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Michel Desjoyeaux (left) with Yves Gevin (right), President of the Board of Directors of the FONCIA Group. Image copyright Yvan Zedda/Foncia/Sea&Co.
by Laurence Dacoury, Stéphanie André and Justine Erhardt
Involved in sailing sponsorship for the past 10 years, FONCIA remains faithful to both this commitment and its skipper Michel Desjoyeaux, with the renewal of their partnership through to 2014. The next four years will be devoted to the launch of two ambitious and innovative projects: the construction of a new 60 foot Imoca to participate in the Route du Rhum and the Barcelona World Race, followed by their entry from 2011 in the Multi One Design 70 circuit (70 foot one design trimarans).
Michel Desjoyeaux in front of the Eiffel Tower. Image copyright Yvan Zedda/Foncia/Sea&Co.
This programme was unveiled on Thursday 21st January during a press breakfast organised at the Café de l’Homme, in the Marine Museum building in Paris, in the presence of the main protagonists involved in these new sporting and architectural challenges.
FONCIA and sailing: a reaffirmed loyalty
Having become a player in sailing sponsorship back in 1999, FONCIA is now reaffirming its attachment to this arena by extending its partnership with Michel Desjoyeaux (which began in 2007) until 2014. “As with all companies involved in sport, we’ll be seeking an image and values which are faithful to the reality of our profession which, it is worth remembering, is a service profession. Sailing wonderfully embodies the values of authenticity, sincerity, perseverance, daring, team spirit and rigour. We’re sending all these powerful messages to our colleagues about the position, behaviour and mindset we wish to develop with our clients. This is why FONCIA is sticking with this process alongside Michel, who honoured us with an exceptional year in 2009, punctuated by a series of fantastic victories. How can we better that? By launching into new projects which are both ambitious and innovative” states Yves Gevin, President of FONCIA Group’s board of directors.
2010-2011: The Route du Rhum and the Barcelona World Race aboard a new monohull
Denis Horeau - Michel Desjoyeaux - Yves Gevin - Vincent Lauriot Prévost. Image copyright Yvan Zedda/Foncia/Sea&Co.
The first part of this programme is already well underway because the plans for the new VPLP/Verdier prototype have been in the hands of the CDK yard since Monday 18th January, which is where the construction will begin. As such, through until March 2011, Michel will continue to sail within the Imoca class at the helm of what is said to be a highly original monohull, with the intention of participating in two major events: the next Route du Rhum (single-handed transatlantic race which he won back in 2002 aboard the trimaran Géant), followed by the Barcelona World Race, a double-handed round the world without stopovers. The latter race, organised by the FNOB (for its second edition) represents a whole new exercise for the sailor from Port La Forêt, NW France, who is well versed in large solo sports challenges. “The programme’s a bit full-on, he admits, but you have to keep on taking up challenges and calling yourself into question, without hesitation. That doesn’t bother me, in fact I’d even go so far as to say that it motivates me even more. I’m very happy about these new prospects.”
2011-2014: The multihull and a pioneering team returning to its roots
Following on from this circumnavigation, there will be a change of programme as well as a change of circuit. Michel has always dreamed of returning to his first love, the multihull. As such, he is the first to announce his participation in the new Multi One Design circuit, whose objective between now and 2012 is to gather together an international fleet of 12 one design trimarans for a crewed offshore and inshore programme. “In all sports, there is an ultimate. In sailing, the ultimate is sailing on multiple hulls. Multihulls are spectacular, lively boats. The speed hits you immediately and draws you in, as does the sense of power. More care is required to drive these boats, which are more sophisticated, more demanding and at times dangerous… In short, they top the bill. I hope that we’ll be able to show off the beauty of these machines and that those unfamiliar with multihulls will discover the pleasures of racing such boats” says an already enthusiastic Michel.
Franck David - Marco Simeoni - Michel Desjoyeaux - Yves Gevin. Image copyright Yvan Zedda/Foncia/Sea&Co.
For FONCIA, which made its début within the Orma class alongside Alain Gautier, this second chapter of the programme also constitutes a return to its roots. The first test sails aboard the new FONCIA trimaran are due to take place in the autumn of 2011.
A public ambassador for coherent sponsorship
This new programme reinforces the below-the-line support strategy orchestrated around sailing sponsorship and Michel Desjoyeaux, who over the past few years and through till 2014, has become ambassador of the FONCIA brand. Yves Gevin confirms the firm’s willingness to continue this partnership: “With Michel, we’ve gone that extra mile in terms of the communication of FONCIA, which originally began with getting the general public to recognise who we were. It may be said that today 1 in 2 French citizens know about FONCIA, whilst this figure was 1 in 4 just 2 years ago.
