Banque Bonhôte & Cie SA is accompanying Alan Roura as he gets ready for his next Vendée Globe challenge.
A passionate seafarer and strong-minded entrepreneur, Alan embodies the same spirit as Bonhôte. His three-year campaign leads up to the 2024-25 Vendée Globe – a small-team adventure combining Swiss sponsorship with an advanced vessel that is self-sufficient in energy, made using sustainable and non-polluting technology.
Both on the water and in making investments, preparation and looking ahead are the key factors behind performance and success.
Eyes shining, voice trembling, heart pounding. It wasn't exactly a tryst, or maybe it was... Alan Roura's love affair with the Vendée Globe has been going on for almost ten years now, and it's a love affair that continues to thrill the Swiss sailor's body and soul!
It was an Alan as emotional as he was happy who descended the gangway leading to his IMOCA Hublot this Sunday morning in Port Olona. A final bath with the crowds, final embraces with friends, sponsors and loved ones, before casting off for the channel in Les Sables d'Olonne, where supporters were waiting en masse. It was an emotional moment that warmed the heart of the Swiss sailor, who was “very happy and proud to be here”.
Start in 12th position for the Swiss, currently in the leading pack. First light airs before the wind picks up as far as Cape Finisterre.
Tick-tock, tick-tock... pressure didn't get the better of concentration! Setting off on his third Vendée Globe this Sunday, November 10, Alan Roura put all his experience and composure to good use, crossing the line among the leading boats just 1 minute and 38 seconds after the 13:02 start signal.
“I'm really looking forward to the start. The Vendée Globe is the icing on the cake after a 3-year project.”
Objective: no pressure, just fun! J-10
All the IMOCA boats are now moored in Les Sables d'Olonne, ready for the long-awaited start of the Vendée Globe on November 10, in just 12 days' time!
Our ambassador, Alan Roura, is preparing to challenge the “Everest of the Seas” for the 3rd time. This adventure will test Alan's endurance and resilience, as he pushes his limits to reach new horizons.
Let's follow every thrilling moment of this extraordinary adventure. Together, let's support Alan in his solo race around the world!
Alan Roura crossed the finish line 13th in New York on May 8 after 9 days, 23 hours, 34 minutes and 36 seconds at sea from Lorient. Despite foil damage which prevented him from performing at his best, Alan gave it his all.
Unfortunately, he was unable to take part in the return race from New York to Les Sables d'Olonne due to major damage to the IMOCA Hublot. However, he did make the single-handed return trip and arrived at his destination on June 7, 2024.
Many thanks to the more than 300 participants who packed the Millennium in Crissier last Tuesday for La Nuit du Grand Large.
It was a magnificent evening in the presence of several renowned skippers.
Click below to relive this exceptional evening.
Watch the video of Alan and Simon's arrival in Martinique.
Alan and Simon crossed the finish line of the Transat Jacques Vabre on Tuesday November 21 at 3:15 p.m. (local time) in Fort-de-France (8:15 p.m. Swiss time). Alan and Simon finished in 19th position after 14 days, 10 hours 45 minutes and 26 seconds of racing. They will have covered 4,993 miles at an average speed of 14.40 knots between Le Havre and Fort-de-France. A new transatlantic race completed for the IMOCA Hublot, proof of reliability which is now certain, and a new experience rich in lessons for Alan, one year before his third participation in the Vendée Globe.
With an invigorating but maneuverable start in around 25 knots of wind, and a first front waiting for them as they leave the English Channel, the start of the race promises a seamless jump into the action, heading west. It's only afterwards that tactics should spice up the game, with the rounding of Brittany first, and the DST of Ouessant to be left to port or starboard, and two clear-cut options between northern and southern routes, with the island of Santa Maria in the Azores to be left to starboard.
Click on the link below to follow the race live.
Finally, Alan and Simon set off yesterday morning for the Transat Jacques Vabre, bound for Martinique! After leaving Le Havre's Bassin Paul Vatine early this morning, the IMOCA Hublot headed for the starting line, before setting off at 9:30 a.m. in conditions that allowed the fleet to put on a show.
Click on the link below to watch the start video.
