This 60-foot rocketship was launched back in 1998, and is none other than the sistership of Brocéliande, Alain Gautier’s VPLP design, launched a year earlier. Within a short time of being first splashed, Groupama 1 became untouchable: in three years, it competed in 20 events and found itself on the podium 17 times! The trimaran continued its career on the ORMA Grand Prix circuit until 2005. It was then sold on, several times, between Scandinavia and Greece and became successively HIQ, Sjovillan, Akron Aoton and now, finally... Candide. This is where we find Greg Paulin, the trimaran’s captain, currently in charge of the renovation ahead of the start of its commercial activity. This means that you’ll soon be able to sail aboard one of the most remarkable racing multihulls of its era.
