11th Hour Racing Team, led by Charlie Enright and Mark
Towill, took ownership this past June of the former Hugo Boss boat
previously sailed by Englishman Alex Thomson and have renamed it ‘11th
Hour Racing’, after the team’s title sponsor. The four-year-old foiling IMOCA 60 class boat is now docked in
Port-la-Forêt, Brittany, France and will be used by Enright and Towill
as the duo prepare for the team’s entry in the 2019 Transat Jacques
Vabre in October. The two started official training in the boat the week
of August 19.
Designed by VPLP/Verdier, 11th Hour Racing was first launched as Hugo Boss
in 2015 as one of the most advanced racing yachts in the world. Made
completely from carbon fiber and highlighted as the first-ever all-black
racing yacht, it was one of the earliest IMOCAs to feature hydrofoils
to reduce drag and optimize speed. The boat’s first-ever race was the
2015 Transat Jacques Vabre and the next year the yacht finished second
in the solo-handed Vendee Globe with Thomson on-board.
“This is a fast boat and was so technologically-advanced when it
first debuted, that it’s still among the most cutting-edge boats out
there in the IMOCA class,” said Enright, who oversees all
high-performance sailing aspects for the team. “It’s the ideal boat for
us to get acquainted and familiar with the systems, sail program and
nuances of the foiling IMOCA.”
Four years after debuting at the 2015 Transat Jacques Vabre, 11th
Hour Racing yacht will make its first ocean crossing with its new look
in the 2019 edition at the startline in Le Havre, France, on October 27.
Since being moved from the UK to France in late June, 11th Hour
Racing has been re-fitted and re-branded with new features and a new
look, highlighting its lead sponsor 11th Hour Racing. The boat’s new
livery, and race number 23:00 reflects the sense of urgency around
global environmental issues — the clock is ticking, we are at the 11th
hour — while the #oceanhour aims at inspiring positive action among
sailing and coastal communities and sports fans worldwide.
“The health of our planet depends on the health of our ocean, from
the oxygen we breathe to the food we eat to the stability of our
climate. With each day, we are racing together against time to
accelerate change through sporting excellence in sailing, ocean
advocacy, and sustainable innovation,” said Rob MacMillan, President and
Co-Founder of 11th Hour Racing.
With The Ocean Race opening up its race to two classes of boats — the IMOCA 60 and VO65
— Towill and Enright are looking forward to familiarizing themselves
with the IMOCA 60 class after two races around the world in the
one-design Volvo Ocean 65.
“This boat is a beast and can reach incredible speeds in all
conditions,” said Towill. “We believe having the new 11th Hour Racing
IMOCA in our possession now is a great first step on our path to getting
to the startline with a team that can compete for and win The Ocean
Race trophy in 2021.”
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