IMOCA 60s to compete in a new race to the Arctic Circle
A new race to the Arctic in July is to be run for the IMOCA 60 class as a qualifier for the Vendée Globe round the world race in November.
It takes the place of the Transat Race from France to the US and the New York to Vendée return event, both cancelled due to COVID-19. The Vendée-arctic-les Sables d’olonne race is a radical format that takes solo skippers on a 3,600-mile route heading from the Atlantic coast of France on a course that reaches the limits of the Arctic Circle.
Antoine Mermod, president of the IMOCA class, explained: “We’ve got 11 skippers who need to finish their qualifying process [for the Vendée Globe], but to be honest the main goal of this race is to challenge all the skippers. We can also [try out] all the systems we’d like to use for our communications during the Vendée Globe.”
The race to 65°N will give the skippers valuable high latitude and cold climate testing. Race organisers have the option to send the fleet first to Iceland and then almost due south to the Azores, or out to the Azores before heading north and returning on a clockwise course. Organisers are anticipating 25-30 entries for the new event.
The race has been adapted to the current restrictions in France – there will be no race village or public access before the start, and skippers will be invited to sail directly to the start from their home port. Before the race, every solo skipper will also have to take a blood test and be required selfisolate for five days.
Mermod says that the IMOCA class skippers have all been in close contact during the lockdown period, with weekly Zoom calls for all skippers and team managers together. Many teams resumed operations in mid-may, and
Mermod says he is not receiving reports of teams being severely financially impacted or restricted by the lockdown situation.
“[It is] mostly coming back to normal. We cross our fingers that it continues like that, but in the last weeks around 12 or 14 boats have been in the water, so it’s going in a very positive way at the moment.”
Organisers of the Vendée Globe are resolute that the event will go ahead. “In terms of racing, nothing prevents the race starting on 8 November,” they state.
‘To be honest the main goal of this race is to challenge all the skippers’