VENDEE GLOBE: ALAN ROURA, HUBLOT AND THE WHOLE OF SWITZERLAND READY TO TAKE ON THE MOST EXTREME SPORTING CHALLENGE!

NYON, Switzerland, Nov. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Pride, joy and determination. These three emotions are in the hearts of Alan Roura and everyone at Hublot as they await the start of the tenth edition of the Vendée Globe in a few days’ time. Together, they are about to take on the world’s most extreme single-handed sporting challenge, and experience its addictive rhythm.

BIG BANG UNICO SAILING TEAM – ALAN ROURA

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A date with the oceans awaits. At 13:02 on Sunday 10^th November, Alan Roura will officially be setting off on his third consecutive Vendée Globe aboard the IMOCA Hublot, adding his name and that of the prestigious watch manufacture to the annals of Swiss sporting history!

“The emotion is as strong as ever, perhaps even stronger than it was four years ago, because the public is back and the popular support is even crazier than I remember”, explained the 31-year-old sailor a few days before the start, his collector’s carbon fibre “Big Bang Unico Sailing Team” watch on his wrist.

Over the last three weeks, some 2.5 million people have flocked to Les Sables d’Olonne to admire the spectacular boats and salute the solo sailors who are preparing to take on this incredible journey around the globe. This record turnout, four years on from the previous edition which had to be held without spectators due to the Covid-19 pandemic, is set to be repeated on Sunday for the legendary pass down the Les Sables d’Olonne channel!

“The only thing that counts is pushing your limits”

Almost 1000 days ago, the young Swiss sailor knocked on Hublot’s door to share his project and his desire to take on the “Everest of the Seas”. His fighting spirit, passion, daring and enthusiasm immediately won over the legendary manufacture.

“We don’t need to underscore the reasons behind our collaboration with Alan. Our maritime DNA is in our name: Hublot, meaning “porthole”. We are a manufacture born gazing out to the open ocean. Ocean racing technology is progressing as fast as our R&D. The recently launched Big Bang Unico Sailing Team represents the very best we have to offer for supporting ocean racing. For now, at least. Because for Hublot, as for Alan, the only thing that counts is pushing our limits”, says Julien Tornare, CEO of Hublot.

This is a philosophy shared by the most experienced sailor of his generation, finisher of two Vendée Globe races, and holder of the North Atlantic record. “In Switzerland, we all have a certain idea of what constitutes performance, precision and commitment. I’m not someone to rest on my laurels. Taking too much for granted is a sure path to failure. I want to push the envelope even further; to surpass others, but above all to surpass my own limits”.

“A wonderful human adventure”

The time trial has officially begun for Alan Roura, who now has some 45,000 kilometres ahead of him. Leaving the legendary Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin and Cape Horn in his wake, Alan Roura will have to dig deep to complete this extraordinary challenge, without assistance or stopovers, a feat only 200 sailors have managed since the event was created 35 years ago!

Along the way, the sailor will undoubtedly have to face many trials and tribulations, but Alan Roura knows he can count on the unfailing support of his partners in this 100% Swiss project, with the entire nation behind him, supporting their countryman. “My wish for this Vendée Globe is to be able to share my joy at being at sea with my team, my partners and all the Swiss people who are following me. Yes, there will be difficulties, ups and downs, twists of fate. That’s part of the game. But I want to concentrate on the positive, and show that the Vendée Globe is above all a fantastic human adventure!”

HUBLOT

Hublot is a Swiss watch manufacturer founded in 1980 and based in Nyon. For its first ever timepiece, this fundamentally disruptive company combined gold with a rubber strap in a case with a design inspired by a ship’s porthole (hublot in French). Thus, the Art of Fusion was born, blending tradition, innovation, craftsmanship, worlds and talents. It became the brand’s aesthetic and technical signature.

This identity was strengthened in 2005 with the Big Bang, which attested to an unrivalled know-how in terms of complications, manufacture movements and state-of-the-art materials. Carbon, titanium, ceramic and sapphire have been developed on this model to technical extremes.

This ground-breaking, high-quality approach to watchmaking is summed up in its philosophy ‘Be First, Unique and Different.’ It gradually led to other collections with innovative designs: Classic Fusion, Shaped Collection (Spirit of Big Bang, Square Bang) and Manufacture Pieces. These draw on high levels of craftsmanship, both in terms of the materials so dear to Hublot (such as Magic Gold, brightly-coloured ceramics and sapphires) and its manufacture movements (Unico chronograph, Meca-10 and large complications such as the Tourbillon, the Cathedral Minute Repeater and the specific Manufacture Pieces movements).

Hublot’s world extends to powerful partnerships including football. ‘Hublot Loves Football’ has become the slogan at the world’s biggest sporting events (such as the FIFA World Cup™, Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA EURO™) and through its ambassadors. This love of football continues in art, design, music, sport, fine dining and sailing. Lastly, Hublot’s implication in joint environmental projects with SORAI and Polar Pod reflects its concern for the issues of the day.

Over 140 boutiques around the world share Hublot’s fervour and values, alongside the Hublot.com e-commerce site.

BIG BANG UNICO SAILING TEAM

REFERENCE	CASE	CASE BACK	BEZEL
441.QX.1149.NR.ARA24 Limited to 100 pieces	Shiny black carbon fibre Diameter: 42 mm Thickness: 14.5 mm Water resistance: 10 ATM	Shiny black carbon fibre	Shiny black carbon fibre
DIAL	MOVEMENT	STRAP AND CLASP	PRICE
Matt black	Movement HUB1280 UNICO Manufacture self-winding chronograph Frequency: 4 Hz (28,800 Vib/h) Power reserve (hours): 72 Number of components: 354 Jewels: 43	Black fabric with Velcro^® and black ceramic sport buckle Additional black and yellow lined structured rubber strap Black ceramic and black-plated titanium deployant buckle clasp	22,900.00 CHF 26,200.00 EUR 25,200.00 USD 21,600.00 GBP