Le Havre (AFP)

A year from the mythical race around the world alone, the Vendée Globe, five boats of the latest generation, "foilers" flying at crazy speeds, start Sunday Transat Jacques Vabre. Review of these new flying sailors and their incredible machines.

. Advens for Cybersecurity: skippered by Thomas Ruyant (co-skipper Antoine Koch)

Thomas Ruyant embarked on the construction of a flying imoca without having a major partner. He relied on 12 entrepreneurs from his region, the Hauts-de-France, to raise funds for design and construction, or 5.5 million euros. The boat was designed by the naval architect Guillaume Verdier and was launched in September 2019. "It is not a boat like the others, we will be at more than 30 knots (55 km / h) Regularly, the ergonomics will be important to achieve all that, "says the sailor of 38 years. Ruyant, who is taking part in his 5th Transat Jacques Vabre, has found a title partner for this race but must still ensure the following financially.

. Apivia: skippered by Charlie Dalin (co-skipper Yann Eliès)

Charlie Dalin finds himself for the first time at the helm of an imoca, and moreover a brand new imoca, launched in August, benefiting from the expertise of the company of François Gabart (Mer Concept). "Ten years ago I was already dreaming of a new boat, having a boat built for you, it does not happen every morning, it does not happen at all," says the naval architect. Designed by Guillaume Verdier, the boat is quite atypical, with a closed cockpit. "Our foils are like wings, so that they start to work we must reach a certain speed and this speed is obtained with boats that remain quite wide". At his side, Yann Eliès, emeritus sailor, who describes a boat "aesthetic" with a first version already "very accomplished".

. Arkéa Paprec: skippered by Sébastien Simon (co-skipper Vincent Riou)

At 29 Sebastien Simon has in his hands a brand new imoca for his first Vendée Globe. Designed by Juan Kouyoumdjian from Argentina, it was launched in September. "The big peculiarity of our boat is that we managed to put our foot very low on the bridge.When we lower the mast, we go down the center of gravity of the boat, the lower it is, the more it is Before takeoff it changes a lot of things, "says Simon, a pure Sablais training engineer, who says he is lucky. The project leader is none other than Vincent Riou, winner of the Vendée Globe 2004. A foil was broken 10 days before the start.

. Charal: skippered by Jérémie Beyou (co-skipper Christopher Pratt)

Jérémie Beyou, third of the last Vendée Globe, has fun flying on the water for a year with his new imoca. It is indeed the first imoca new generation - that is to say, boats drawn around the foil, this appendix that leaves the hull of the water - to be released. The boat was designed by the firm VPLP. "The clearing was long," said the 43-year-old skipper, who is delighted with a boat "rather well born" and had time to make reliable unlike the rest of the new fleet. "The boat is flying 3 meters high, from time to time it breaks its mouth," adds Beyou, whose boat needs to be flat to fly.

. Hugo Boss: skipped by Alex Thomson (co-skipper Neal Mc Donald)

As usual, Alex Thomson did not want to do like the others for his new machine. Designed by Quentin Lucet for VPLP, the imoca has a completely enclosed cockpit with all the navigation devices inside. Like a captain in the heart of his spaceship. "This boat has nothing to do with the previous one! We can go much, much faster but we still do not know how to make it go faster. We are always trying to understand," says the British 45 years old.

© 2019 AFP