Video
5.31.24
IMOCA Race Report #1 | New York Vendée - Day 2
Dive into the heart of the latest IMOCA qualifying race for the Vendée Globe with Sébastien Marsset!
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| Age | 27 (12/19/97) |
|---|---|
| Joined Imoca on | 2022 |
| Team | GENTOO SAILING TEAM |
| Base | Gosport |
Growing up in Singapore, James found it easy to fall in love with the sea. He spent his weekends exploring and racing around the tropical island in various dinghies and keelboats. Fast forward 12 years and James has competed in many of the worlds largest offshore races. In the process, he has become a two-time British Double Handed National Champion with teammate Dee Caffari.
James Harayda is a skipper considered one of the rising stars in offshore racing. Founder of the Gentoo Sailing Team, he has embarked on an ambitious project with the goal of competing in the 2028 Vendée Globe, the toughest solo race in the world.
He began his career sailing double-handed alongside Dee Caffari, with whom he won a national title, before moving on to the IMOCA class. Notably, he finished 14th in the 2022 Route du Rhum and 19th in the 2024 New York Vendée, gaining valuable experience on major transatlantic races.
Beyond competition, James Harayda is also committed to education and sustainability. In 2024, he launched a program aimed at guiding 20 young sailors from diverse backgrounds into offshore racing, providing them with mentorship, technical training, and regatta experience.
| Name | GENTOO SAILING TEAM |
|---|---|
| Sail number | GBR 88 |
| Architect | Finot - Conq |
| Construction | 2007, Neville HUTTON, Southampton |
| Former names | HUGO BOSS, ENERGA, La Compagnie du Lit – Boulogne Billancourt, Boulogne Billancourt, Time For Oceans |
| Length | 18,28 m |
| Beam | 5,50 m |
| Draught | 4,50 m |
| Weight | 8,5 tonnes |
| Mast height | 29 m |
| Mast type | Mât Classique |
| Foils | Yes |
| Sail area max. | |
| Upwind | 340 m2 |
| Downwind | 550 m2 |
Dive into the heart of the latest IMOCA qualifying race for the Vendée Globe with Sébastien Marsset!
•••It’s time for the IMOCA fleet to come home. Following a busy stopover in New York for some, and Newport, Rhode Island, for others, the fastest monohulls in world offshore ocean racing are ready to take on the north Atlan…
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