Yachts & Yachting – April 2018

Ocean Race management Mark Turner
had floated the idea that a new class of
Volvo boat could well be changed to fit
in with the IMOCA class rule and so give
the one-design Volvo fleet additional
races within which to compete. But
it was not an idea that seemed to get
very far and, ultimately Turner left the
position with the Volvo management
shelving the plans for the time being.
But the idea of unification is one
that does not seem to be going away.
Since that moment there have been a
number of rumours floating around
about possibilities of a link-up between
the two events in the future. These
rumours have been growing ever more
persistent in recent months. “There are
currently conversations going on about
the future,” Thomson coyly confirms.
“For me as a member of a team there
are some pretty obvious benefits; if
we are able to build a boat that can
participate in the Vendée and the

Volvo then that massively increases the

value of the boat without significantly

increasing the investment or costs.

“But with my IMOCA hat on we

would need to be very careful that

any tie-in did not destabilise the

class and that has to come first.”

A future Volvo in crewed IMOCA

60s is certainly a tantalising prospect

and would offer succour to those who

have loudly proclaimed the one-design

nature of the race is not in the spirit of

the premier crewed round the world

event. It certainly seems like Thomson

(with his Alex Thomson Racing hat

on) is keen; could this mean even more

round the world races? “I’m just one

part in a very talented wider team,”

Thomson says. “It is not about whether

this is my passion or how much I want

to go racing. We are a team that is about

winning. That means winning on the

water and winning in terms of return for

our sponsors. At the moment, I think I

am best placed to be sailing Hugo Boss

for us to win. If that were not the case

I would and will stand aside, but that

wouldn’t mean the team stops necessarily

nor would I leave; there is plenty that I

enjoy in the marketing and planning and

designing side,” he concludes, which I

later note, is some distance from a ‘no’.

It’s a bit of a cliché

but the Vendée is

usually won or lost

before you cross the

startline

Above

Hugo Boss powers

onwards in the

last Vendée

Below, right

Alex was voted by

readers as winner

of Pro Sailor

Award at the Y&Y

Awards this year

Watch the video

online at

yachtsand

yachting.co.uk

April 2018 Yachts & Yachting 21