IMOCA 60s For Volvo Race?

SOLO CLASS VOTES TO ALLOW IMOCA 60S TO BE ADOPTED FOR FULLY CREWED ROUND THE WORLD RACE

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Final negotiations are under way between the IMOCA class and the Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) to adopt the IMOCA 60 as the design for the next fully crewed round the world race.

An announcement is expected to be made before the end of the VOR in June.

Proposals for the race to adopt the IMOCA 60 rule (formerly Open 60), used in the major solo and short-handed ocean races such as the Vendée Globe and Route du Rhum, have been discussed for several years. The IMOCA box rule, which has incorporated developments such as wingmasts, canting keels and now foils, is the most successful and enduring rule in ocean racing, and has led to a vigorous second-hand market for these one-off designs.

An agreement could make it possible for teams to do both races with comparatively minor modifications to an existing or new yacht. It would also reduce VOR team costs by whittling down crew numbers; an IMOCA 60 is considered fully crewed with four or five people aboard.

VOR, however, has declined to comment on the discussions at this stage.