Latest news with #IMOCAs
The Star
29-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Sailing-France's Bonafous becomes first woman skipper to win Fastnet in an IMOCA
(Reuters) -Elodie Bonafous carved out a slice of offshore racing history on Tuesday, becoming the first woman to win the IMOCA class in the Rolex Fastnet Race after a nail-biting duel that went down to the wire. The 29-year-old French sailor, skippering the freshly launched Association Petits Princes–Queguiner IMOCA with Vendee Globe veteran Yann Elies aboard, crossed the line in Cherbourg just seven minutes ahead of Jeremie Beyou's Charal after more than two days of racing in a record 444-strong fleet. Bonafous held her nerve through a tense final night of drifting conditions and tactical gambles that saw the lead change hands in dramatic fashion. After guiding her crew around Fastnet Rock at the front of the pack, she was briefly overhauled by rivals in the Channel. But the breakthrough moment came east of Guernsey, where Bonafous fought back to reclaim top spot in what turned into a gripping match race with Charal that came down to the final miles. 'We are very happy to be here,' Bonafous said, beaming upon her arrival. 'We are in good shape. It was tight at the end. It was a great victory." Sailing a boat launched only in February, Bonafous blended smarts, steel and speed to outfox some of the IMOCA fleet's biggest names and her victory marked a defining moment in the race's centenary edition, delivering a masterclass in timing and tenacity that will be remembered as a watershed moment for women in offshore sailing. Beyou was sanguine at settling for second place. 'When the wind is steady, I think we are quicker, but when it's light, we are stuck. But it was a lot of fun and it was never over until the finish," he said. "This was a very classic Fastnet race, upwind to the Rock and then the wind coming from behind on the way back. "It was nice to sail with a crew on the IMOCA and to race it at 100% so you could carry out all the strategic tacks and gybes you wanted. It's always intense in an IMOCA race, but a bit more like this.' The IMOCA class (International Monohull Open Class Association) is a fleet of cutting-edge, 60-foot offshore racing yachts designed for competition in some of the world's toughest ocean races. IMOCAs are characterised by their lightweight carbon construction, towering masts and distinctive 'Dali' foils that lift the hull partially out of the water to reduce drag. The biennial Fastnet Race traces a challenging 695-nautical miles course from Cowes on England's Isle of Wight around Ireland's famous Fastnet Rock before finishing in Cherbourg — a test that has challenged sailors' skill and endurance for a century. (Reporting by Ossian Shine; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Reuters
29-07-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
France's Bonafous becomes first woman skipper to win Fastnet in an IMOCA
July 29 (Reuters) - Elodie Bonafous carved out a slice of offshore racing history on Tuesday, becoming the first woman to win the IMOCA class in the Rolex Fastnet Race after a nail-biting duel that went down to the wire. The 29-year-old French sailor, skippering the freshly launched Association Petits Princes–Queguiner IMOCA with Vendee Globe veteran Yann Elies aboard, crossed the line in Cherbourg just seven minutes ahead of Jeremie Beyou's Charal after more than two days of racing in a record 444-strong fleet. Bonafous held her nerve through a tense final night of drifting conditions and tactical gambles that saw the lead change hands in dramatic fashion. After guiding her crew around Fastnet Rock at the front of the pack, she was briefly overhauled by rivals in the Channel. But the breakthrough moment came east of Guernsey, where Bonafous fought back to reclaim top spot in what turned into a gripping match race with Charal that came down to the final miles. 'We are very happy to be here,' Bonafous said, beaming upon her arrival. 'We are in good shape. It was tight at the end. It was a great victory." Sailing a boat launched only in February, Bonafous blended smarts, steel and speed to outfox some of the IMOCA fleet's biggest names and her victory marked a defining moment in the race's centenary edition, delivering a masterclass in timing and tenacity that will be remembered as a watershed moment for women in offshore sailing. Beyou was sanguine at settling for second place. 'When the wind is steady, I think we are quicker, but when it's light, we are stuck. But it was a lot of fun and it was never over until the finish," he said. "This was a very classic Fastnet race, upwind to the Rock and then the wind coming from behind on the way back. "It was nice to sail with a crew on the IMOCA and to race it at 100% so you could carry out all the strategic tacks and gybes you wanted. It's always intense in an IMOCA race, but a bit more like this.' The IMOCA class (International Monohull Open Class Association) is a fleet of cutting-edge, 60-foot offshore racing yachts designed for competition in some of the world's toughest ocean races. IMOCAs are characterised by their lightweight carbon construction, towering masts and distinctive 'Dali' foils that lift the hull partially out of the water to reduce drag. The biennial Fastnet Race traces a challenging 695-nautical miles course from Cowes on England's Isle of Wight around Ireland's famous Fastnet Rock before finishing in Cherbourg — a test that has challenged sailors' skill and endurance for a century.
