A year after their feat, Barcelona continues to remember its heroes.

 

The night of 11  February, it was one year since Jean-Pierre Dick and Damian Foxall won the Barcelona World Race. The first round the world sailing race organised in Spain was a sporting and organisational success that was a milestone in the history of ocean sailing. Less than 23 months from its second edition, the race has become, along with the Vendée Globe, a major benchmark in ocean competition on the official IMOCA 60 foot calendar.

 

At 21:49 h. on the cold night of 11 February 2008, the Paprec-Virbac 2 crossed the finishing line facing the Olympic Port and the Barcelona World Race had received the first winner in its history. Jean-Pierre Dick and Damian Foxall took 92 days, 8 hours, 49 minutes and 49 seconds to cover 24,679 miles, at an average speed of 11.13 knots. The second position went to the Hugo Boss, skippered by Alex Thompson and Andrew Cape, that arrived 2 days, 8 hours and 45 minutes later. 

 

It was a great moment for Barcelona and for all Spanish enthusiasts, as the Barcelona World Race gained a memorable series of historic records: it was the first non-stop double-handed round the world race, the first organised in Spain and the first bearing the name of a city. On the other hand, the sporting and organisational success was outstanding, setting another world benchmark in ocean racing, which is now the basis for organisation of the next edition, which is due to start on 31 December 2010.

Jean-Pierre Dick and Damian Foxall achieved a great victory, ending months of painstaking preparation, that set the present guidelines for double and single-handed ocean sailing: a thorough schedule to prepare the boat, well complemented team training and, of course, designing a boat with multiple purpose use as its main feature. Following their race was a privilege for any lover of ocean sailing: the Franco-Irish team showed the full repertoire of technique, tactics and ability to react to unforeseen events. 

 

This spectacular win in the Barcelona World Race has boosted the careers of Jean-Pierre Dick and Damian Foxall. Last 9 November, Jean-Pierre was on the starting line of the Vendée Globe for a single-handed non-stop round the world race, in the same Paprec-Virbac 2 he sailed to victory in Barcelona. However, this time, a rudder failure caused by collision with a floating object forced him to quit in the Southern Indian Ocean, when he was leading the race and was one of the major favourites to win.

 

After his victory in the Barcelona World Race, Damian Foxall received a hero's welcome in his Irish homeland and was feted with a reception at the President's Residence. Foxall then boarded the Green Dragon as duty officer / watch captain and is now competing in this year's Volvo Ocean Race.

 

Photo: Julien Girardot / DPPI

Skippers of the Paprec-Virbac 2: Jean Pierre Dick and Damien Foxall, winners of the Barcelona World Race