Gitana : écurie de course au large fondée par le Baron Benjamin de Rothschild

Friday 07 August 2015

In the wake of Gitana, August 2015

In offshore racing, very often we know the stories of the sea or the biographies of the sailors setting off on the races, but very little about the background to the teams hidden behind the performances. Dive into the heart of the Gitana Team and each month you too can explore behind the scenes of the offshore racing stable fitted out by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild; such is the promise of the web series In the wake of Gitana. Construction, research and development, optimisation, training sessions, competitions, as well as team spirit the Gitana Team opens its doors.

Subject 1: Ready to rev up a gear!

On 7 August, a year and a half after the announcement and an eleven-month build later… the Mono60 Edmond de Rothschild hits the water for the first time. We review what was an emotional day, which heralds the start of the Vendée Globe campaign for Sébastien Josse and Gitana Team.

Subject 2: Paint and spray gun

The originality of Jean-Baptiste Epron’s design aided by the quality of an expert realisation… Whilst the composite specialists busy themselves with the finishing touches, that are so numerous and complex on the latest generation Imoca, Hubert Corfmat and his team take care of the outward appearance of the carbon monster; an aestheticism that is always geared towards performance.

Subject 3: A broadminded engineer

Within the Gitana design office, he is one of the key characters in the design of the Mono60 Edmond de Rothschild. However, when he’s not in front of his computer screen imagining and designing boats, it’s on the deck of his Mini 6.50 that Armand de Jacquelot dreams of the open ocean. It’s this month’s portrait!