Yesterday
The stakes are higher than ever!
Irina Gracheva, on her Facebook page, asks the question: "IS THERE A BRAVE IN RUSSIA ON THE IMOCA 60 PROJECT?"
We will give all of her text – in the hope that Irina’s call will be heard:
Now exactly all the roads lead to France!
It has long been known that the most spectacular circumnavigation of the planet, The Ocean Race (formerly Volvo Ocean Race), changed its class, and the next time the participants will start at Imoca 60 (2020-2021). These yachts will go to the most difficult race of the planet – the single Around the World Vendée Globe in 2020.
The French got a serious chance to win in both races – both solo and in the crew. This is an application for world domination.
It is interesting to see the composition of the countries participating in The Ocean Race and who will present the French crews.
In any case, such changes sharply raised the importance of top-end Imoca 60 projects. Hopefully, in the longer term, this class will become more international in general, and that there will be skippers from other countries able to offer decent competition to desperate French.
Experience with sponsors and visibility of the race The Ocean Race should attract more interest and attention to a single Vendée Globe.
Are there companies in our wonderful Russia that are ready to get involved in a battle and prepare a project by 2024, for example?
The question is not rhetorical, but in essence.
I know firsthand that sponsorship of sailing in Russia is not easy. But there are resources in the country, and the level of the game and the stakes are higher than ever!
We already had a very good experience in Vendée Globe thanks to Victor Yazykov. There was, at that time, a joint campaign of the USSR countries in Whitbread on Fazisi 1989. There was an attempt by Killer Whales at the Volvo Ocean Race.
Isn't it time to launch a new ocean project?
155 Yesterday # 9113
Chief Editor
higherstakes
What do you think?