For the young Spaniard from Girona, Gerard Marín, the project Fòrum Marítim Català is a big step forward. His incorporation into the IMOCA Open 60 Class follows a successful trajectory in the Mini Class, where he raced in the 2006, 2007 and 2009 seasons (Mini GAES Solidaria team), having previously carved an important career in the international Europe Class.
Joining this promising young Spanish offshore sailor is experienced French sailor Ludovic Aglaor, winner of the 2005 Jules Verne Trophy aboard Bruno Peyron's Orange 2 and the Tea Route 2008 onboard maxi-catamaran Gitana 13, skippered by Lionel Lemonchois. Aglaor's extensive experience in offshore sailing includes 19 Transatlantic crossings. His expertise in boat preparation means that he has been called on for campaigns by Alain Gautier, Philippe Poupon and Dominique Vittet, among others.
THE TEAM
Gerard Marín
Birthplace: Figueres, Spain
Residence: La Escala, Spain
Marital Status: Single
Edad en la salida: 28 years old
Previous entrant in the BWR: No.
Ludovic Aglaor
Birthplace: La Flèche, France
Residence: La Trinité sur Mer, France
Marital Status: with partner
Age at start: 44 years old
Previous entrant in the BWR : No
Website: www.ludo-aglaor-voile.fr
Gerard Marín
Transats:
- Transat 650 (Mini-Transat) 2007, (4th in the Series Boats category) solo.
- Transat 650 (Mini-Transat) 2009, (21st in the Prototypes category) solo.
Other long-distance regattas:
- 1st Mini Solo 2006
- 1st Mini Barcelona 2006
- 1st Les Sables- Azores 2006 (Mini Class)
- 1st Mini Solo 2007
- 2nd Course des Lions 2007 (Mini Class)
Other racing:
- Europe Class
- 2nd World Championships 2002
- 3rd European Championships 2007
- 5th European Championships 2002
- 1st Spanish Championships 2002 and 2006
- 2nd Spanish Championships 2001 and 2005
Ludovic Aglaor
Round the world regattas
- Jules Verne Trophy in 2005 on Bruno Peyron's Orange II with crew.
Transats
- Tea Route 2008, (1st) with Gitana 13
Other long-distance regattas:
- Between 2007 and 2008 as Boat-Captain of Gitana 13 he broke the following records:
- New-York to San Francisco
- San Francisco to Yokohama
- Yokohama to Dalian
- Dalian to Qindao
- Qindao to Taipei
- Taipei to Hong-Kong
- Hong-Kong to London
The boat
Gerard Marín and Ludovic Aglaor are racing on the former Kingfisher (previously Ellen Macarthur's) and latterly Educación Sin Fronteras, with which Albert Bargués and Servane Escoffier completed the first edition of the Barcelona World Race. In early 2010 the latest innovations in the IMOCA Class were incorporated into the yacht. This is an Owen-Clarke Design, built in New Zealand in 2000. With Ellen MacArthur at the helm, the yacht won the EDS Challenge 2001 and the 2002 Route du Rhum, and was second in the 2000/01 Vendée Globe. Early this year the boat underwent a comprehensive refit to prepare for the second edition of the Barcelona World Race.
Technical Characteristics+
Designer: Owen Clarke Design
Shipyard: Marten Yachts (New Zealand)
Launch: 2000
Previous names: Kingfisher
Length: 18.28 m (60 feet)
Beam: 5.3 m
Draught: 4.5 m
Displacement: 8,900 kg
Centreboards (number and type): 2 straight
Keel blade material: steel
Bulb material: lead
Mast height: 26m
Rigging: N/A
Total sail area close-hauled: 240 m2
Total sail area downwind: 470 m2
Number of sails onboard: 10
Rudder: 2 tillers
Rudder blades: 2 under the hull
Autopilots onboard: 2
Onboard energy source: Wind generator, hydro generator and engine