Due to "conditions too rough to pass Cape Finisterre safely", the race management of the Transat Jacques Vabre has decided to send out an overview for the IMOCA fleet. The start has therefore been postponed to a later date for the 40 boats entered in the category.
Click on the link below to watch the video of the postponed start for the IMOCA boats.
The start of the 50th edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race was given this Saturday, July 22, from Cowes on the Isle of Wight in England.
“Departures with this boat, with has a closed cockpit, are never easy. Moreover, with 29 Imocas, 35 knots of headwind and in a corridor a mile wide, it doesn't make things any easier! But it's going to be fine and once out of the solent, I know that everything will be good” declared Alan a few hours before taking the start of his second race of the season aboard his Imoca.
Alan Roura and Simon Koster crossed the finish line in Brest on Friday 12th May at 10h12'22''. The Swiss duo thus finished 8th in their first double-handed race, after 4 days, 20 hours, 12 minutes and 22 seconds at sea.
The two Hublot skippers sailed the 1,385 miles of the course at a speed of 11.9 knots on the great circle route (theoretical direct route). In reality, they covered 1,614 miles at an average speed of 13.9 knots (on the water). They arrived in Brest 13 hours 57 minutes and 20 seconds after the winners Thomas Ruyant and Morgan Lagravière.
Back from almost five weeks of training in Portugal ten days ago, Alan Roura, Simon Koster and the Hublot Sailing Team are back at the start.
With five days to go before the competition resumes, the Swiss duo is preparing to head for Brest, the starting town for the fourth Guyader Bermuda 1000 Race, the launch race of the 2023 season, which will be run as a double-handed event for the first time.
The fourth and final episode of our video series "Les entretiens privilégiés avec Alan Roura" is dedicated to sustainable development which is at the heart of Alan's project.
Hublot is an Imoca boat that is self-sufficient in renewable energy, with a deck entirely covered in solar panels, capable of sailing around the world without using diesel.
It is a 100% Swiss crew that will be sailing on board the Hublot IMOCA for the 2023 season. Alan Roura has decided to team up with Simon Koster from Zurich.
"For several years I had been looking to put together a 'Swiss made' crew for double-handed races," says Alan Roura, happy to finally be able to put his project into practice on the occasion of his fourth Transat Jacques Vabre.
Many thanks to the 550 participants who filled the Théâtre du Passage yesterday for the Nuit du Grand Large.
It was a wonderful evening with several famous skippers in attendance for the first time in Neuchâtel.
Click on the link below to relive this exceptional evening.
The Bank is organising a major event on the theme of ocean racing in the presence of several renowned skippers for the first time in Neuchâtel.
This exceptional event will take place on Thursday 9 February at the Théâtre du Passage in Neuchâtel.
The evening is sold out but you can follow the event live on our website bonhote.ch.
The third episode of our video series "Les entretiens privilégiés avec Alan Roura" is dedicated to the importance of performance.
Alex Thomson's Imoca Hublot (formerly Hugo Boss) is known to be a high performance boat and has not yet revealed all her secrets to Alan and his team. The challenge is to weigh up the pros and cons of sailing the boat as much as possible or making technical changes to the boat to further improve its performance. But either way, in the end, it is the sailor who makes the difference as it is impossible to stay at full speed for more than 24 or 48 hours.
Bank Bonhôte sends you its best wishes for the festive season.
Click here after to watch the video.
Beautiful models of the boat are now on display at our Neuchâtel headquarters and in our branches.
The main 1:40 scale model (55 cm long) is made of composite material, with mast, sails, fittings and ropes. It is located in the bank's entrance hall. Smaller 1/60th scale models (37 cm long) have been placed in our branches, so do not hesitate to approach our colleagues if you wish to admire them.
The second episode of our video series "Privileged interviews with Alan Roura" is dedicated to his Swiss and human project.
Born in 1993 in Onex, near Geneva, Alan has always raced under the Swiss colours and values the quality, performance and seriousness that our country conveys, also through its partners. He also talks about the importance of his team in his project, a team where women are well represented as they occupy four out of nine positions.
Click here after to watch the video.
