The dismasting of the IMOCA Fortinet - Best Western in September 2024 set Romain Attanasio's team racing against the clock. Between technical challenges, sponsor support and financial mobilization, the skipper overcame this ordeal. Here are the milestones that enabled this collective adventure to continue.
A technical challenge: replacing a mast in record time
When the mast broke during the Azimut Challenge, the Fortinet - Best Western team was faced with the complex task of finding and installing a new mast in an extremely short space of time. Unlike better-funded teams, the team had no spare mast. Thanks to the solidarity of the skippers, and in particular the offer by Maxime Sorel of V and B - Monbana - Mayenne to sell his spare mast, the situation was quickly resolved.
Acceptance of the mast in Lorient on September 24 marked the start of an intense refit. The crew had to adapt the new spar, install the rigging, radar and aerials, and recalibrate the electronics to ensure that everything worked perfectly. The challenge was met in record time, while preparations for the Vendée Globe continued in parallel.
Skipper solidarity and team spirit
Beyond the purely technical aspects, this incident demonstrated the strength of solidarity in the world of ocean racing. Several skippers spontaneously offered to help, but it was Maxime Sorel's offer that enabled Fortinet - Best Western to get back on the water. This mutual support bears witness to a culture unique to sailors: that of helping one's fellow man, even in an extremely competitive environment.
This kind of mutual support is not uncommon in the world of ocean racing, but it's all the more significant when it enables a more modest team to continue participating in one of the world's greatest nautical competitions. This team spirit goes beyond the boundaries of the sport, and illustrates a true fraternity between sailors.
Financial mobilization crucial for the future
Replacing the mast and repairing the equipment generated significant costs that Romain Attanasio's team could not bear alone. Fortinet and Best Western, title partners, immediately responded by releasing additional funds to alleviate the emergency.
However, a third of the costs remain to be financed. All together, and thanks to the deployment of an online kitty, two-thirds of the financing for this replacement operation has been reached. The final third remains to be found...
