Since flying the Estrella Damm colours Alex Pella and Pepe Ribes have notched up two big offshore successes. Last April they became the first ever team to set the New York - Barcelona Transoceanic Sailing Record, completing the passage in 12 days, 6 hours, 3 minutes and 48 seconds. The following challenge was the Sailing Tour of Spain, where the team finished as top Spanish crew, sweeping third place behind French teams Safran and PRB. Not only that, last year with the same yacht, but flying the W Hotels colours, the skippers came fifth in the Transat Jacques Vabre. As such, they work very well together as a crew and know the boat incredibly well indeed, making them one of the teams to watch closely.
Alex began sailing at just two years old, aboard his family boat; the second of four brothers, who all work professionally in the world of sailing, as yachtsmen, trainers and racing boat-builders. He discovered his passion for solo sailing at the end of the nineties while he helped prepare two of the Spanish entries for the Solitaire du Figaro. Alex Pella developed his offshore knowhow in the tough Mini Class, principally via three brilliant Mini-Transat entries, including two podium appearances. The Spaniard who hails from Barcelona has been working as a professional yachtsman and has prepared racing yachts for over ten years in classes ranging from the Figaro Class, 40 Class ,the IMOCA Open 60s, ORMA 60, TP 52s, and the IMS Class.
Pepe Ribes joins this Barcelona World Race on the back of his impressive experience in three circumnavigations of the globe, crewing on different Spanish and international projects, usually in the role of bowman. He is a seasoned expert of the Volvo Ocean Race and has also taken part in three America's Cups, with different teams. Ribes began sailing at just seven years old and is an experienced boat-builder and composite specialist.
THE TEAM
Alex Pella
Birthplace: Barcelona, Spain
Residence: Barcelona (Spain)
Marital status: Single
Age at start: 38 years old
Previous entrant in the BWR: No.
Pepe Ribes
Birthplace: Benissa (Alicante, Spain)
Residence: Barcelona (Spain)
Marital status: Married with a child due ahead of the regatta start
Age at start: 39 years old
Previous entrant in the BWR: No.
Twitter: Pepe Ribes
Alex Pella
Transats:
- Transat Jacques Vabre 2009 (5th), with Pepe Ribes, on W Hotels (IMOCA Open 60) double-handed.
- NY-BCN Transoceanic Sailing Record: Record between New York and Barcelona set at 12 days, 6 hours, 3 minutes and 48 seconds, with Pepe Ribes and Stan Schreyer, on Estrella Damm (IMOCA Open 60).
- Transat 650 (Mini-Transat) 2003 (3rd) solo (Mini Class)
- Transat 650 (Mini-Transat) 2005 (2nd) solo (Mini Class)
- Transat 650 (Mini-Transat) (race abandoned due to mast damage)
Other long-distance regattas:
- Istanbul Europa Race 2009 (5th), with Jean Pierre-Dick, on Paprec-Virbac 2 (IMOCA Open 60) five crew.
- Triangle du Soleil 2004 (1st), double-handed (Mini Class)
- Mini Solo 2004 (1st), solo (Mini Class)
- Mini-Med (2nd), double-handed (Mini Class)
- Mini Solo 2005 (1st), solo (Mini Class)
Other racing:
- Sailing Tour of Spain 2010 (3rd), on Estrella Damm (IMOCA Open 60) five crew.
- Spanish Championship IMS 2001 on Zurich.
- Spanish Championship IMS 2002-2004, on Azur de Puig (Farr 53 and Botín 49).
- Breitling MedCup Circuit 2006, on Bribón (TP52).
Pepe Ribes
Round the world regattas
- Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009 Telefonica Blue (3rd). Bowman.
- Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006 Movistar (6th). Bowman.
- Volvo Ocean Race 2001-2002 Nautor Challenge / Amer Sports One (3rd). Bowman and Media crew-member.
Transats
- Transat Jacques Vabre 2009 (5th), with Alex Pella, on W Hotels (IMOCA Open 60) double-handed.
- NY-BCN Transoceanic Sailing Record: Record between New York and Barcelona set at 12 days, 6 hours, 3 minutes and 48 seconds, with Alex Pella and Stan Schreyer, on Estrella Damm (IMOCA Open 60).
Other long-distance regattas:
- Istanbul Europa Race 2009 (5th), with Jean Pierre-Dick, on Paprec-Virbac 2 (IMOCA Open 60) five crew.
Other racing:
- Sailing Tour of Spain 2010 (3rd), with Estrella Damm (IMOCA Open 60) five crew.
- Three participations in the America’s Cup: 1999, 2004 and 2007
- Breitling MedCup Circuit 2005 and 2006, on Bribón (TP52)
- Spanish IMS Championships
- European IMS Championships Punta Ala, Italy
- Five participations in the Sardinia Cup: 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006
The boat
The Estrella Damm Sailing Team's IMOCA Open 60 has an exceptional pedigree and knows the course well: it is the yacht that Jean-Pierre Dick and Damian Foxall sailed to victory in the Barcelona World Race 2007-08, as the former Paprec-Virbac 2 team. It is a Bruce Farr design, built at the Southern Ocean Marine in Tauranga, New Zealand and launched in February 2007. Since Alex and Pepe took over the yacht, following the Istanbul Europa Race, the boat has undergone a lengthy and extensive refit, pushed and tested out in numerous offshore races. It will therefore hit the starting line of the Barcelona World Race in peak condition and with no surprises for the crew, two important assets for any team aiming for the top spot.
Technical Characteristics+
Designer: Bruce Farr Yacht Design
Shipyard: Southern Ocean Marine (New Zealand)
Launch: February 2007
Previous names: Paprec-Virbac 2, W Hotels
Length: 18.28 m (60 feet)
Beam: 5.85 m
Draught: 4.5 m
Displacement: 9,200 kg
Centreboards: 2 asymmetric lines
Keel blade material: precision steel
Bulb material: lead
Mast height: 28.5 m
Type of rigging: rotating mast with articulated spreaders and one single diamond
Total sail area close hauled: 300 m2
Total sail area downwind: 570 m2
Number of sails onboard: 10
Rudder: tiller
Rudder blades: 2 kick-up
Autopilots onboard: 2
Onboard energy source: hydro-generator, generator engine (200 Lt. of diesel), lithium batteries.