Alan Roura crossed the finish line of the Route du Rhum 2022 yesterday afternoon in 21st place in the Imoca category with a time of 14 days, 1 hour and 47 minutes. He thus improved on his previous record by more than a day.
The Route du Rhum was an important race for his ultimate goal, the Vendée Globe, which will start in Les Sables d'Olonne in November 2024.
The 138 participants in the Route du Rhum 2022 are off.
After a quiet start to avoid taking any risks in difficult cross seas, Alan Roura is back in the top 20 of the race despite the upwind conditions that are currently putting him at a disadvantage.
Northern, central or southern route, we will see what tactical choices the skippers will make to reach Guadeloupe.
Click here to see the map and Alan's position in real time.
The flagship event of 2022 is on the horizon for Alan Roura and his team.
Having arrived in St-Malo last week, they are busy with the final preparations for the boat before setting off for the 12th edition of this legendary race which takes place every four years.
Follow the start of the Route du Rhum!
We are pleased to present the first episode of our video series "Privileged interviews with Alan Roura".
Through these reports, you will discover Alan's personality from a new angle as he confides in us about the values he shares with our school. In the first episode, he tells us about his history and his heritage, but also about his passion for sailing, which he intends to pass on to the skippers who will succeed him.
Click here to watch the video.
Many thanks to Alan and his team for joining us in Morges for the launch of our new Bonhôte Strategies - Megatrend Equity ESG fund
Our ambassador Alan Roura is back in the race! At home during the Défi Azimut which took place last week, he took 8th place in the speed runs and 13th place in the 48-hour challenge comprising 500 miles of solo sailing and a circumnavigation of the island of Groix.
With less than fifty days to go before the start of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe, the Swiss sailor knows the magnitude of the event that awaits him. "This Azimuth Challenge has shown us once again just how strong the field is, and how capable everyone is of putting in a great performance."
After a three week summer break, Alan Roura is ready to put his foulies back on! Back at his base in Lorient since the end of August, the Swiss skipper has resumed training in preparation for his return to competition this week at the Défi Azimut. This event, which has become a flagship on the IMOCA circuit, should once again live up to its promise as a spectacle and a final test before the major event of the year: the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe.
A few days ago, a small group of guests from the bank had the privilege of spending a day with Alan and his team while sailing on his Imoca. An exceptional memory illustrated by the photo above.
Alan Roura had a magnificent start at the front on 12th June in the Vendée Arctique.
After a few hours of racing, he chose a westerly option which did not favour him in the rankings, but then made a magnificent comeback.
He finished in 7th place in a competition that was prematurely stopped due to very difficult weather conditions.
Alan Roura started the 2022 Vendée Arctique on Sunday. This unprecedented 3,500 mile race will take the solo skippers to the edge of the Arctic Circle.
After an excellent start, Alan experienced some technical problems that put him at the back of the pack, but nothing is done yet for the participants, who should be back in Les Sables d'Olonne around 23rd June.
Alan Roura was the guest of the editorial team of the comedy programme 52 minutes on RTS.
Click on the image below to watch his interview:
Alan Roura crossed the finish line of the Guyader Bermuda 1000 Race, the first race of the IMOCA 2022 championship, this Saturday 14th May at 23:26 in 15th position, after 6 days, 8 hours and 46 minutes of racing. This is an enriching first experience for the young skipper aboard his new boat, which means that he is already qualified for the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe.
Es geht los mit dem ersten Rennen der Saison in der Imoca-Klasse.
Alan Roura nimmt derzeit an der Guyader Bermudes 1'000 teil, einer Strecke von 1'200 Seemeilen, die von Brest aus startet.
The announcement of our new partnership with Alan Roura was made yesterday at the Waves Sky Lounge in Neuchâtel.
Many thanks to the media who reported on the new partnership between Alan Roura and Bonhôte Bank.
The contract – signed in early March – covers the upcoming Imoca Globe Series, which the Swiss skipper is preparing to embark on next May, and will culminate with the world-famous Vendée Globe race starting in late 2024, known as the Everest of the Seas.
This partnership was officially unveiled yesterday evening at the Waves Sky Lounge in Neuchâtel, at an event attended by the Bank’s employees and selected clients.
