The always-positive Andrea Mura has been tooling around Europe for the past few years in various singlehanded boats called Vento Di Sardegna (Sardinian Wind), and we were extremely enthused to see some Italian blood finally returning to the Class that called Gio Soldini one of its founding members. Unfortunately, the lack of Frenchness continues to be a huge handicap, and Mura seems to have bitten off way more than he could chew with his 2016 attempt at the Vendee Globe in a latest-gen IMOCA boat.
His Italian sponsors paid for a gorgeous, brand new VPLP-Verdier Open 60, but according to Velablog, he’s broke, can’t get to the starting line for the TJV, and the boat is up for sale. Bad news for anyone who wants to see IMOCA as more than a Francais-only men’s club, but great news for anyone looking to get a last-minute entry with a latest-generation foiling 60 to next year’s Vendee starting line. MichDej, perhaps, just in time to defend his record against either of his two protegées?
Latest goss in the thread.
