Hublot will be living the race at the heart of the action for the 84th edition of the world’s largest inland regatta, for what will prove to be a long night, depending on how the wind blows. Having performed timekeeping duties at eight editions of the race, this year the watchmaker will be on board two boats. The brand will accompany its ambassador, Alan Roura, aboard Solano, and the Sailing Squad, an all-female crew of three young international sailors sponsored by Hublot in association with Mirabaud.
Alan Roura – Hublot Ambassador since 2022
The 84th edition of the BOM is an opportunity for Hublot to celebrate the return of Alan Roura to Lake Geneva for a race in which he last competed in 2021 and 2017. The legendary lake was the site of his earliest childhood outings, and where, in 2013, he recorded his first victory aboard Mirabaud 1 with Cyrus Golchan. The offshore sailor, who is experienced in solo racing and has just completed his first co-skippering endeavour with Simon Koster aboard the Imoca 60 Hublot in the GUYADER BERMUDES 1000 RACE, will be teaming up with Pascal Feryn, Alberto Corneli, Francesco Bianchi et Francesco Sabatini.
Sailing Squad – Season 3
Created by Mirabaud bank in 2021, the crew, which changes every year, will comprise three sailors working as a team for the first time in this race. A unique human enterprise, the all-female crew is coached by Shirley Robertson, an elite sailor, double Olympic gold medallist and talented commentator for the BBC and CNN. Hublot and the Sailing Squad will be looking to set a good time aboard Christian Wahl’s D35, Double You Team.
For this third season, the Sailing Squad 2023 will feature three promising young sailors who have all competed at an international level and gained world rankings:
– Anja von Allmen, 20, Switzerland. She is currently preparing for the 2024 Olympics in the ILCA 6 Elite class.
– Eilidh McIntyre, 29, UK. 470 Olympic Champion at the 2020 Olympics.
– Silvia Mas, 26, Spain. 470 World Champion.
The event kicks off in front of the Société Nautique de Genève yacht club on Saturday, 10th June at 10 am.
Hublot and sailing two worlds made for each other Through its original iconic design from 1980, with the watch bezel featuring signature screws reminiscent of the porthole of a boat. Through its sailing partnerships with the most iconic of races, from the very oldest, on board the Luna Rossa at the America’s Cup, the toughest and most iconic of ocean races, as Official Timekeeper of the Bol d’Or Mirabaud from 2014-2022 – the largest inland water regatta in the world, and with Alan Roura for his Vendée Globe 2024 campaign.
“This is my 4th time racing in the Bol d’Or Mirabaud, and each time it’s a unique sailing experience thanks to the specifics of the water itself and the thermal breezes, as well as the race format with over 500 boats from different classes. It’s an event that really reflects who I am, and brings together my love of sailing, of my country – Switzerland – and now of my other family – Hublot! I hope the conditions will be kind to us and am looking forward to a fabulous event!”
Alan Roura Hublot Ambassador
Hublot is proud to be a part of the team as it takes its place at the world’s largest inland water regatta. And, instead of timing the competition, for this edition we will be at the start line ready to set our own time. Alongside our ambassador, Alan Roura, on the Solano catamaran. Alan is a distinguished Swiss sailor experienced in both ocean and solo racing, who will be returning to the lake of his childhood. And also with the Mirabaud Sailing Squad, an all-female crew created to promote the next generation of athletes who will shape the future of sailing. As we look to the future, we add another chapter to the story of Hublot’s engagement with the world of sailing, which began when it was founded back in 1980.”
Ricardo Guadalupe Hublot CEO
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 CupTM, Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA EUROTM) 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. Almost 130 boutiques around the world share Hublot’s fervour and values, alongside the Hublot.com e-commerce site.