Bonhôte staff in Neuchâtel were delighted to host Alan Roura on Monday.
Here are some of the photos taken during the event.
Alan was in Neuchâtel on Wednesday to finalise his four-year partnership contract with Bonhôte.
Eyes shining, voice trembling, heart pounding. It wasn't exactly a tryst, or maybe it was... Alan Roura's love affair with the Vendée Globe has been going on for almost ten years now, and it's a love affair that continues to thrill the Swiss sailor's body and soul!
It was an Alan as emotional as he was happy who descended the gangway leading to his IMOCA Hublot this Sunday morning in Port Olona. A final bath with the crowds, final embraces with friends, sponsors and loved ones, before casting off for the channel in Les Sables d'Olonne, where supporters were waiting en masse. It was an emotional moment that warmed the heart of the Swiss sailor, who was “very happy and proud to be here”.
Start in 12th position for the Swiss, currently in the leading pack. First light airs before the wind picks up as far as Cape Finisterre.
Tick-tock, tick-tock... pressure didn't get the better of concentration! Setting off on his third Vendée Globe this Sunday, November 10, Alan Roura put all his experience and composure to good use, crossing the line among the leading boats just 1 minute and 38 seconds after the 13:02 start signal.
“I'm really looking forward to the start. The Vendée Globe is the icing on the cake after a 3-year project.”
Objective: no pressure, just fun! J-10
All the IMOCA boats are now moored in Les Sables d'Olonne, ready for the long-awaited start of the Vendée Globe on November 10, in just 12 days' time!
Our ambassador, Alan Roura, is preparing to challenge the “Everest of the Seas” for the 3rd time. This adventure will test Alan's endurance and resilience, as he pushes his limits to reach new horizons.
Let's follow every thrilling moment of this extraordinary adventure. Together, let's support Alan in his solo race around the world!
Alan Roura crossed the finish line 13th in New York on May 8 after 9 days, 23 hours, 34 minutes and 36 seconds at sea from Lorient. Despite foil damage which prevented him from performing at his best, Alan gave it his all.
Unfortunately, he was unable to take part in the return race from New York to Les Sables d'Olonne due to major damage to the IMOCA Hublot. However, he did make the single-handed return trip and arrived at his destination on June 7, 2024.
Many thanks to the more than 300 participants who packed the Millennium in Crissier last Tuesday for La Nuit du Grand Large.
It was a magnificent evening in the presence of several renowned skippers.
Click below to relive this exceptional evening.
Watch the video of Alan and Simon's arrival in Martinique.
Alan and Simon crossed the finish line of the Transat Jacques Vabre on Tuesday November 21 at 3:15 p.m. (local time) in Fort-de-France (8:15 p.m. Swiss time). Alan and Simon finished in 19th position after 14 days, 10 hours 45 minutes and 26 seconds of racing. They will have covered 4,993 miles at an average speed of 14.40 knots between Le Havre and Fort-de-France. A new transatlantic race completed for the IMOCA Hublot, proof of reliability which is now certain, and a new experience rich in lessons for Alan, one year before his third participation in the Vendée Globe.
With an invigorating but maneuverable start in around 25 knots of wind, and a first front waiting for them as they leave the English Channel, the start of the race promises a seamless jump into the action, heading west. It's only afterwards that tactics should spice up the game, with the rounding of Brittany first, and the DST of Ouessant to be left to port or starboard, and two clear-cut options between northern and southern routes, with the island of Santa Maria in the Azores to be left to starboard.
Click on the link below to follow the race live.
Finally, Alan and Simon set off yesterday morning for the Transat Jacques Vabre, bound for Martinique! After leaving Le Havre's Bassin Paul Vatine early this morning, the IMOCA Hublot headed for the starting line, before setting off at 9:30 a.m. in conditions that allowed the fleet to put on a show.
Click on the link below to watch the start video.
Due to "conditions too rough to pass Cape Finisterre safely", the race management of the Transat Jacques Vabre has decided to send out an overview for the IMOCA fleet. The start has therefore been postponed to a later date for the 40 boats entered in the category.
Click on the link below to watch the video of the postponed start for the IMOCA boats.
