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The countdown is on for Oliver Heer. The Swiss skipper, the first German-Swiss sailor to complete the Vendée Globe in 2025, presented his new IMOCA boat, Embrace The Challenge, in Lorient on May 7, 2026. The project marks the start of a new sporting cycle, with The Ocean Race Atlantic 2026 in its sights.
A graphic identity inspired by the depressions of the Deep South
The monohull's new trim is based on the isobaric lines visible on weather charts. A choice directly linked to ocean navigation and the low-pressure systems encountered in the southern seas.
" The design comes from a weather system in the Southern Ocean. For sailors, there's nothing more important than the weather "explains Oliver Heer. " The lines represent pressure systems, but it's not just a matter of reading isobars: you have to understand pressure and manage pressure. "
The skipper also associates this campaign name with the state of mind developed during his preparation for the Vendée Globe 2024-2025, completed in 99 days, 5 hours, 27 minutes and 34 seconds.
Accelerated training before The Ocean Race Atlantic
The next phase will be devoted to fine-tuning the boat and building the team. In particular, Oliver Heer will benefit from a transition program with the boat's former skipper, Justine Mettraux, to help him get to grips with the IMOCA class as quickly as possible.
" My focus is now entirely on navigation "says the skipper. " We need to learn the boat and gain confidence so we can perform well. "
For The Ocean Race Atlantic 2026, Heer will be accompanied by the Frenchwoman Marie Riou olympic champion in the Nacra 17, from the long-distance sailor Liz Wardley and performance analyst Lincoln Dews .
After his first Vendée Globe, Oliver Heer is entering a new phase in his IMOCA project, with a boat now in the water and a first sporting event fast approaching.
