L'OCCITANE en Provence and French sailor Armel Tripon at the start of the Vendée Globe 2020
by L'Occitane en Provence 6 Nov 2020 09:45 GMT
L'OCCITANE en Provence - Vendée Globe 2020 © Pierre Bourras
On November 8th, the L'OCCITANE Group, market leader in premium beauty products and present in 90 countries, will cast off with French skipper Armel Tripon for the mythical Vendée Globe, an internationally renowned French sailing race that takes place every 4 years. This epic round-the-world challenge, often known as the "Everest of the Seas", brings together 33 top-level athletes and companies from all walks of life, for an extraordinary and unforgettable sporting adventure.
For the 9th edition of this iconic race, L'OCCITANE en Provence has entered a new era in sailing, with a brand-new boat built at the Black Pepper Yacht shipyards in France, and designed by the visionary naval architect Sam Manuard. But every good boat needs a good sailor, and L'OCCITANE en Provence is thrilled to be partnered with one of the best - class-act Armel Tripon - and take up this incredible sporting and technological human challenge together.
"Above all else, it was the sailor himself whom L'OCCITANE decided to support. Armel Tripon is passionate about what he does and loves to share his passion with others. Exceptionally talented, he also has a remarkable kindness and humility. From the first day we met, we wanted to embark on this adventure with him. This unique partnership also gives us a new and distinctive platform to boost the brand's image and make our products known to new customers", explains Adrien Geiger, the Group Sustainability Officer and Global Brand Director of L'OCCITANE en Provence.
A rocket ship ready for lift off
The Vendée Globe adventure started a little more than 2 years ago. In February 2018, the design team behind the "L'OCCITANE en Provence" IMOCA teamed up with the greatest experts in hydrodynamics, aerodynamics and structural engineering, and for many months they finetuned the concept behind this particular racing yacht - one that would turn out to be very different from the other new builds.
"Our approach was always guided by a focus on the performance of this boat in the Vendée Globe. How can a man sailing solo and in such a hostile environment, harness his boat's full potential? How can he keep pushing the boat to its limits throughout the course of the race, and particularly in the Southern Ocean? We wanted a model with smooth and simple lines, that would provide the best possible protection for the skipper. During the last Transat Jacques Vabre race, it became clear once again that the new IMOCAs are incredibly fast, but also very demanding. Many skippers believe they will not be able to keep up the same pace when sailing solo compared with sailing as a duo," said Sam Manuard, the naval architect behind the L'OCCITANE IMOCA.
Among the many elements which make this boat stand out from the rest are its scow bow, moderate beam, raised foils, flush deck, cockpit which sits further back than usual and with forward-facing windows, and living area found close to the stern. It has shown during pre-season races that it can reach a smooth flight mode and stability to avoid sudden stops and starts and therefore achieve a very efficient average speed. Which is very encouraging for this round-the-world race, even if the project remains relatively new compared to other competitors who have had more time to test their boats.
Rémi Guigou, Creative Director at L'OCCITANE en Provence, supervised the outer design of the boat, which was entrusted to Carine Dewavrin, graphic designer at Offshore Racing. She explains: "In terms of the design, we didn't want to paint the sails, as this would have made them heavier - and every additional gram counts for an offshore racing boat. So, we kept the sails black, and used the same colour for the entire IMOCA, while adding a yellow "L'OCCITANE" image that is very striking both from close up and from far away. The sun, a symbol of life but also of Provence, gives a human and universal touch to the entire design. We feel the final result is simple, sophisticated and striking!"
The man, the sailor...
At the helm of this exceptional boat is an exceptional sailor. With more than fifteen years spent on the sea, and nearly twenty transatlantic races on the clock, Armel Tripon took 1st place in the Route du Rhum 2018 in the Multi50 class and an overall podium spot behind the two giant Ultim Trimarans! The mythical Vendée Globe is therefore the next important step for Armel, a lifelongtime dream that is now coming true. "I'm lucky to have a superb boat, a great partner, and a great team. Now it's time to get out on the water. The Vendée Globe is just a few days away!"
The entire Vendée Globe fleet has been moored in Les Sables d'Olonne for over two weeks now and the start gun will be fired on November 8th at 1:02 pm. For Armel, being on the start line already marks a victory and a significant moment because "it's the culmination of a project that has lasted for more than two years, of all the team's efforts made to reach this point. And beyond that, being on the start line of the Vendée Globe has been my personal dream for 15 years, and it's now coming true. I'm a bit like a lion in a cage. I want to go already! Given the national lockdown measures, there will be less emotional charge than if the crowd had been at the start, but the competition off the coast will be the same. I want to share a beautiful story with all those who stay on the ground and offer a bubble of escape in this difficult period"