Straits Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Still hungry Dalin back to defend IMOCA crown
Sailing - Arrival of the Vendee Globe winner - Les Sables-d'Olonne, France - January 14, 2025 Macif Sante Prevoyance's Charlie Dalin holds the trophy onstage as he arrives in port after winning the Vendee Globe REUTERS/Stephane Mahe Charlie Dalin, fresh from rewriting the Vendee Globe record books, has set his sights on defending his IMOCA Globe Series title with the methodical precision that has become his trademark in offshore racing. The 40-year-old French skipper, who sliced nine days off the previous round-the-world record, approaches the 2025 season with characteristic understatement aboard MACIF Sante Prevoyance. "My objective this year? Well, it's to win races again," Dalin told IMOCA officials this week. "I'm still passionate as before and, you know, I love sailing IMOCAs." IMOCAs are 60-foot high-performance monohulls built for solo or short-handed offshore racing, known for balancing cutting-edge design - like hydrofoils and carbon fibre hulls - with the raw demands of long-distance endurance. Dalin will begin his 2025 campaign with June's Course des Caps, a 2,000-mile tactical challenge around Britain's demanding coastline, but has a special focus on October's Transat Cafe L'Or from Le Havre to Martinique, a race carrying personal significance. "It's an important race for me because I am from Le Havre and I couldn't race last time," said Dalin, who claimed victory there in 2019. "I have revenge to take on that event. I would quite like to win it a second time." The competitive landscape remains formidable. Dalin anticipates challenges from last year's runner-up Yoann Richomme on Paprec Arkea, Thomas Ruyant paired with Ambrogio Beccaria, and veteran Jeremie Beyou aboard Charal. Adding intrigue is newcomer Elodie Bonafous commanding Horizon 29, a sistership to Dalin's vessel. "It will be interesting to sail against a sistership of MACIF Sante Prevoyance and see how she performs," he noted. While acknowledging the physical toll of his Vendee Globe campaign, Dalin expressed confidence in his recovery timeline, targeting full readiness by the season's start. Now firmly established as the sailor everyone aims to beat, Dalin embraces his position with philosophical ease. "I'd rather be in this situation than the reverse," he smiled. The IMOCA Globe Series is a tiered circuit of offshore yacht races, ranging from short coastal duels to gruelling round-the-world marathons. At the top are Grade 1 epics like the Vendee Globe and The Ocean Race, while Grade 2 includes transatlantic tests such as the Route du Rhum and Transat Jacques Vabre. Shorter Grade 3 and 4 events - like the Course des Caps, Defi Azimut and Rolex Fastnet - demand precision, stamina and tactical sharpness. Together, they form a global proving ground for the world's best offshore sailors. Dalin claimed the 2024 title with 800 points in a dominant French showing. Fellow countrymen Richomme and Sebastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) took second and third with 730 and 595 points respectively. Germany's Boris Herrmann broke the French hold, steering Malizia – Sea Explorer to fourth on 571 points. The 2025 series kicks off with the 2,000 nautical-mile Course des Caps on June 29, and with his Vendee victory still fresh and the sails of MACIF Sante Prevoyance trimmed for another season, Dalin is plotting another year at the front of the fleet. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