The start of the 50th edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race was given this Saturday, July 22, from Cowes on the Isle of Wight in England.
“Departures with this boat, with has a closed cockpit, are never easy. Moreover, with 29 Imocas, 35 knots of headwind and in a corridor a mile wide, it doesn't make things any easier! But it's going to be fine and once out of the solent, I know that everything will be good” declared Alan a few hours before taking the start of his second race of the season aboard his Imoca.
Alan Roura and Simon Koster crossed the finish line in Brest on Friday 12th May at 10h12'22''. The Swiss duo thus finished 8th in their first double-handed race, after 4 days, 20 hours, 12 minutes and 22 seconds at sea.
The two Hublot skippers sailed the 1,385 miles of the course at a speed of 11.9 knots on the great circle route (theoretical direct route). In reality, they covered 1,614 miles at an average speed of 13.9 knots (on the water). They arrived in Brest 13 hours 57 minutes and 20 seconds after the winners Thomas Ruyant and Morgan Lagravière.
Back from almost five weeks of training in Portugal ten days ago, Alan Roura, Simon Koster and the Hublot Sailing Team are back at the start.
With five days to go before the competition resumes, the Swiss duo is preparing to head for Brest, the starting town for the fourth Guyader Bermuda 1000 Race, the launch race of the 2023 season, which will be run as a double-handed event for the first time.
The fourth and final episode of our video series "Les entretiens privilégiés avec Alan Roura" is dedicated to sustainable development which is at the heart of Alan's project.
Hublot is an Imoca boat that is self-sufficient in renewable energy, with a deck entirely covered in solar panels, capable of sailing around the world without using diesel.
It is a 100% Swiss crew that will be sailing on board the Hublot IMOCA for the 2023 season. Alan Roura has decided to team up with Simon Koster from Zurich.
"For several years I had been looking to put together a 'Swiss made' crew for double-handed races," says Alan Roura, happy to finally be able to put his project into practice on the occasion of his fourth Transat Jacques Vabre.
Many thanks to the 550 participants who filled the Théâtre du Passage yesterday for the Nuit du Grand Large.
It was a wonderful evening with several famous skippers in attendance for the first time in Neuchâtel.
Click on the link below to relive this exceptional evening.
The Bank is organising a major event on the theme of ocean racing in the presence of several renowned skippers for the first time in Neuchâtel.
This exceptional event will take place on Thursday 9 February at the Théâtre du Passage in Neuchâtel.
The evening is sold out but you can follow the event live on our website bonhote.ch.
The third episode of our video series "Les entretiens privilégiés avec Alan Roura" is dedicated to the importance of performance.
Alex Thomson's Imoca Hublot (formerly Hugo Boss) is known to be a high performance boat and has not yet revealed all her secrets to Alan and his team. The challenge is to weigh up the pros and cons of sailing the boat as much as possible or making technical changes to the boat to further improve its performance. But either way, in the end, it is the sailor who makes the difference as it is impossible to stay at full speed for more than 24 or 48 hours.
Bank Bonhôte sends you its best wishes for the festive season.
Click here after to watch the video.
Beautiful models of the boat are now on display at our Neuchâtel headquarters and in our branches.
The main 1:40 scale model (55 cm long) is made of composite material, with mast, sails, fittings and ropes. It is located in the bank's entrance hall. Smaller 1/60th scale models (37 cm long) have been placed in our branches, so do not hesitate to approach our colleagues if you wish to admire them.
The second episode of our video series "Privileged interviews with Alan Roura" is dedicated to his Swiss and human project.
Born in 1993 in Onex, near Geneva, Alan has always raced under the Swiss colours and values the quality, performance and seriousness that our country conveys, also through its partners. He also talks about the importance of his team in his project, a team where women are well represented as they occupy four out of nine positions.
Click here after to watch the video.
Alan Roura crossed the finish line of the Route du Rhum 2022 yesterday afternoon in 21st place in the Imoca category with a time of 14 days, 1 hour and 47 minutes. He thus improved on his previous record by more than a day.
The Route du Rhum was an important race for his ultimate goal, the Vendée Globe, which will start in Les Sables d'Olonne in November 2024.
