Volvo Ocean Race: Imocas for all: Vendée and Volvo Ocean Race in one boat

What has long been known in sailing circles was officially confirmed today by the management of the Volvo Ocean Race as one of the biggest alliances on the international regatta scene: A historic partnership between the organisers of the most famous team race around the world and the International Monohull Open Class Association (Imoca) is to turn two worlds into one and build a bridge between the solo and double-handed regattas on the one hand and the Volvo Ocean Race around the world on the other. The new formula: a boat for the supreme disciplines of offshore sailing.

Impressive clip showing the power and performance of Imocas at the last Vendée Globe in the Southern Ocean

The parties involved have been negotiating with each other for around seven months and familiarised current and potential participants with the class and other plans and ideas at a workshop in the destination port of The Hague last week. The Imoca class rules took centre stage. In addition to interested sailors, the participants also included designers involved in the development of the new Imoco yachts, including Guillaume Verdier and Juan Kouyoumdjian. The planned changes were discussed together.

Volvo Ocean Race Co-President Johan Salén said: "This is the first of many steps in preparing for the next edition of the race in 2021 and the co-operation process towards making the next race a sporting and commercial success will be ongoing." Salén, who has taken over the race with his business partner Richard Brisius and their joint company Atlant Ocean Racing, continued: "This is a complicated matter with many perspectives. We respectfully continue to listen to the opinions of all the key players from World Sailing to each individual sailor to the teams and partners. We are confident that this is the right way forward."

Salén is convinced that the use of foiling Imocas in the Volvo Ocean Race will "motivate more sailors, more teams and even more parts of the yachting industry" to prepare for the next edition. According to Salén, the new connection with the Imoca infrastructure will lead to the creation of a standardised and more efficient offshore sailing calendar. This in turn would help the sport of sailing as a whole and also help the teams and sailors to offer their potential partners sustainable business models. On the other hand, Imoca Class President Antoine Mermod said: "The agreement gives Imoca owners and sailors access to the world's leading offshore race with larger crews."

The press release states: "The decision to integrate the Imoca boats into the Volvo Ocean Race will also ensure that the race remains at the forefront of design and technology, challenging the best sailors in the world in an offshore team race." A new committee is currently being formed to develop a special passage for crew-sailed Imoca 60 yachts in the class rules. The Volvo Ocean Race managers are also pursuing the goal of retaining the on-board reporter role for the next edition.

"This change is very exciting," said Volvo Ocean Race winner Charles Caudrelier after the intensive briefing in The Hague. "The Open 60s are incredible boats. I really enjoy sailing them and I think the spectators will like it too. For me, it's good news that the two best offshore races in the world are joining forces with the same class." Offshore experts in Germany are also following the development very closely - not least the skippers Boris Herrmann ("Malizia") and Jörg Riechers ("Made in Germany").

The 55-year-old eight-time record participant Bouwe Bekking was also positive: "As a sailor, I think it's very exciting. The younger generation of sailors are very interested in foiling and surfing and sailing fast. And you need to get the best sailors in the world interested in racing. They've hit the nail on the head with the Open 60 because it's what the sailors want."

Designer Juan Kouyoumdjian, who has been responsible for winning boats in the Volvo Ocean Race three times in his career, says: "Yachting is not just about the crew, it's also about the equipment. The combination of the two elements allows you to say that you are the pinnacle of offshore sailing." His colleague Guillaume Verdier, who is popular in America's Cup and Imoca circles, clarifies: "In my opinion, the combination is feasible with a bit of compromise on both sides so that both worlds meet in the middle." The regulations should be finalised by the end of the year. So far, there is no information on whether the current Volvo Ocean Race yachts will remain as a second class alongside the Imocas or whether they have had their day.