Vendée & Volvo Ocean Race: Team vs. solo: OTG and Jörg Riechers part ways

One of them is sailing solo and true to his goal of continuing on the Class40 course in 2019 and still has hopes of the first Vendée Globe participation by a German sailor, while the others have already set their eyes further into the future and have set their sights on participating in the Volvo Ocean Race under the German flag. According to the latest findings, however, these two goals are technically difficult to reconcile. This is the main reason for the separation from Jörg Riechers and the Offshore Team Germany (OTG), which he co-founded. The Hamburg sailing professional and the racing team run by Berliners Jens Kuphal and Robert Stanjek will be sailing on different courses and separately into the future.

Jörg Riechers issued the following statement on Friday afternoon: "I have decided today to leave Offshore Team Germany. The reason for this is the preparation of the Imoca Ex-"Acciona", which is inadequate in terms of its performance and safety. In addition, the direction in which the project is being steered by the team management makes it difficult to prepare a successful Vendée Globe campaign with the boat. I prefer to continue working with my own structure in order to be able to run a sensible and performance-orientated project. There will be more news on this next Monday."

Most of the reasons for the rift in the team came from outside: The planned use of the Imoca yachts, which traditionally compete in the Vendée Globe single-handed round the world race, in the upcoming Volvo Ocean Race - but ideally with different masts and otherwise technically optimised for team sailing - has caused the interests of the two OTG camps to diverge further and further like a pair of scissors. Riechers says that as a prospective Vendée participant, he was no longer able to represent what had recently been purchased and modified for the Imoca. On the other hand, the remaining team in Offshore Team Germany had at least one eye on optimising the equipment for the Volvo Ocean Race during the refit of the ex-"Acciona".

According to insiders, there will probably only be a few Imocas in the coming years that will first be sailed single-handed in the Vendée Globe and then modified and sailed by a team in the Volvo Ocean Race. The majority of potential participants will probably decide in favour of one or the other regatta. Also because there is only six months between the two races. In addition to his Vendée plans, which he intends to press ahead with and, if necessary, postpone by one race, Riechers will be the works driver of a Class 40 Open Racing Yacht from Owen Clarke Design in 2019. The German Offshore Team, on the other hand, has announced further steps on its Volvo Ocean Race course and is working towards participating in the most famous team race around the world, which is soon to be officially renamed. "That is our DNA and is in line with our programme," says Team Manager Jens Kuphal, who wishes outgoing pilot Jörg Riechers "all the best from the bottom of his heart" for his solo plans. If the ambitious OTG coup succeeds, a German boat would be taking part again exactly 20 years after the last German participation in the ocean marathon and victory in the Illbruck Challenge 2021/22.