Immediately after his partnership with Biotherm was announced in March, Paul Meilhat expressed a wish to take part in The Ocean Race β the crewed round the world race with stopovers. The primary reasoning behind this decision is that the Whitbread Round the World Race, which went on to become the Volvo Ocean Race, is a legendary competition regarded as one of the greatest challenges in professional yacht racing.
Last but not least, The Ocean Race is a strong advocate for environmental causes β a message which aligns perfectly with that of Meilhat and his partner Biotherm. Today, with the new Biotherm IMOCA fresh out of the Persico yard in Italy after an 8-month build, the campaign has reached another key milestone with the announcement of the men and women Paul Meilhat has chosen to support him for 6 months of intense racing around the planet.
This international mixed-sex crew is an experienced and highly motivated group made up of top names with impressive CVs and career paths and is sure to be a potent force. I also had to be pragmatic because we will have precious little time to prepare before the start of the race.
Others have already competed in the crewed around-the-world race β and some even tick both boxes. All of them are great sailors and racers with remarkable track records and are capable of running a boat efficiently and independently.
The crew will call into 9 countries and 3 continents in its voyage around the globe. Giulio's advantages: offshore experience on fast boats, specialist in on-board control and autopilot systems, appetite for technology, good humour, launching his own brand of freeze-dried meals.
