Oldest boat in The Ocean Race 2023 >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News

With 5 IMOCAs racing round the earth in the 14th edition of The Ocean Race, the oldest boat on the 7-leg study course will have been introduced in 2015… a lifetime in the past in this rapid going enhancement class.

But Robert Stanjek’s joint campaign with Benjamin Dutreux took a large action forward when the workforce gained the IMOCA course in The Ocean Race Europe 2021. Racing a boat that was not only older, but substantially a lot less highly developed than other individuals in the course, was a reminder that you really don’t generally need to have the newest and latest equipment to win.

Unquestionably, their results was assisted by the mild circumstances that favored the older design and style daggerboard configuration and a hull condition that was more suited to these kinds of weather conditions.

These days, their marketing campaign sees the team in a unique boat, just one that is the oldest in the 5 boat fleet. Nevertheless, couple of see this as anything other than an additional major and competitive campaign. And when the German previous Olympic sailor describes his contemplating about a job that he freely admits is new to him, it’s easy to see why his opponents are taking GUYOT environnement – Crew Europe seriously.

“To be trustworthy I’m rather drained, but I’m also prepared to go. In quite a few methods it will be a relief to get out on the h2o with the emphasis of the race.

“Although I’m quite utilized to the huge amount of do the job that goes into setting up an Olympic marketing campaign it is simple to underestimate the sum of preparing which is needed for this type of race. It’s a unique form of organizing also. I started out fairly pressured while now it’s superior and items are slipping into position.

“I’m not nervous about the race alone, as an alternative the stress arrives from the huge volume of function that is needed from boat preparation to receiving every thing calculated and communicated with race regulate. It’s a massive team, a large undertaking, a good deal of money, and I never want to make any mistakes.

“You also have to believe a long way forward and when you seem at the total party it’s a quite complex competitors.

“The superior factor is that even though it’s my 1st time, I have a tremendous solid crew around me with the likes of Annie Lush, Benjamin Dutreux, and also Sébastien Simon who’s carrying out a lot of general performance assessment.

“But there is no staying away from the fact that I sense like I’m dependable for bringing all people puzzles alongside one another and earning the previous signature. And it is the considered of lacking something that wakes me up in the evening.

“But at the time we get offshore that emphasis will have to transform.”

Stanjek’s IMOCA could be the oldest in the fleet but it is the 1 boat that is established and has pedigree. At first released as Hugo Manager, this was the boat that took Alex Thomson to second in the 2016-17 Vendée Globe race.

Because then and as element of Stanjek’s task, GUYOT environnement – Crew Europe has been optimized with a new set of present era foils, the exact same as fitted in Paul Meihat’s brand name new Biotherm.

The outcome is that the checklist of unknowns within this group will probable be the envy of other folks in the fleet who are about to set off with significantly less miles less than their keels.

“One of the items that we have witnessed just from the constrained quantity of racing that we’ve completed as a fleet is that these are extremely complex boats to sail and if you are confident and precise with your maneuvers, there’s generally a way to come back. It’s one of the explanations that we are knowledgeable as a group that we are not able to commit our time sailing with an justification in mind.

“Instead, we acquire the tactic that it’s very good to hold the learning curve steep wherever egos are very low and wherever you are speaking about ideas and exploring new locations of efficiency. We have to shift our awareness and working experience as a team onto another level. And that implies staying affected person.”

The base line is distinct, to Stanjek and crew The Ocean Race is as a great deal a wondering game as it is about speed and endurance.

IMOCA: Boat, Style and design, Skipper, Start date
• Guyot Environnement – Team Europe (VPLP Verdier) Benjamin Dutreux (FRA)/Robert Stanjek (GER) September 1, 2015
• 11th Hour Racing Staff (Guillaume Verdier) Charlie Enright (Usa) August 24, 2021
• Holcim-PRB (Guillaume Verdier) Kevin Escoffier (FRA) May 8, 2022
• Workforce Malizia (VPLP) Boris Herrmann (GER) July 19, 2022
• Biotherm (Guillaume Verdier) Paul Meilhat (FRA) August 31 2022

Race information – Route – Groups – Facebook – YouTube

The Ocean Race 2022-23 Race Schedule:
Alicante, Spain – Leg 1 start off: January 15, 2023
Cabo Verde – ETA: January 22 Leg 2 commence: January 25
Cape Town, South Africa – ETA: February 9 Leg 3 start off: February 26 or 27 (TBC)
Itajaí, Brazil – ETA: April 1 Leg 4 start out: April 23
Newport, RI, Usa – ETA: May well 10 Leg 5 commence: Could 21
Aarhus, Denmark – ETA: May perhaps 30 Leg 6 commence: June 8
Kiel, Germany (Fly-By) – June 9
The Hague, The Netherlands – ETA: June 11 Leg 7 begin: June 15
Genova, Italy – The Grand Finale – ETA: June 25, 2023 Closing In-Port Race: July 1, 2023

The Ocean Race (formerly Volvo Ocean Race and Whitbread Spherical the Planet Race) was in the beginning to be raced in two courses of boats: the substantial-effectiveness, foiling, IMOCA 60 course and the one particular-layout VO65 class which has been applied for the final two editions of the race.

Having said that, only the IMOCAs will be racing round the globe whilst the VO65s will race in The Ocean Race VO65 Dash which competes in Legs 1, 6, and 7 of The Ocean Race class.

Moreover, The Ocean Race also options the In-Port Collection with races at 7 of the course’s stopover metropolitan areas around the world which permit local enthusiasts to get up close and personalized to the teams as they fight it out around a quick inshore course.

Despite the fact that in-port races do not depend to a team’s total factors rating, they do enjoy an vital part in the total rankings as the In-Port Race Sequence standings are utilised to split any factors ties that happen through the race all around the world.

The 14th edition of The Ocean Race was originally prepared for 2021-22 but was postponed a single year because of to the pandemic, with the first leg setting up on January 15, 2023.

Supply: The Ocean Race