Barcelona World Race's first entry

Winner of the firs trace, Jean-Pierre Dick, signs on the dotted line

French sailor Jean-Pierre Dick, winner of the inaugural Barcelona World Race two handed round the world race, has confirmed his participation in the second edition that starts on 31 December, 2010.

Dick will be at the helm of a new Paprec-Virbac, presently under construction in New Zealand. It was aboard Paprec Virbac 2 sailing with Damian Foxall that he secured his sensational victory in the first race, establishing the record the skippers will be aiming to beat in eighteen months time: 92 days, 8 hours, 49 minutes and 49 seconds.

Last winter Jean-Pierre Dick took part in the Vendée Globe, once again sailing aboard Paprec Virbac 2. On this occasion he was forced to retire from the race after hitting an unidentified floating object in the Southern Ocean, at which time he was leading the fleet.

Since registration for entries opened on 18 June, the Barcelona World Race organisers have been working closely with those skippers who have expressed an interest in racing in the next edition. Nine boats took part in the first race, and it is expected that there will be between 10 and 12 on the start line on the last day of 2010, of which at least three should be Spanish entries