Alex Thomson has revealed the new Hugo Boss boat he hopes will make him the first Briton to win the Vendée Globe round the world race. See the pictures.
Sailor Thomson and his design team have been working for two years on the new Hugo Boss yacht, which is 5% lighter than the previous version.
The 60 foot IMOCA racing yachts are one of the world’s fastest modern racing monohulls. They are built using composite materials, keeping the IMOCA 60 as light as possible whilst still ensuring they are able to withstand the harsh conditions they will find racing across the oceans.
Often referred to as the ‘Open 60’ or ‘IMOCA 60’ the first yachts were built in 1986 and since then the design has been modified to create faster, lighter and more reliable racing yachts.
Thomson is aiming for victory in the prestigious Vendée Globe, which takes place November 2016. It was today announced that Sébastien Josse has officially registered for the eighth Vendée Globe and becomes the eleventh sailor to do so.
Thomson is the youngest skipper ever to win a round-the-world yacht race, after he stormed to victory in the 1998-1999 Clipper Race. He took part in the Vendee Globe 2004-05 but was forced to retire after damage to the carbon fitting that attached the boom to the deck.
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