After just over 95 days at sea, Alan Roura, the youngest participant in the event at the age of 27, has completed his second Vendée Globe. Already! The experience the Swiss skipper has gained during his two circumnavigations has earned him a great deal of respect and his potential has not gone unnoticed. In the next race, he will take the helm of one of the most powerful boats in the IMOCA fleet, that of Alex Thomson. This 60-foot-long beauty of a boat, with its innovative foils, has everything it takes to get through and win the world’s toughest solo race. All he needs now is a major sponsor to help him realize his dream of becoming the first foreign competitor to sail to victory in his third participation in a row. His prayers have been answered with Hublot on his side and he can now assemble a team that is 100% Swiss Made – just like the watches it creates.
Hublot embraced the world of sailing very early on, awarding chronograph watches to the top three sailors taking part in the Vendée Globe in 2005. Two years later, the brand was on board the Luna Rossa and in 2012, it partnered with Bol d’Or, the world’s most prestigious inland regatta, on Lake Geneva. Training continues non-stop at Lorient La Base, in France, a centre of excellence for professional sailors. The Imoca 60 Hublot will soon sport the colours black and yellow, a tribute to the brand’s first watch combining a gold case, with a design inspired by the famous circular window (‘hublot’ is French for ‘porthole’), and a rubber strap. In the run-up to 2024, Hublot’s new ambassador will be in Saint-Malo on 6 November 2022, for the start of the legendary Route du Rhum.
