The 10th edition of the Vendée Globe will see 40 IMOCA boats with very different profiles compete around the Globe. The oldest boat in the fleet is Antoine Cornic's Human Immobilier, an Owen Clarke Design launched in 2005. For the most recent boats, the launch dates from 2023, and involves 5 units from different designers. In fact, 9 naval architects and design firms are represented on this 10th edition, compared with 11 on the previous edition... Marc Lombard was still present in the 9th edition with boats from 1998 and 2004, now too old for the race.
Here are the 9 architects represented on the Vendée Globe 2024/2025:
VPLP/Verdier: 9 IMOCA boats
The most represented architect in this 10th edition of the Vendée Globe is not one, but two... It's the VPLP/Verdier duo, whose collaboration began with Safran in 2007, now renamed MACSF and equipped with foils. This collaboration lasted until 2016. Their cooperation was decisive in the evolution of the IMOCA class. Together, they have designed some of the most successful yachts in recent Vendée Globe editions, revolutionizing the design of these monohulls, particularly with the introduction of foils for the 2015/2016 Vendée Globe. The duo has produced several landmark boats, including Macif in 2012, with which François Gabart won the 2012-2013 edition, and Hugo Boss in 2015, one of the first foiling IMOCAs.
9 boats taking part in the 2024 race are the result of designs by the two firms, launched between 2007 for the oldest and 2015 for the most recent.
- MS Amlin - Conrad Colman - 2007
- MACSF - Isabelle Joschke - 2007
- La Mie Caline - Arnaud Boissières - 2010
- Monnoyeur - Duo for a job - Benjamin Ferré - 2011
- Guyot Environnement - Water Family - Benjamin Dutreux - 2015
- Medallia - Pip Hare - 2015
- Prysmian - Giancarlo Pedote - 2015
- Groupe Apical - Damien Seguin - 2015
- Fortinet - Best Western - Romain Attanasio - 2015
Guillaume Verdier: 8 IMOCA boats
The first IMOCA designed by Guillaume Verdier is Apivia, launched in 2019, with which Charlie Dalin finished the Vendée Globe 2020/2021 in first place in real time. Today he wears the colors of Clarisse Crémer's L'Occitane en Provence. The first IMOCA yacht of the penultimate generation, it made an immediate impression with a string of victories and a spatulate bow design. Charlie Dalin chose this same architect for his new IMOCA, which will be launched in 2023 under the colors of Macif Santé Prévoyance. In this 10th edition, 8 IMOCAs launched between 2019 and 2023 are designed by Verdier.
- L'Occitane en Provence - Clarisse Crémer - 2019
- Vulnerable - Sam Goodchild - 2019
- Dubreuil Group - Sébastien Simon - 2021
- Maître Coq - Yannick Bestaven - 2022
- Holcim PRB - Nicolas Lunven - 2022
- Biotherm - Paul Meilhat - 2022
- V and B - Monbana - Mayenne - Maxime Sorel - 2022
- Macif Santé Prévoyance - Charlie Dalin - 2023
Farr Yacht Design: 6 IMOCA boats
In the 2000s, the architectural firm founded by New Zealander Bruce Farr began designing IMOCA boats, at a time when the class was evolving rapidly, with a constant quest for optimization and performance. The firm brought its know-how, drawn from extensive experience in the Volvo Ocean Race, to bear on the creation of robust, fast boats. Today, Farr Yacht Design focuses more on other types of racing and cruising yachts, but its designs remain benchmarks for "old generation" IMOCA boats.
- Groupe Five - Lantana Environnement - Louis Duc - 2006
- Foussier - Sébastien Marsset - 2006
- Coup de Pouce - Manuel Cousin - 2007
- Becoming - Violette Dorange - 2007
- Freelance.com - Guirec Soudée - 2007
- Oliver Heer Ocean Racing - Oliver Heer - 2008
VPLP: 4 IMOCA
Now without Guillaume Verdier, VPLP is designing the new generation of IMOCA boats for the 2020-2021 Vendée Globe. The first-born is none other than Charal - now Teamwork - Team SNEF - whose foils are almost three times larger than those of 2016. With the boats now truly flying, the shape of the hulls is also changing, with rounder, narrower hulls. 4 IMOCAs launched between 2018 and 2022 are present on the 2024/2025 edition.
