Sodebo relaunched

Busy times in La Trinite as trimaran fleet stretch their limbs after the winter

Following her winter refit Thomas Coville's 60ft trimaran Sodebo has now been relaunched and at present is having her foils installed and her mast stepped. After this her new suit of sails will arrive and Coville is expecting to do his first sea trial of the season on Thursday.

Coville plans to take part in the full ORMA circuit this year with the Grand Prix in Lorient, Cagliari, Marseilles and Fecamp, plus the long distance races the Challenge Mondial Assistance and the two handed Transat Jacques Vabre later this year.

For the Grand Prix he will be sailing with 10 crew. His shore crew Martial Salvan and Denis Pelmont will alternate on board and with speed cyclist Jean-Christophe Moussard grinding. Also on the crew are French Olympic sailors Pierre Pennec and Fred Guilmin. Alongside them will be the likes of Christian Dumard and American sailmaker Steve Calder,

Calder has been involved with the America's Cup but has also been working on the development of Sodebo's sail program. Pitman is Herve Cunningham, a specialist in the match racing, who Colville met while sailing on board djuice in the Volvo Ocean Race. Other former djuice crew in the team are former skipper Knut Frostad and the multiple round the worlder Jacques Vincent. They will be joined by form Fuji crewman Loïc Le Mignon.