Zenith - Spindrift racing
2014 was and action-packed year for Spindrift racing, which was rewarded with three podium finishes: Yann Guichard's single-handed second-place finish in the Route du Rhum, Ladycat powered by Spindrift racing's third-place finish in the Vulcain Trophy, and a victory at the Bol d'Or Mirabaud. The maxi-trimaran is now at the Multiplast boatyard in Vannes for its winter refit. No sooner has the 2014 chapter come to an end than the 2015 chapter already begins. The new season will focus on crewed sailing, with the crew members participating in three events aboard three different boats: the D35 Championship from May to September on Lake Leman, aboard the D35; the Tour de France a la Voile in July, aboard the new Diam 24 trimaran; and the Jules Verne Trophy next winter, aboard Spindrift 2.
"2014 was a very positive year for Spindrift racing," said Dona Bertarelli. "The podium finishes in the D35 circuit and in the Route du Rhum rewarded the hard work put in by the team, who have achieved ambitious technical and sporting goals. I also want to mention our partners - Mirabaud, Genes-x and Zenith - who have believed in our project since the very beginning. Spindrift racing has earned its stripes and has quickly become one of the most prominent teams in professional sailing. Our results inspire us to push even harder. Development continues around a team that will keep growing, and our team base in Saint-Philibert, France, is currently expanding to take on new and exciting challenges in 2015. The highlight of the year will be the Jules Verne Trophy attempt with Spindrift 2, a test that will require a huge commitment from Yann and me, as well as from the team. The team believes we shouldn't just race against the clock. We should also race against other teams, which is why I will be delighted to race on the D35 circuit for the ninth consecutive year, and the team will also compete in the Tour de France a la Voile, which is now a multihull event."
Spindrift racing 's 2015 schedule:
December-April: optimisation of Spindrift 2 at the Multiplast boatyard in Vannes.
January-April: D35 training in Switzerland (Versoix) and Diam 24 training in France (La Trinite-sur-Mer).
May-September: D35 Grand Prix series on Lake Leman and the Bol d'Or Mirabaud.
May-October: Diam 24 circuit regattas (details to be confirmed).
July: Tour de France a la Voile on the Diam 24.
August: Rolex Fastnet Race on Spindrift 2 and possible record attempts (English Channel, British Isles...).
November: start of Spindrift 2 stand-by for Jules Verne Trophy record attempt.