The IMOCA 60 Future Gets Clearer

Thanks Doug, spectacular the video above on board 14th Hour (ex Hugo Boss). Here is the one about the first sailing of the new scow bow Occitane, presently tested without foils intentionnaly, in order to check the performance and adjust the final design of the set of foils accordingly.
 
The 2020 horizon itself gets clearer with this new race planned in July to replace the transatlantic Les Sables -New York cancelled in May due to the Covid crisis. A 3600 NM loop which should be exciting with all new designs already seen in November during the Jacques Vabre + l'Occitane the first (quasi) scow bow Imoca which showed impressive easy speeds during its first runs early march. A repetition of the next Vendée Globe 2020 still planned in autumn :
Vendée-Arctic-Les Sables d’Olonne: a brand new race for the IMOCA boats https://www.imoca.org/en/news/news/vendee-arctic-les-sables-d-olonne-a-brand-new-race-for-the-imoca-boats
 
Occitane first "with foils" sailing post Covid confinement, with the comments of the architect.
Sam Manuard, the architect of the boat, tells us: “After this long period of confinement, what a joy to return to the water aboard L’Occitane en Provence, a hell of a thrill machine! This navigation has proven to be very rewarding because we are starting to correlate data, sensations and external observations. We are looking for stability in dynamics and from this point of view we are quite satisfied, once the right combination of ballasts / sail settings is found, the boat is stable, well above the water but not too much either. It is this balance that we will seek. We want to avoid nose jumps and speed variations, in order to have the highest average speed. All this without exceeding the criteria of maximum load of the rigging. ”
 
The relaunch of Advens for cybersecurity (Thomas Ruyant), the opportunity to see the hull and appendages from various angles. Its name will be Linked out for the next race Vendée Artic starting 4th of July, organised by the Imoca class in replacement of the cancelled Transatlantic race. All Vendée Globe favourites but Hugo Boss will participate to it. Alex Thomson prefer train and prepare his boat on his side.
 
Corum l'épargne is the most recent of the new generation of Imoca's, launched this year and really begins its first sailings just few weeks ago. NA is Juan Koumoudjian, already the one of Arkea Paprec. Skipper is Nicolas Troussel, a double winner of the La Solitaire du Figaro although not internationally known like his close friends Armel Le Cleac'h and Jeremy Beyou, they learned sailing together in their teen ages on family boats. Builder is CDK composites under the supervision of Michel Desjoyaux / Mer agitée. To note also that Sébastien Josse , ex skipper of the Gitana Imoca and Ultim, is in the team in charge to fine tune this machine. The foils exit are low in the hull and are quite flat, very different from e.g. the ones of the Occitane of which exit are high above the water, close to the sheer line.
CORUM L'EPARGNE https://www.imoca.org/en/boats/corum-l-epargne
 
News about the American team lead by Charlie Enright with 11th Hour racing team (the ex Hugo Boss), about their calendar and their works here in France, training + development of "radical" (their word) new foils with Mer Concept , they "loves the foiling Imoca" :
Charlie Enright: The new Ocean Race calendar gives us more time to make the right choices https://www.imoca.org/en/news/news/charlie-enright-the-new-ocean-race-calendar-gives-us-more-time-to-make-the-right-choices
Video with interviews and beautiful runs :
The Ocean Race 2022: the American team loves the foiling IMOCA! https://www.imoca.org/en/news/news/the-ocean-race-2022-the-american-team-loves-the-foiling-imoca-
 
The Imoca class general meeting was held end of august, here its report in English. As regard new developments, foils on rudder option was not adopted (estimated too early) and size of foils are now limited :
The IMOCA general meeting has chosen the way forward with a full race programme for the 2021-2025 cycle https://www.imoca.org/en/news/news/the-imoca-general-meeting-has-chosen-the-way-forward-with-a-full-race-programme-for-the-2021-2025-cycle

Good news from l'Occitane, Armel Tripon is now qualified for the Vendee Globe :
Armel Tripon et L’Occitane en Provence qualifiés pour le Vendée Globe | Armel Tripon https://www.armeltripon.com/09/armel-tripon-et-loccitane-en-provence-qualifies-pour-le-vendee-globe/

Today start the Defi Azimuth, the traditional warm-up before the Vendée Globe, today afternoon the runs, tomorrow the 48h race :
Perfect conditions for a dress rehearsal http://www.defi-azimut.net/en/news/press-release/perfect-conditions-for-a-dress-rehearsal
 
Charal eventually is the winner but after an end of the race by zero+ wind which was completely a lottery. Better to see what happens during the first 90% of the race to evaluate the potential of each boat/each generation : Occitane did very well including upwind (a good surprise), Arkea Paprec was at last in the game with the best (after a lot of misfortunes in its previous races), Apivia, Charal and Linkedout confirmed their previous high performances during the Vendée Artic and the Jacques Vabre 2019. The previous generations but refit with new foilers , PRB, Initiatives Coeur, MACSF, Seaexplorer, are almost as fast in upwind and downwind VMG, but lack a bit of speed in reaching conditions. The others have clearly less speed potential and quasi no chance to win the Vendée Globe 2020. Hugo Boss and Corum are of course missing for the complete comparison of the potential winners.
An Incredible Finale https://www.defi-azimut.net/en/news/press-release/an-incredible-finale
In french :
Skipper's words after the race : Les mots des skippers à leur arrivée à Lorient-La Base https://www.defi-azimut.net/fr/actualites/les-mots-des-skippers/les-mots-des-skippers-a-leur-arrivee-a-lorient-la-base
Armel Tripon interview about Occitane design and potential, after the runs but before the race :
Armel Tripon : « On manque de repères, pas de potentiel » https://www.defi-azimut.net/fr/actualites/les-mots-des-skippers/armel-tripon-on-manque-de-reperes-pas-de-potentiel-
 
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