Birth of a new-generation boat
The Class40 christening ceremony in sunny La Trinité-sur-Mer was attended by many Edenred employees and sailing professionals. All were united by the same enthusiasm, as the launch of the new boat represented the culmination of months of work by numerous passionate contributors. The new-generation Edenred Class40 provides the Team Edenred skippers with a great tool for achieving their big ambitions.
“Being able to start a new adventure on the Class40 circuit with a boat like this is an incredible opportunity! I can’t wait to get it out on the water and start training so we can see what it can do. The five months to go until the Transat Jacques Vabre will give us time to get to know the boat and break it in so we can start the race of our lives in the best possible conditions,” said Emmanuel Le Roch, Edenred Class40 skipper.
Morbihan know-how in the spotlight
Supported by Bertrand Dumazy, Emmanuel and Basile made a point of working with businesses in the Morbihan region* of Brittany, France, when building the new Class40, both to boost the local economy and to take advantage of the world-class maritime expertise on offer.
“I have nothing but admiration and gratitude for the craftsmen who put their hearts and souls into building this boat. Thanks to the thousands of hours spent working in the shipyard, and to the unrivaled Morbihan know-how, Edenred’s and its skippers’ dream project has come true. With this new Class40, we are giving ourselves the means to achieve our sporting ambitions,” said Bertrand Dumazy, before breaking the traditional bottle of champagne on the Edenred’s bow for the christening.
“Feeling the support of Edenred’s 10,000 employees behind us is really motivating and comforting. We keep all the smiles and messages of support we receive in a special place in our hearts. When the going gets tough at sea, they’re what push us to go the extra mile,” said Basile Bourgnon.
Pierre Quiroga, Emmanuel Le Roch’s co-skipper for the Transat Jacques Vabre
The Transat Jacques Vabre is the main objective for the season, with contestants setting sail for Martinique from Le Havre on November 7, 2021. For this race, Emmanuel Le Roch will be accompanied by Pierre Quiroga, as Basile Bourgnon will be busy in the Mini Transat with the Edenred Mini 6.50.
Pierre Quiroga is an experienced Bénéteau Figaro sailor and a seasoned competitor. Having learned the ropes in the Mediterranean on the Olympic circuit, Pierre was named European match race vice-champion and winner of the Challenge Espoir contest organized by the Centre d’Entraînement Méditerranée. He began ocean racing in 2016, then in 2019 joined the Macif Skipper program, which supports young talent on the Figaro circuit and has uncovered a generation of great sailors. Already boasting a long list of achievements and a solid experience with Figaros, the 28-year-old is enthusiastic about the idea of discovering the open sea on a Class40.
“I’m proud to be accompanying Manu on the famous Transat Jacques Vabre onboard the Edenred Class40. My recent experience in the Transat en Double – Concarneau – Saint-Barthélemy in a Figaro 3 was amazing. I can’t wait to cross the Atlantic again with this new-generation boat. Manu and I have complementary strengths, which will guarantee we give it our all. I’ll put my knowledge to use to boost performance, while Manu will bring his experience sailing offshore,” said Pierre Quiroga.
On June 27, the Edenred Class40 will take part in the Les Sables – Horta – Les Sables race, a double-handed event covering more than 2,500 nautical miles non-stop.
Key figures
- 35 people who helped make this boat a reality
- 22 weeks of construction
- 12,000 hours of work
