23/10/2026
🎙️𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐞𝟒𝟎 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 - Manfred Ramspacher
🌏⛵𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐞𝟒𝟎 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐱𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤. 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬, 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐚𝐦𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐂𝐄𝐎 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐄́𝐯𝐞́𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐞𝟒𝟎, 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭’𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝’𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝-𝐭𝐡𝐞-𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬.
𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭-𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐨. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝟒𝟎 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐝𝐮 𝐑𝐡𝐮𝐦. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲?
I wasn’t at the previous edition of the Route du Rhum, and I was struck by how prominent the Class40 has become within the event, both in terms of the number of boats and its central position in the harbour. This reflects the class’s maturity and strength. It now accounts for almost half of the competitors in the 2026 Route du Rhum.
Of course, there is still a strong IMOCA fleet, as well as the spectacular multihulls. But I remember a time when the Class40 was still considered a small class, almost relegated to the background. Those days are now behind us. Today, the Class40 is at the forefront of monohull offshore racing, alongside the IMOCA fleet. Each class has its own identity, of course, but the Class40 has firmly established its place.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐝𝐮 𝐑𝐡𝐮𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝟒𝟎. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬’𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭? 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬?
Offshore sailing in France has developed around what I would call its “cornerstone events”: historic races such as the Vendée Globe, the Route du Rhum and the former Transat Jacques Vabre, now known as the Transat Café L’OR. These events have become sporting and economic ecosystems that, in a way, form the backbone of offshore racing in France. There are obviously other events, but these play a structuring role.
The real question is whether we should simply stick to these established races or also ask ourselves how they need to evolve. Are there new frontiers to explore? At a time when an Ultim can cross the Atlantic in barely a week, can we still tell the story of a transatlantic race, whatever the format, in the same heroic vein as Éric Tabarly arriving in Newport in 1976, astonished to discover that he was the first to get there?
We must certainly hope that these major events, which have experienced their ups and downs, will endure and continue to support the entire sector, both in sporting and economic terms and through their media impact. But we also need to renew the offering and open up new horizons. The aim is not to compete with these historic races, but to complement them with events that reflect the evolution of offshore sailing and society itself.
𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐞𝟒𝟎. 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞?
I don’t think my assessment is particularly original. The word “success” has often been used, and I believe it sums up the second edition very well.
Sportingly, the competition was intense, both among the scow designs and the more traditional pointed-bow boats. We experienced some memorable moments, including distance records being broken and fiercely contested finishes at Réunion Island and Valparaíso. It was a fantastic race to follow.
The second edition was particularly exciting. But for me, one of the most important achievements was bringing every boat back to Lorient. We welcomed back all eight crews who had set off with us on an adventure that was truly exceptional, both in human and sporting terms. That was a tremendous source of satisfaction.
𝐀𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦?
The most intense moments are always those when the boats are at sea. As soon as the fleet sets off, the entire shore-based team lives to the rhythm of the race. We constantly monitor what is happening, the potential dangers, weather risks and the difficulties that individual boats may encounter.
Our daily lives as organisers are therefore largely shaped by following the race, as well as preparing the next stopovers. This requires a great deal of work, most of which should already be well under way while the fleet is at sea, long before the boats arrive at each stopover.
𝐖𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐠, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬?
What touched me most was the dedication and commitment of so many people working within the clubs and organisations that welcomed us. Some of their initiatives went well beyond what had been formally agreed. We were struck by the enthusiasm the event generated at each stopover.
I’m thinking in particular of Sydney and the welcome we received from the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, its director, David Edwards, and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which organises the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. I also think of Valparaíso, with Thomas Elton, the club’s sailing manager, and Aurélia Zulueta, president of the Concón Valparaíso club.
Everywhere we went, we met people who invested far more than their contractual or financial commitments required. Their attachment to the event and their determination to help make it a success were a great source of satisfaction for us.
It is an incredibly powerful experience. That is also what makes it difficult to describe: it is so intense and extraordinary, in the truest sense of the word, that conveying it to people who have not experienced it themselves can be difficult.
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐞𝟒𝟎? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬?
The next edition will take place in two years. That may sound like a long way off, but for the organising team, the time will pass quickly.
