She wants to be on the podium at the Vendée Globe 2028: Justine Mettraux is developing her new boat with a star designer

It's quite possible that Justine Mettraux paused for a moment last weekend and reflected on her beginnings. The eighth-place finisher in the recent Vendée Globe returned to the place where it all began over 30 years ago. She first encountered sailing as a child on Lake Geneva. She grew up there, one of five children born to a sailing-mad father who instilled in his children a love of water, waves, wind, and boats from an early age.

Years later, after countless hours of training at the Centre d'Entraînement à la Régate (CER), she gained her first regatta experience as a professional sailor on Lake Geneva. In 2010, she won the Bol d'Or, Europe's largest inland sailing regatta, for the first time aboard "Ladycat," Dona Bertarelli's D35 catamaran. Mettraux later described her time on the team of the sister of two-time America's Cup winner Ernesto Bertarelli as particularly valuable. The resulting media exposure facilitated her entry into offshore sailing and ultimately enabled her first participation in the Mini Transat.

Now she was back in the Bol d'Or—officially as the event's patron, but also actively on board. Together with French-speaking Swiss sailing legend Christian Wahl, who holds the race's record with nine victories, Mettraux finished fourth. Her brief stay in Geneva also marked the end of an intense media marathon following her top finish in the tenth edition of the non-stop circumnavigation .

She was repeatedly confronted with the same question: Will she compete in the Vendée Globe again? Mettraux, known for her reserve, always responded similarly. She wanted to reflect, gain some distance, avoid making hasty decisions, and consult with her partners—in short, she didn't feel obligated to give an answer. Unlike about ten other skippers who had already announced their participation or suggested a project, the sailor from Versoix kept her cards close to her chest.

Three weeks ago, her two main partners, Teamwork and Groupe Snef, announced that a new Imoca boat would be built for the Swiss sailor – with the clear goal of participating in the 2028 Vendée Globe. According to the press release, the project is intended to be "ambitious, high-performance, and committed" and give Mettraux every chance to sail toward the podium in 2028. The sailor spoke of the "luxury" of embarking on another campaign in such a trusting relationship with her partners: "I am aware of my opportunity." The project is estimated to cost between eleven and twelve million euros. The construction of the new boat alone is estimated at approximately seven million euros.

It wasn't surprising that Mettraux was launching a new campaign, or even that a new boat was being built. The real surprise was the name of the designer. The team has scored a coup by signing Guillaume Verdier. The Frenchman is considered one of the best designers in the world. The award-winning engineer has been involved in numerous winning projects in both the America's Cup and offshore sailing. Since 2010, he has been working with the New Zealand Cup winners Team New Zealand. He was heavily involved in the development of the AC72, the AC50, and the AC75, including the winning boat at the last Cup in Barcelona .

Grant Dalton, Team New Zealand's principal, said: "He is currently the best yacht designer on the planet. His innovative, unconventional thinking has transformed the sport of sailing." Verdier was also responsible for the design of Vendée Globe winner Charlie Dalin 's current Imoca boat. Since 2001, he has run his own design office and collaborates on projects with a network of freelance yacht designers and engineers.

For Justine Mettraux, 2025 remains an intense year, just the way she likes it. She will participate in several regattas, including the Fastnet Race and a prestigious Atlantic crossing in November. She will also co-skip the Ocean Race Europe alongside German sailing pro Boris Herrmann , who was keen to have Mettraux on his team. He said: "She is one of the best sailors out there. I've sailed head-to-head with her several times and can say from experience that she has challenged me to the limit."

After the final race, Mettraux will embark on a new phase of her professional life. For the first time, she will oversee the construction of her own Imoca boat from the very beginning. Guillaume Verdier's design is scheduled to begin construction in April 2026 at CDK Technologies, one of France's leading boatyards based near Lorient, where Mettraux lives. To date, 17 Imoca yachts have been built there. Mettraux is looking forward to this phase: "Since 2021, I've been constantly on the move, mainly at sea. It will be good for me to have a quieter year to catch my breath a bit."

She will stay focused and follow the construction of her new boat with great interest. "I'm motivated by the fact that I can learn something and develop further. You gain an incredible amount of experience in the Vendée Globe," she said in an interview. Although she herself is neither an architect nor an engineer, "I know what's important, I have my ideas." There are ergonomic and technical details that could be improved. "I know what matters on board – especially in long races."