A recycled IMOCA for dual missions
The IMOCA 60 Newrest-Matmut perfectly embodies the philosophy of intelligent recycling in offshore racing. Designed in 2007 by Bruce Farr Yacht Design and built by Southern Ocean Marine in New Zealand for Loïck Peyron under the name Gitana 80, this monohull has already completed several circumnavigations under different colors (Gitana, then Synerciel with Jean Le Cam) before being acquired by Fabrice Amedeo in 2015 for his first Vendée Globe.
A complete electronic overhaul
The boat’s acquisition for the 2016–2017 Vendée Globe required a complete overhaul of its embedded electronic and electrical architecture. Beyond standard navigation and communication systems, the project included the integration of scientific measurement equipment: CO2 sensors, salinity, temperature, microplastics, and environmental DNA — a pioneering approach in racing sailing.
This dual purpose — sporting competition and scientific mission — imposed specific constraints in terms of reliability, energy management, and satellite data transmission. Skysat supported Fabrice Amedeo throughout this technical and human challenge, which concluded with an 11th place finish in the 2016–2017 Vendée Globe.
A platform paving the way for data-driven sailing
Long before ocean data collection became a standard on IMOCA boats, the Newrest-Matmut project demonstrated that a racing sailboat could become a mobile scientific platform, capable of covering rarely sampled areas such as the extreme latitudes of the Southern Ocean.