- Teamwork - Team SNEF - 2018
- Hublot - Alan Roura - 2019
- DMG Mori Global One - 2019
- Malizia - Seaexplorer - Boris Herrmann - 2022
Finot-Conq: 4 IMOCA boats
Finot-Conq designed its first IMOCA boats in the 2000s, notably for the 2007 generation, 4 of which came from this naval architecture firm. Finot-Conq is now back in the spotlight, in collaboration with Antoine Koch, to design two latest-generation boats to be launched in 2023 with extra-large foils, which are immediately winning podiums in their very first races. 4 IMOCA boats, old and new generations, will take the start of the Vendée Globe.
- Singchain Team Haikou - Jingkun Xu - 2007
- Lazare - Tanguy Le Turquais - 2008
- Vulnerable - Thomas Ruyant - 2023
- Paprec Arkea - Yoann Richomme - 2023
Owen Clark Design: 3 IMOCA boats
Owen Clarke Design (OCD) is a British naval architecture firm founded by Merfyn Owen and Allen Clarke. Owen Clarke Design began focusing on IMOCAs in the early 2000s, designing Ecover in 2002 for Mike Golding, a reliable IMOCA capable of performing in a wide range of conditions, finishing 3rd in the 2004-2005 Vendée Globe. The firm continues to keep abreast of developments in the IMOCA class, notably by upgrading existing boats. 3 IMOCA launched between 2005 and 2007 will be present on this edition.
- Human Immobilier - Antoine Cornic - 2005
- Nexans Wewise - Fabrice Amédéo - 2007
- New Europe - Szabolcs Weöres - 2007
Sam Manuard: 3 IMOCA boats
Sam Manuard's solid experience as a skipper, notably in the Mini 6.50 and Class40 classes, has greatly influenced his approach as a naval architect. His first IMOCA as principal architect was L'Occitane en Provence, launched in 2020 for skipper Armel Tripon, now Louis Burton's Bureau Vallée. This boat attracted attention for its unusual hull shapes, inspired by scows. 3 IMOCA launched between 2020 and 2022 will be present in this Vendée Globe.
- Bureau Vallée - Louis Burton - 2020
- Initiatives-Coeur - Samantha Davies - 2022
- Charal - Jérémie Beyou - 2022
Antoine Koch: 2 IMOCA boats
A naval engineer, Antoine Koch is also a sailor: Solitaire du Figaro, IMOCA, Multi60... In 2023, he is Sam Goodchild's co-skipper for double-handed races. In collaboration with Finot-Conq, he has drawn up the plans for two latest-generation IMOCA boats, both of which will be launched in 2023 and take part in their first Vendée Globe.
- Vulnerable - Thomas Ruyant - 2023
- Paprec Arkea - Yoann Richomme - 2023
David Raison: 2 IMOCA
French naval architect David Raison is known for his innovative approach to racing yacht design, particularly with his scow hull designs. While he has made a name for himself in the Mini 6.50 and Class40 classes, for the first time he is collaborating with the IMOCA class to design two boats in one go, sisterships. These are new boats with scow bows that are "sober, simple and durable", and designed with straight daggerboards rather than foils. 2 IMOCA designed by Raison are taking part in the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe.
- Stand as One - Eric Bellion - 2023
- It all begins in Finistère - Armor Lux - Jean Le Cam - 2023
Other architects
Pete Hobson was Alex Thomson's Design Manager at the time, and took part in the design of the British skipper's IMOCA boat in collaboration with VPLP. Nándor Fa & Attila Déry - Hungary build the IMOCA Spirit of Hungary in Hungary, launched in 2014, with which the skipper is taking part in the Barcelona World Race. For the Vendée Globe 2024, it has taken the name of IeterenGroup in the hands of Denis Van Weynbergh.