The 138 participants in the Route du Rhum 2022 are off.
After a quiet start to avoid taking any risks in difficult cross seas, Alan Roura is back in the top 20 of the race despite the upwind conditions that are currently putting him at a disadvantage.
Northern, central or southern route, we will see what tactical choices the skippers will make to reach Guadeloupe.
Click here to see the map and Alan's position in real time.
The flagship event of 2022 is on the horizon for Alan Roura and his team.
Having arrived in St-Malo last week, they are busy with the final preparations for the boat before setting off for the 12th edition of this legendary race which takes place every four years.
Follow the start of the Route du Rhum!
We are pleased to present the first episode of our video series "Privileged interviews with Alan Roura".
Through these reports, you will discover Alan's personality from a new angle as he confides in us about the values he shares with our school. In the first episode, he tells us about his history and his heritage, but also about his passion for sailing, which he intends to pass on to the skippers who will succeed him.
Click here to watch the video.
Many thanks to Alan and his team for joining us in Morges for the launch of our new Bonhôte Strategies - Megatrend Equity ESG fund
Our ambassador Alan Roura is back in the race! At home during the Défi Azimut which took place last week, he took 8th place in the speed runs and 13th place in the 48-hour challenge comprising 500 miles of solo sailing and a circumnavigation of the island of Groix.
With less than fifty days to go before the start of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe, the Swiss sailor knows the magnitude of the event that awaits him. "This Azimuth Challenge has shown us once again just how strong the field is, and how capable everyone is of putting in a great performance."
After a three week summer break, Alan Roura is ready to put his foulies back on! Back at his base in Lorient since the end of August, the Swiss skipper has resumed training in preparation for his return to competition this week at the Défi Azimut. This event, which has become a flagship on the IMOCA circuit, should once again live up to its promise as a spectacle and a final test before the major event of the year: the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe.
A few days ago, a small group of guests from the bank had the privilege of spending a day with Alan and his team while sailing on his Imoca. An exceptional memory illustrated by the photo above.
Alan Roura had a magnificent start at the front on 12th June in the Vendée Arctique.
After a few hours of racing, he chose a westerly option which did not favour him in the rankings, but then made a magnificent comeback.
He finished in 7th place in a competition that was prematurely stopped due to very difficult weather conditions.
Alan Roura started the 2022 Vendée Arctique on Sunday. This unprecedented 3,500 mile race will take the solo skippers to the edge of the Arctic Circle.
After an excellent start, Alan experienced some technical problems that put him at the back of the pack, but nothing is done yet for the participants, who should be back in Les Sables d'Olonne around 23rd June.
Alan Roura was the guest of the editorial team of the comedy programme 52 minutes on RTS.
Click on the image below to watch his interview:
Alan Roura crossed the finish line of the Guyader Bermuda 1000 Race, the first race of the IMOCA 2022 championship, this Saturday 14th May at 23:26 in 15th position, after 6 days, 8 hours and 46 minutes of racing. This is an enriching first experience for the young skipper aboard his new boat, which means that he is already qualified for the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe.
Es geht los mit dem ersten Rennen der Saison in der Imoca-Klasse.
Alan Roura nimmt derzeit an der Guyader Bermudes 1'000 teil, einer Strecke von 1'200 Seemeilen, die von Brest aus startet.
The announcement of our new partnership with Alan Roura was made yesterday at the Waves Sky Lounge in Neuchâtel.
Many thanks to the media who reported on the new partnership between Alan Roura and Bonhôte Bank.
The contract – signed in early March – covers the upcoming Imoca Globe Series, which the Swiss skipper is preparing to embark on next May, and will culminate with the world-famous Vendée Globe race starting in late 2024, known as the Everest of the Seas.
This partnership was officially unveiled yesterday evening at the Waves Sky Lounge in Neuchâtel, at an event attended by the Bank’s employees and selected clients.
Bonhôte staff in Neuchâtel were delighted to host Alan Roura on Monday.
Here are some of the photos taken during the event.
Alan was in Neuchâtel on Wednesday to finalise his four-year partnership contract with Bonhôte.
