A first Vendée Globe that will have made the young skipper known
Alan Roura will have left his mark on the public and the media for his first participation in the 2016/2017 Vendée Globe. At only 23 years old, this young Swiss skipper will have shared with us his solo round the world trip, on La Fabrique, with his natural kindness and his many photos. We will remember his strong emotion as he descended the channel on November 6, 2016 or his equally moving arrival on February 20, 2017 at the 12 eST PRIS DANS LE GROS TEMPS, ET TANGUE DE GAUCHE ?ROITE, SECOUÉ PAR LES VAGUES. UN HOMME, SANS DOUTE UN PÊCHEUR QUI PARTICIPE À UNE SESSION DE PÊCHE SPORTIVE, PASSE PAR-DESSUS BORD, DE MANIÈRE ASSEZ IMPRESSIONNANTE. position.
However, not everything was won at the beginning. Indeed, it is through the press that he finds his sponsor, only 9 months before the departure of Everest from the World. "I was surprised that Alan was still looking for partners 9 months before the start when the Vendée Globe is an event that every company should dream of participating in" remembers Cyril Cornu, son of the CEO of Cornu, owner of the Roland, Mon Village brands and its stores of producer La Fabrique.
A renewed commitment between La Fabrique and Alan Roura
In March 2017, one month after Alan Roura's return, the Waldensian company decided to renew its partnership and re-engage for a period of 4 years, with the Vendée Globe 2020 in sight. "I proposed several budgets to Cyril and his father, Marc-André, which depended on the type of boat and our sporting ambitions, says Alan . By mutual agreement, we have opted for an intermediate project, but despite everything competitive, by acquiring a boat of the 2008 generation to which we will add foils for the Vendée Globe."
He will therefore be at the helm of a new boat, Bertrand de Broc's former MACSF, which will then be equipped with foils.
For the young skipper, now 24 years old, the foils are signs of success and it will be necessary to have them, if we base ourselves on the clear domination of the "foilers" on the last solo round the world race. "Few boats having been built for the 2012 Vendée Globe and these not being for sale (the former Banque Populaire became Master Coq and since then bought by Initiatives-Coeur and the former Macif became SMA), we only had boats from 2015 at exorbitant selling prices or from 2007/2008, still very competitive, and that we can modify in order to keep up with the latest trends" explains Alan Roura.
"We were in line with Alan's logic, completes Cyril Cornu . We wanted a more competitive project than in 2016, but without rushing the steps. Skipper and sponsor need to gain more experience before starting to build a boat or buying one of the latest generation. The objective in 2020 will be to reach the Top 10 or even the Top 5 depending on the number of boats that will have been built by then."
To train, Alan Roura will participate in the major races of the coming three seasons, with two Transat Jacques Vabre and a Route du Rhum on the programme, as well as several other races yet to be determined.
The new La Fabrique, Armel le Cléac'h's first boat
For this new project, Cornu has just bought the 60-foot IMOCA built in 2007 for Armel Le Cléac'h, the recent winner of the last Vendée Globe. Plan Finot built at the Multiplast yard in Vannes, the monohull born under the colours of Brit Air, had finished 2nd in the 2008 Vendée Globe and 2nd in the 2010 Route du Rhum. "It is one of the best boats of its generation, extremely well built and perfectly maintained since then ", rejoices Alan Roura. Bought by Bertrand de Broc in 2012, the boat has since raced under the colours of Your Name Around the World (9th in the 2012/2013 Vendée Globe and 6th in the 2013 Transat Jacques Vabre) and MACSF (10th in the 2015 Transat Jacques Vabre, withdrawal from the 2016 Vendée Globe). "The boat has been in excellent condition since her return to France and very little work awaits us before putting her back in the water this summer, probably at the beginning of July, is planning her new skipper. The biggest modifications will come later in the coming seasons, to add foils."
A major optimization project is awaiting Alan Roura and his team. "The 2016 Vendée 2016 team will remain at my side, with Gilles Avril as Technical Director, Alexis Monier as Technical Preparer and Aurélia Mouraud as Communication Officer. We have therefore recruited a Project Manager, Laëtitia Brière, a Boat Captain, Antoine Riou, and another preparer, all on a full-time basis, while an engineer will join us at the start of the major works. The team will then be supported by different external service providers depending on the period."
A real skipper status for Alan Roura
A team of 7 to 8 people will now supervise the skipper, who will be able to prepare himself as he should: physical preparation, intensive training and various training sessions will be on his programme, in addition to monitoring the preparation and maintenance of his boat. "Even if I will never be far from the various sites, because I would miss it too much and because it has been one of my strengths in this Vendée Globe to know my boat perfectly and to be able to face any situation, it is an exceptional comfort to be able to rely on a competent team while I have my own occupations confesses the navigator, moved by the trust of his sponsor. I thank La Fabrique for coming back with me, they took a risk in supporting me last year and I am happy that our efforts have finally paid off."
Alan, who is assured of having the necessary operating budget for the next four years, owes this long-term commitment to Cornu, of course, to his performance during his first participation in the Vendée Globe, but also to his personality, which has attracted them as much as the public and the media. "Alan's values are also our values and his way of communicating and sharing what he is experiencing has convinced us to continue our sponsorship, argues Cyril Cornu. We are also aware of its incredible potential and we wanted to give it the means to achieve its objectives, with a competitive project. That's why we have committed to providing him with the necessary budget until the end of the 2020/2021 Vendée Globe and are also looking for other companies that would like to take part in the adventure."
Search for new partners
The Cornu Group will remain Alan Roura's main partner through its various brands and structures, but the company's objective remains to open the project to other companies willing to join them. "Different levels of partnerships will be offered, to companies and individuals wishing to support Alan to the extent of their own resources. The idea will be that of a multi-partner boat, following the philosophy of a "Vendée pour la Suisse" launched by the team in 2016" concluded Cyril Cornu.
