Spirit of Lorina claims 2024-25 IMA Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge
by International Maxi Association 17 Sep 10:03 NZST
Jean-Pierre Barjon's Botin 65 Spirit of Lorina narrowly won the 2024-25 IMA Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge © IMA / Studio Borlenghi
For a second occasion, Jean-Pierre Barjon's Spirit of Lorina has won the IMA Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge (MMOC). Having first claimed this title for the 2021-22 season, the French-flagged silver Botin 65 has again won it for 2024-25.
Barjon with his skipper/project manager Benjamin Enon were presented with their trophy by IMA President Benoît de Froidmont at the International Maxi Association's Members' Dinner held last week during the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup at Surrau winery.
As usual the IMA MMOC does not conform to a calendar year in order that the trophy can be presented in a timely fashion at the annual IMA Members' Dinner in September. So for 2024-25 it began with the 2024 Rolex Middle Sea Race and concluded with this summer's Palermo-Montecarlo. In between it included the Real Club Náutico de Palma's La Larga; the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia's Regata dei Tre Golfi (also forming the offshore component of the IMA's annual Maxi European Championship), the 151 Miglia-Trofeo Cetilar; the offshore race within Loro Piana Giraglia and the Aegean 600.
Remarkably Spirit of Lorina secured the title competing in the Challenge's first three events, ultimately winning by just four points from Seng Huang Lee's Dovell 100 SHK Scallywag. This they set up nicely following a 2nd place in class in the Rolex Middle Sea Race.
"We've had a great season - offshore is always an adventure," commented Barjon. "The Rolex Middle Sea Race was very hard as I'm not an experienced sailor. For me, it was very hard physically. But when it's finished, you only keep the good memories! Then this year we did La Larga and Regata dei Tre Golfi, which is a nice race. To win this for a second time is incredible. When I won the first time, it was historic for me.
"It's very nice to win all together as a crew, because we have a special Lorina spirit - it is a challenging spirit, and we don't have a huge budget and everybody try to win in all conditions."
Recently Spirit of Lorina has been equipped with water ballast to ensure she remains competitive and much other work has been carried out under the keen eye of team manager Benjamin Enon.
Over the years many top names in French sailing have been part of the Spirit of Lorina crew, including French America's Cup/Sail SP skipper Quentin Delapierre, plus Olympians Kevin Peponnet and Stéphane Christidis, offshore sailors Fabien Delahaye, Gildas Philippe, Jules Mazars, Achille Nebout, Jules Ducelier and Calixte Benoit, among others. "It's a great pleasure to welcome some French talent and we are very happy when they are here," says Barjon.
This season the crew-up has also included Edouard and Arthur Masse, Andres Lemos, Nicolas Kroll, Cedric de Tonge, Morgan Lauber, Thomas Audren, Guillaume Berenger, VPLP yacht designer Quentin Lucet, Patrick Aucour, Calixte Benoit, Yann Heyberger and Jean Luc Leveque.
At the IMA dinner Yacht Club Costa Smeralda Commodore Andrea Recordati was also presented with IMA Yacht of the Year trophy after his Wally 93 Bullitt won this prize for the 2024 season. The trophy for the 2025 IMA Caribbean Maxi Multihull Challenge was also presented to Andrew Nisbet, owner of the Gunboat 72 Layla.
Finally the Gianfranco Alberini Challenge Trophy, usually awarded for a crew demonstrating exceptional sportsmanship, was on this occasion awarded to an individual: Edoardo Recchi, Secretary General and Sports Director of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. Recchi, who is stepping down later this month, in addition to his exceptional 25 years of service to the YCCS was also a great ally of the IMA, and pivotal to the continued success of our joint event, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, still the premier event in the annual maxi yachting season.
Following the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, the 2025 IMA Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge (MMIC) enjoyed a leader change with David M Leuschen and Chris Flowers' Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Champion Galateia jumping to the top spot. The IMA's MMIC winner wil be determined on 4 October at the conclusion of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez.
Full results here