Our objective is straightforward: to build on the positive momentum between the first and second editions. The enthusiasm surrounding the Globe40 is very real. I was reminded of that in Saint-Malo, where we had informal conversations with almost half of the 49 crews present. I was struck by how firmly the Globe40 was already on their minds. It came up naturally in conversation, without us even having to introduce the subject.
Today, the event has clearly become part of the Class40 sailing community, particularly among the predominantly French sailors we meet at an event such as the Route du Rhum. But it is also attracting considerable international interest, as we have seen through our conversations around the world.
I’m thinking in particular of an American who travelled all the way from Prescott, Arizona, to join us in Lorient in April, when the race finished. He had not even told us he was coming. He simply wanted to spend a few days with us and find out more about the next edition. That was quite wonderful, especially as he turned out to be a particularly engaging person.
We want to keep moving in that direction. The number of boats should naturally increase, but we must remain focused on the quality of the projects. That matters a great deal to me. Above all, I want to see crews that have what it takes to complete the adventure.
I don’t want the Globe40 story to become a succession of retirements and accidents. That is not the kind of race narrative that interests me. What matters is the sporting battle, but also the ability to share a common story, with all its highs and lows. The Freedom crew from the last edition is a remarkable example: their story was truly incredible.
The challenge is to give every crew the opportunity to complete its adventure, ideally bringing the entire fleet home.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐞𝟒𝟎’𝐬 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬?
Designing a route requires a great deal of thought because so many different criteria have to be reconciled. We need to consider the geographical position of each city and country in relation to the total distance to be sailed, as well as port facilities and technical capabilities, particularly whether the boats can be accommodated in suitable conditions.
For the third edition, we also want to strike a balance between familiar stopovers and new destinations. A second visit to a city is generally much more structured and developed than the first, which is a discovery for everyone. But it is also important to offer sailors one or two new adventures, in different countries or even on different continents.
Given the nature of the event, however, we need to remain in the Southern Hemisphere and, if possible, avoid straying too far from the theoretical route.
Our aim is to open up new horizons while building on stopovers that have already proved successful. Sydney, for example, will remain a benchmark stopover. I will always remember the boats arriving in the harbour. After welcoming the fleet at sea, we sail through an entrance flanked by fairly high cliffs. Then, at the last moment, the view opens up onto the city, its skyscrapers and the whole bay.
I particularly remember the astonishment, and emotion, of Jonas Gerckens and his crew as they rounded the turn at the entrance to the harbour and took in the panorama. You simply think, “Wow!” These are moments you don’t experience every day.
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐞𝟒𝟎 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞?
I would tell them that the Globe40 has now become a credible project that can fit into the racing calendar and sporting programme a top-level sailor, or a skilled amateur, can present to potential partners.
The first edition proved that a round-the-world race in a Class40 was achievable. The second showed that it could also deliver an extremely competitive race with scow designs. Today, the Globe40 is therefore an established event that sailors can present to partners who may see real value in getting involved.
That value is sporting, of course, but it also lies in communications and the story the event makes possible. The Globe40 offers an alternative to more conventional projects, creating opportunities for a company to engage its teams, employees and partners in an extraordinary adventure.
For a skipper looking to broaden their sailing horizons, a round-the-world voyage remains a kind of holy grail. They may eventually take on the challenge alone through the traditional Vendée Globe format, but the Globe40 offers another way to experience a circumnavigation: as part of a team, discovering other cultures and sharing a collective adventure.
It is also an experience that brings personal fulfilment, both as a sailor and on a more intimate level. An event like this leaves its mark on you; you do not come away unchanged.
Looking back, certain memories still come to us with a sense of disbelief: “Yes, I did that… I experienced that… I spent a month in Valparaíso…” And we realise just how precious it is to have the opportunity to live through such an adventure in our lifetime.
𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐞𝟒𝟎? 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞?
I would like the Globe40 to establish itself permanently among the major international round-the-world offshore races, while retaining what makes it distinctive: a team race, a highly international event and a stage-based format.
It is sailed in a class that remains accessible compared with other offshore racing projects, with relatively reasonable budgets and technical requirements. I want us to continue developing this approach and telling new stories with every edition.
I like working over the long term. We were talking earlier about the Normandy event, which will approach its 20th edition in two years. I believe these events acquire a special richness over time. It is a little like a long-term relationship: at some point, you look back and think, “Just look at everything we’ve been through together!”
