The 7 e edition of the Défi Azimut, a race reserved for the IMOCA 60 will take place in 2017 from 22nd to 24th September from Lorient la Base. This loop in the Atlantic, which is on the programme of races reserved for Vendée Globe monohulls, will be the opportunity to sail double-handed one last time before the Transat Jacques Vabre (5th November 2017).
A renowned platter
For this last training session before their ocean event, 20 skippers were present for these 24 hours of coastal regattas. The regulars of the event include Yann Eliès, Jean-Pierre Dick, Tanguy de Lamotte, Louis Burton, Fabrice Amedeo, Paul Meilhat, Roland Jourdain and Morgan Lagravière, as well as the racers from the Pole in Lorient, such as Alan Roura, Isabelle Joschke, Pierre Brasseur and Gwénolé Gahinet, but also Samantha Davies, Servane Escoffier, Arnaud Boissières?
There will therefore be around ten duets, including three mixed duets with the participation of three renowned sailors: Samantha Davies, Isabelle Joschke and Servane Escoffier. And among this line-up of top level skippers, we'll note..:
- a three-time winner of the Solitaire du Figaro, Yann Eliès ;
- an undisputed IMOCA double-handed specialist, triple winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre and double winner of the Barcelona World Race, Jean-Pierre Dick ;
- two winners of the previous Transat Jacques Vabre in 2015, with Pierre Brasseur, who won in Class 40, and Giancarlo Pedote in Multi50 ;
- a co-holder of the last Jules Verne Trophy, Gwénolé Gahinet, also winner of the Mini-Transat 2011
Of the 12 crews entered in the Transat Jacques Vabre, there will therefore be 10 crews to be measured in this inshore regatta event.
"That there are ten boats out of the twelve making up the Transat Jacques Vabre fleet is great. It proves that the Azimut Challenge, which is part of a long-term partnership with the class, has become a must-attend event. This is a magnificent line-up, which also illustrates the vitality and dynamism of the class. New skippers are arriving, new boats are being built and most of the skippers who shone in the last Vendée Globe are optimising their boats or changing boats for better performance; this 2017 season brings many positive indicators", congratulates Antoine Mermod, President of IMOCA.
List of the 24 h AZIMUT - IMOCA60 2017 registrants
OFFICE VALLEY 2 (Louis Burton & Servane Escoffier)
GENERALI (Isabelle Joschke & Pierre Brasseur)
SAILS AND YOU (Morgan Lagravière & Éric Peron)
HEART INITIATIVES (Tanguy De Lamotte & Samantha Davies)
THE MANUFACTURING (Alan Roura & Frédéric Denis)
LA MIE CÂLINE - ARTIPOLE (Arnaud Boissières & Manuel Cousin)
NEWREST - BRIOCHE PASQUIER (Fabrice Amedeo & Giancarlo Pedote)
StMICHEL-VIRBAC (Jean-Pierre Dick & Yann Eliès)
ADM (Paul Meilhat & Gwénolé Gahinet)
VIVO A BEIRA (Yoann Richomme & Donatien Carme)
Azimut Challenge Program
On September 22nd at 5 pm, the sailors will set sail from Lorient for the 24 h AZIMUT-IMOCA60, in double-handed configuration, and will reach the port on Sunday 23rd in the afternoon.
On Sunday 24th September, the crews will set off on the CHRONO AZIMUT-IMOCA60 around the island of Groix, in crewed configuration (record to be beaten by Vincent Riou on PRB in 1 h 8" 10') at 1 pm, before the prize-giving ceremony at 5 pm.
