of the Vendée Globe, or even have a new boat built.
Vincent Riou the latter was participating in its 4th e edition of the Vendée Globe in 2016, under the colors of his sponsor PRB. But apparently, Vincent Riou has other plans and would like to take part in the Ultimates round the world race in 2019. His IMOCA PRB would line up for the next edition of the Vendée Globe, but in the hands of another skipper
Kito de Pavant he lost his IMOCA Bastide Otio while racing in the Vendée Globe, off the Kerguelen Islands. He will race the Transat Jacques Vabre alongside Yannick Bestaven on the IMOCA Bastide Otio (formerly Initiatives-C?ur), but is still looking for a new IMOCA.
Paul Meilhat he retired from the 2016 Vendée Globe, but kept his IMOCA SMA, on which he will compete in the Transat Jacques Vabre alongside Gwénolé Gahinet. Since then, the boat has been equipped with a starboard foil to test it and compare its use against the port side dervie.