A second milestone was passed last summer when we began communicating about our work in our televised adverts (ref.: management of joint ownership, letting management, rental and sale). It’s through our reliance on sailing and Michel’s exacting character and strictness that we achieved that. We’re going to continue with this practice so that the French get to know us better, as well as becoming more familiar with our ambitions and the services we’re able to provide”, emphasizes an enthusiastic Yves Gevin. “Compared with many other opportunities, sailing sponsorship remains extremely reasonable in terms of the outlay. The increase in prestige after our victory in the Vendée Globe is evidence of this: the impact of the sponsorship project in relation to the equivalent purchase of advertising space was 10 to 15 times the initial investment.”
Michel Desjoyeaux. Image copyright Yvan Zedda/Foncia/Sea&Co.
Provisional Programme 2010-2014
18th January 2010: start of construction of the new 60 foot Imoca FONCIA (VPLP-Verdier design) at CDK Technologies
August 2010: Launch, initial test sails, fine tuning, training, qualification for the Route du Rhum
31st October 2010: Start of the Route du Rhum
Mid-November 2010: Route du Rhum finish
End November/Mid December 2010: Delivery from Guadeloupe-Barcelona by ship
31st December 2010: Start of the Barcelona World Race
End March 2011: Barcelona World Race finish/ Return of FONCIA to Port-La-Forêt, refit
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FONCIA IMOCA 60. Image copyright Yvan Zedda/Foncia/Sea&Co.
***End of the IMOCA season 2011***
Autumn 2011: Delivery and initial test sails of the MOD 70 “FONCIA”
November 2011: Pro-Am (MOD 70) – Promotional race gathering together skippers and guests (press and public relations operation, objective of 4 boats)
May - June 2012: European Tour in crewed configuration (MOD 70 – Objective of 7 boats)
November 2012: Oceanic race in crewed configuration (MOD 70)
June - July 2013: European Tour in crewed configuration (MOD 70)
November 2013-April 2014: Ocean World Tour in crewed configuration (MOD 70 - 5 oceans, 8 stages, objective 12 boats)
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FONCIA MOD 70. Image copyright Yvan Zedda/Foncia/Sea&Co.
They said...
Michel Desjoyeaux:
“With the construction of the new monohull within a time frame of 7 and a half months, we’re going to have to break some speed records! We have a lot of work ahead of us. I announced that to my team the day before yesterday and there eyes were sparkling. As such we’ve got a lot on our plate. As regards the one design trimaran which will follow on from that, it’s something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. There’s a real lack of oceanic multihulls in the French and international landscape. The future is in multihulls and I’m proud that we’re the first to announce this participation in the MOD 70 circuit."
Michel Desjoyeaux in front of the Eiffel Tower. Image copyright Yvan Zedda/Foncia/Sea&Co.
Guillaume Verdier, co-architect of the future IMOCA 60 FONCIA:
"It’s a new project that we’re inevitably tackling from a new viewpoint. We’re putting in place a big design team. Alongside me I’ll have Benjamin Muyl and Romaric Neyhousser, who have worked with me for some time. Alongside VPLP, it will be Xavier Guilbaud. They’ll inevitably be a great deal of exchanging of ideas, especially with Michel’s vast experience.”
Vincent Lauriot Prévost, co-architect:
“Michel has gathered together a team that we are part of and which works around him. His brother Hubert also plays a very big part. Usually it is the architect who is at the centre of these debates as regards the design, but in this instance it’s Michel who is hosting proceedings with a high level of input. He fires off ideas and then we discuss them to see whether or not we’re going to use them. He has his specifications with some clear, precise ideas of what he wants. The project must be fast as the boat has to be ready quickly. This 60 footer will be a development from the approach we took with Paprec-Virbac (second generation of the VPLP-Verdier designs), even though we’re making new moulds. And there are bound to be a fair number of “Desjoyeaux touches” in the concept.”
Marco Simeoni, president of the MOD 70 SA:
“The commitment from FONCIA and Michel Desjoyeaux to the Multi One Design 70’ circuit confirms the return of the oceanic Multihull at the highest level. Michel Desjoyeaux has the biggest haul of trophies in solo sailing and the FONCIA sailing team is one of the best oceanic teams in the world. This new championship integrates an environmentally responsible international circuit, which promises to be both passionate and hard-fought: the Multi One Championship 2010-2020, will group together 12 international teams on 70 foot one design multihulls, each of them battling on equal terms, racing in crewed configuration across the ocean planet. After the Swiss boat “Multi One Attitude No.1” whose aim is to protect the water, the commitment of the French sailors, led by Michel Desjoyeaux (FONCIA), confirms the growing appeal of this new international oceanic class. The first event will take place in May 2012 with the European Tour!”
Denis Horeau, race director for the Barcelona World Race:
“Inevitably the arrival of Michel Desjoyeaux and FONCIA is excellent news for the Barcelona World Race. It’s the second edition of this double-handed round the world, and although it’s already a polished event, it is constantly evolving. Michel is a guarantee of expansion for the race so naturally we’re very happy to have him alongside.”
Team Foncia
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