Ocean Racing Magazine - #6 - December 2007 & January 2008 - (Page 38)

IMOCA such. Our development requires that. The project is ready. We just require a partner and the money (1.8 million Euros a year). We therefore wanted to draw up a long-term schedule, allowing everyone the time to get organised. Finally, as boats are increasingly expensive, as in all elite sports, which are developing, media coverage needs to be encouraged." Which is something that races exclusively reserved for the Imoca will guarantee more. So it is therefore with a longterm vision that the Imoca has thus taken this decision. "We really needed to consider things after the next Vendée Globe, which will be the biggest we have ever seen, but which is also likely to see some major disappointments." This opinion is shared by Jean le Cam and Roland Jourdain, who are among the eight members of the class committee. Jean Le Cam : "All of that is a question of balance. It is clear that we cannot keep racing against multihulls that sail fifty percent more quickly than us and see all of the journalists have left by the time we arrive. We are keeping the Rhum as an exception, as it is a legendary race, but in my opinion there is no problem, as the committee accepted the schedule by giving priority to races that are reserved exclusively for Imoca boats. That is all." For Roland Jourdain, "We tend to forget that Imoca is an association as laid down in the 1901 Law, made up of volunteers, who do their damnedest with what they have and that it is the setting up of a World Championship, which also led to ©T. Martinez/Transat Jacques Vabre which existed even before the Vendée Globe. It would be unfortunate if we had to forego that. Finally, I don’t have anything against Mark (Turner), but it doesn’t make any sense to see him on the Imoca committee, while he is a the same time the organiser of races like the Barcelona, so he is both judge and plaintiff. Obviously that raises doubts." That opinion is shared by both Pierre Bojic and Kito de Pavant. The Imoca arguments On this last point, the reply from the Imoca class via its executive director, Grégoire Metz is categorical: "Mark Turner has announced his resignation on two occasions, so as not to be accused of confusing the question. But on each occasion the class felt it was more useful for ©J.M. Liot/DPPI/Barcelona World Race him to remain on the committee. And he refused to vote on the calendar issue." Contacted in Barcelona, Mark Turner confirmed this: "I announced my resignation. I am not voting on these questions and I no longer attend meetings concerning these events." So how were the events chosen? Grégoire Metz explains: "An events commission proposes a calendar to the committee, which then examines the dossier and finally this schedule is voted on at the general meeting." This meeting has not yet taken place. Since 1991, this "calendar proposal" has always been accepted. That may not however be the case this year. Talking about the details, Grégoire Metz explained what lay behind the recent decisions: "Supposing that the Imoca class, which is a class of racers, has to justify itself, the basic idea is that all of that is moving towards the logical step of the creation of a genuine world championship, which will be THE ocean racing world championship, the only real one and recognised by all as Ocean Racing - december 2007 http://www.blew-stoub.com http://www.blew-stoub.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ocean Racing Magazine - #6 - December 2007 & January 2008

Cover
Edito
Contents
What they said
News
Portfolio - The news in the picture
Transat Jacques Vabre - Monohulls in power
In the words of the skipper - Michel Desjoyaux, A little bit more
Barcelona World Race - A couple sailing around the world
Imoca - Growth crisis in the Imoca class
Transat 6.5 - A whole series of records
Mini Class - Anatomy of a winner
Multihulls - What sort of trimarans tomorrow ?
Volvo Ocean Race - Second generation
Trials - Mach 45 : an unusual IRC
Match Racing - King Richard
Tactics - A good start
Portrait - Jacques Caraës
Lab - Tubular or wing mast ?
Forty years ago - Chichester, the lonely sea and the sky
Equipment - Shop window
New products - From the drawing board to the boatyard
Opinion - The mirage of worshipping technology

Ocean Racing Magazine - #6 - December 2007 & January 2008