| Age | 46 (2/24/78) |
|---|---|
| Top performance | 11th of the Vendée Globe 2016-17 |
| Joined Imoca on | 2015 |
| Team | Nexans-Wewise |
| Base | Lorient (FRANCE) |
| Partners | Nexans, Wewise, Hager Group, E3/DC, Groupe Onet, Groupe Guillin, Gaz Européen, Eolane, Twimm, Brioche Pasquier, Delostal & Thibault Groupe, Crédit Maritime Grand Ouest, Ipsilon, Marinpool |
| Commitment | Ocean Calling |
Journalist-sailor? Sailor-journalist? Fabrice Amedeo has decided not to choose between the two wakes he has been enthusiastically carving out for himself for some time. However, the call of the open ocean has gained the upper hand over recent years, prompting him to frequent the pontoons of La Trinité sur Mer more often than the newsroom at Le Figaro magazine.
Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, Transat Jacques Vabre, first off in Class40 and then in Imoca, Fabrice has navigated his way along through application and hard work, making the summit of his own personal Everest in the winter of 2016-2017. 11th in the Vendée Globe 2016-17, he joined the inner circle of circumnavigators, commanding respect and carrying along a great many people with him in his journey to make a childhood dream come true.
A few months later, still driven by a desire to progress, Fabrice bought a ‘foiler’, one of the latest-generation flying boats. Sticking to the idea of pushing the envelope and also sharing his salty adventure with as many people as possible, he took the start of La Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe in 2018, a year they both celebrated their 40th birthday.
A competitor at heart, Fabrice Amedeo had to abandon the 2020-21 Vendée Globe due to a computer problem while sailing at the entrance to the Southern Ocean. "It's a decision that was difficult to take, but I accept it. I know I will bounce back." After a winter refit, the boat is back in the water under new colors, those of Nexans and Art & Fenêtres. After spending the first half of the season in the yard due to a violent backstay, the skipper, accompanied by the young Figaro racer Loïs Berrehar, finished tenth in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2021.
Following major modifications to his IMOCA with the installation of large C foils, Fabrice is back on the water in 2022 as of the first race of the season with the aim of racking up the miles and taking part in all the qualifying races for the 2024 Vendée Globe, a goal that he is still aiming for. Unfortunately, the skipper was forced to abandon the Route du Rhum and his boat, following a fire on board.
But Fabrice did not give up. Still supported by his partners, he found an IMOCA, Arnaud Boissières' old boat, which he left to find in Guadeloupe. He will be back on the water in 2023 on this new boat.
2014: Route du Rhum - 9th (Class40)
2013: Transat Jacques Vabre - 6th (Class40)
2012: Solitaire du Chocolat - 3rd (Class40)
2012: Transat Quebec Saint Malo - 4th (Class40)
2008: Route du Rhum - 26th (Class40)
2008: Solitaire du Figaro - ABD
2008: Transat AG2R - ABD
| Name | NEXANS - WEWISE |
|---|---|
| Sail number | FRA 56 |
| Architect | Owen Clarke Design |
| Construction | 2007, Hakes Marine, Nouvelle-Zélande |
| Former names | Ecover III, Mike Golding Racing, Président, Gamesa, Currency House Kilcullen, Kilcullen Voyager - Team Ireland, Rêve de large - Région Guadeloupe |
| Length | 18,28 m |
| Beam | 5,8 m |
| Draught | 4,50 m |
| Weight | 7,9 tonnes |
| Mast height | 28,5 m |
| Mast type | Wing mast |
| Foils | No |
| Sail area max. | |
| Upwind | 260 m2 |
| Downwind | 435 m2 |
The Vendée Globe is not only an exceptional human and sporting adventure. Behind each race also lies a major scientific contribution, often unknown to the general public.
•••The 2020 edition of the Vendée Globe has generated unprecedented interest. As a result, the organisers decided to increase the number of places at the start to 40 for the 2024 edition. 44 skippers applied for this 10th e…
•••After a spectacular 2023 season, that saw more miles sailed by more sailors in more races than ever before in the IMOCA Class, 2024 now lies ahead – a year that will dominated by two solo transatlantic sprints and then t…
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