The first MOD70. Image copyright Yvan Zedda/Multi One Design SA.
by Sandra Mudrojna
Stève Ravussin and Roland Jourdain were today in Lorient, at Keroman Technologies (CDK) shipyard, to unveil the last phase of the construction of their boats. Michel Desjoyeaux, skipper of the third MOD70 “Foncia”, has paid a last minute visit too. Stève Ravussin’s MOD70 “Race for Water” has entered the completion phase (fittings, electronics,…) and the christening is planned on March 25th: a unique launching event which will leave its mark as the “birth of a major event” with an exceptional 4D show open to the public, at the Cité de la Voile Eric Tabarly in Lorient. As for the MOD 70 nr.2 “Veolia Environnement”, she is entering the assembly phase with a scheduled launch on June 2nd. The first of the MOD 70 series, designed by VPLP, looks stunning. Still not totally branded, the MOD70 nr. 1 “Race for Water” will bear the colours of the Multi One Attitude Foundation.
Race for Water, the first MOD70. Image copyright Yvan Zedda/MultiOneDesign.
“This is the result of a long process” says Stève Ravussin, the skipper and one of the initiator of the series. “To respect the strict one-design concept and to guarantee the performance and the reliability, we had to implement a number of quality controls. It was a huge work, but we managed to achieve it. I believe we have a splendid project that is becoming reality. As a matter of interest, thanks to the implementation of the control procedures, we have already built four sets of floats, with a maximum of 4 kg difference between pieces which are more than 22 meters long.” He adds: “Creating a whole one-design series makes it difficult to realize that it is also “my” boat that will leave the shipyard! It is really a different feeling than working on a personal project. I am really happy, I do not realize yet, but this will be fantastic.”
Steve Ravussin. Image copyright Yvan Zedda/Multi One Design SA.
The first boat of the MOD70 series will be skippered by the Swiss sailor and will be the ambassador of the Multi One Attitude Foundation, a foundation created besides the MOD70 circuit, whose objective is water preservation. Central meeting point of the race village, the foundation pavilion will be part of the circuit in the stopover cities, in order to make the public aware of water issues and ocean preservation.
Assembly of the MOD 70 No. 2, which will bear Veolia Environnement livery, has now started at CDK Keroman Technologies. So, it is with a degree of curiosity and considerable eagerness that her skipper Roland Jourdain was also present this morning in Lorient (France) to see the MOD Nr.1, waiting and watching as his own boat takes shape over the coming months.
Veolia Environnement, the second MOD70. Image copyright Yvan Zedda/MultiOneDesign.
“Seeing today the lines of this beautiful bird ready assembled for her release from the shipyard gives tangible form to this new circuit in which I am proud today to participate. Multi One Design has taken the courageous option of a single design to enable economies of scale in financial terms and the environmental impact. The result today is a responsible concept, very 3rd millennium, and which I wholeheartedly support, because there can be no greater spectacle than sporting equality at the start line. I am now eager to take part in this bird’s first flight on the water and to see the! Nr. 2 in the series bearing Veolia Environnement livery with which I will be delighted to share this new challenge. The boats are undeniably the same but this time, it will be ours,” said Roland Jourdain this morning. The MOD Nr. 2 “Veolia Environnement” is scheduled to come off the blocks this coming June.
Michel Desjoyeaux was also at the shipyard today to see the progress of his future competitors boats. “I have not planned to be here today… But at the end I am happy to be able to start earlier with the MOD70 programme. I am so much looking forward to start sailing the boat end of August!”
Michel Desjoyeaux, Steve Ravussin and Roland Jourdain. Image copyright Yvan Zedda/Multi One Design SA.
The MOD70 nr.1 launch will take place on Monday March 21st at 8.30 am after a stop at Ocean Development shipyard for the fittings and the last technical stop. The launch will be done in the presence of several Lorient school classes which will symbolically represent the future generations and the willingness to increase the public awareness on water preservation issues. Friday March 25th 2011 will sign the true launch of the MOD 70 series with the first MOD 70, the “Race for Water”. In front of the Cité de la Voile Eric Tabarly in Lorient (free access), an exceptional 4D show on the water topic will leave a mark as the beginning of a long and beautiful adventure for this new ocean multihull international series.
Dates to remember : 2011 / 2012
March 25th 2011 : Launch of the MOD70 nr. 1 "Race for Water"
June to October 2011 : Delivery of the MOD70 nr. 2 to nr. 4
October 2011 : Test-Match (exhibition race with 3 MOD70)
January to May 2012 : Delivery of the MOD70 nr. 5 and nr. 6
Race Programme: 2012 / 2014
July 2012 : Ocean Race
September 2012 : European Tour
June 2013 : European Tour
November 2013–April 2014: Ocean World Tour (6 stopovers, 5 oceans, 12 racing teams)
August 2014 : Ocean Race
Multi One Design SA
