I have quite rightly been slapped on the wrist by designer Vincent Lauriot Prévost from VPLP for failing to mention their role in the co-designs with Guillaume Verdier mentioned in the story about Fiat’s VOR sponsorship .

The two designers are pictured above, Vincent Lauriot Prévost on the left. His reply would seem to confirm that they will be behind the new Soldini/Fiat VOR design.

Here is Vincent’s comment and correction:

‘VPLP has worked with Giovanni Soldini for his trimaran Fila and has a very good relationship with him. I personally was in touch with Guillaume for his eventual Volvo project.

‘All the IMOCA 60s were from the early beginning a 100%co design. The story started with Safran when we were chosen by Marco Guillemot and Groupe Safran (for the little story, I am the person who introduced Marco with Groupe Safran). Same for Groupe Bel and Kito de Pavant.

‘The three other IMOCA 60 for [the Vendée Globe] in 2012 are being designed with an exactly identical co-design approach.

‘With Guillaume, we only are in competition in 50ft trimaran which he designed for Actual by himself as we designed Crepes Whaou! by ourselves.’

Indeed, that’s an oversight, because on a visit to VPLP’s offices in Vannes last year when I went to sail Banque Populaire, I met young designer Quentin Lucet, who works alongside Vincent at VPLP and has also been specialising on the IMOCA projects.