Recreation of a possible design for the future

An agreement has been reached with the International Monohull Open Class Association (IMOCA) with the exclusivity of using IMOCA 60 for regats back to the world with crew. Last week, during the last scale of the Volvo Ocean Race in The Hague, a meeting was held between the stakeholders on the rules of the IMOCA class.

The meeting was attended by various regatists from the latest editions of the Volvo Ocean Race and the IMOCA events and the ship designers who are currently involved in the construction of new IMOCA class ships, such as Guillaume Verdier and Juan Kouyoumdjian.

The change to IMOCA ships will ensure that the race continues to be at the forefront of the design and technology of the ships, while at the same time challenging the world's best sailors to immerse themselves in an ocean environment with crew.

A joint committee is being formed to draft a specific section of the Class Rules for IMOCA 60 with crew, respecting the spirit and intention of the association, which includes cost control, safety and sports equality.

The rule related to the number of crew members on board the IMOCA class in the next edition is among the elements to be evaluated, with the aim of maintaining the figure of the OBR (On Board Reporter - Reporter to Bordo).

The agreement implies that the world's leading designers ocean navigation will participate in the next edition of the race with the aim of creating the fastest-trained ocean monotype in history.

The current edition of the Volvo Ocean Race concluded last weekend offering the most equal competition in the 45 years of the event's history. Three teams started the last stage with the opportunity to win the title in the general. With less than 10 miles to the target of the 45,000 miles that has gone by the fleet, the result was still to be decided, until Charles Caudrelier's Dongfeng Race Team finally advanced to its rivals to ensure an exciting victory against The Hague.