Loïck Peyron to join Jean-Pierre Dick as partner for the Barcelona World Race

[Source: Barcelona World Race] Jean-Pierre Dick has just unveiled his co-skipper for the Barcelona World Race. This will be no less than Loïck Peyron, one of the most successful and experienced ocean yachtsmen in the world.

Loïck Peyron will be taking part in the Barcelona World Race 2010/11, forming a duo with Jean-Pierre Dick, the brilliant winner of the last edition of the competition. This is not the first time the French skippers join forces: they won the Transat Jacques Vabre together in 2005 with Virbac-Paprec 1 and they designed and built a pair of twin yachts (Paprec Virbac 2 and Gitana Eighty). Now it's time for them to launch their longest and most demanding adventure yet: the double-handed, non-stop race around the world.

Both skippers will be on the starting line on 31st December, onboard Paprec-Virbac 3, the brand-new IMOCA Open 60 that Jean-Pierre Dick recently unveiled to the public in Auckland, NZ. With this yacht the sailors will be defending the Frenchman's title from the first edition of the Barcelona World Race, shared with Damian Foxall. Both yachtsmen are part of the elite of world sailing, and they know one and other very well, and so will form one of the most powerful and difficult to beat teams in the competition.

Jean-Pierre Dick and Loïck Peyron on Virbac 3. Auckland, 26 May 2010. Photo copyright Virbac

Jean-Pierre Dick said: “It's a pleasure to welcome Loïck on board. This is exactly what I had hoped for: to sail with a well-rounded and independent skipper, someone incredibly competent with whom I can have a constant interaction. A double-handed team works well when there's mutual confidence, in that you have to perform 100% delegation when it comes to handing the reins over to the other skipper when your watch finishes. Loïck and I share a similar view of sailing. We realised that with our victory in the Transat Jacques Vabre in 2005 and with the building of twin highly competitive racing yachts in 2007 (the old Paprec-Virbac 2 and Gitana Eighty): the first won the Barcelona World Race 2007 and the latter won the Transat 2008.

What do I like about Loïck? His energy in doing things, his ideas on how to make the boat go even faster. He never stops. He's always doing something. He's extraordinary at getting a prototype ready and each time he brings an enormous value to the table. I also like his friendly and jovial personality. In a circumnavigation it is of vital importance to have somebody you get on with beside you, someone who you can talk to, share ideas with ,about the boat, the sea or life in general”.

Loïck Peyron said: “A voyage of discovery...I love it! I've never done a double-handed circumnavigation of the globe before. That's one of the reasons I didn't stop to think when Jean-Pierre proposed we go out for a sail in tandem. This time the course is somewhat longer! I know that the skipper, the team and the boat are up to the challenge. I was able to see that yet again in Auckland, just a few days ago, with the launch of Paprec-Virbac 3. It's funny that when we won the Transat Jacques Vabre in 2005, Jean-Pierre had already won it two years previously. Now we are heading out on a circumnavigation that he won two years ago... that's something!

What do I like about Jean-Pierre? Jean-Pierre opens up new horizons in the world of ocean sailing. He is the first French sailor to have contacted the Farr studio and the first to have had a boat built in New Zealand. His way of doing things caught my attention. Jean-Pierre has a very structured professional approach to things, but at the same time he can appear to be miles away. That's just an appearance, because his mind is always active and his brain never switches off. He also knows how to surround himself with good people in every field. In a race he won't give an inch, We are different in many ways, but we complement one and other well. We also get on really well, and I think that's our strong point”.

Virbac 3 rollover test. Auckland, 19 May 2010. Video copyright Virbac