9 June 2022

HUBLOT AT THE PINNACLE OF SAILING

Two days before the start of the 83rd Bol d’Or Mirabaud, Hublot invited its new ambassador, Alan Roura, for a quick stopover in Geneva. It was an opportunity to speak to him about the activities he organises to pass his love of sailing on to the next generations.

As the Official Timekeeper of the Bol d’Or Mirabaud since 2013, Hublot has infused its limited edition Classic Fusion Chronograph with everything that makes the Bol d'Or Mirabaud so iconic – the blue waters often rendered too calm by a lack of wind, and the wild, tumultuous waves for which this highly technical race is so famous.

“The Bol d’Or Mirabaud embodies Hublot's Lake Geneva roots, and its historic links with sailing and water sports. For this 83rd edition, the Swiss manufacture is fusing ocean racing with the Lake Geneva regatta, inviting Alan to return to the first shores he knew. Reminiscing about his experiences of the Bol d’Or Mirabaud, Alan explained that the best sailors and skippers love the technical waters of Lake Geneva. As the boats of the Bol d’Or Mirabaud finish their race, crossing the line at the Société Nautique de Genève, Alan will be setting off on the Vendée Arctique. We are proud and delighted to be able to support these legendary moments in the sailing world, in Switzerland and across the world.”

RICARDO GUADALUPE

HUBLOT CEO

“I have taken part in the Bol d’Or three times, and I have amazing memories of each. Unfortunately, I can't take part this year because it clashes with other events in my sporting calendar, but I am delighted to be able to attend the press conference alongside Hublot, partners for my Vendée Globe IMOCA project. It is an incredible event that encapsulates my love of sailing and my love for my home country of Switzerland. I hope that the conditions will be perfect, that it will be a joy to watch, and that I am able to come back next year!”

ALAN ROURA

HUBLOT AMBASSADOR

Classic Fusion Chronograph Bol d'Or Mirabaud 45 mm

Hublot & le Bol d’Or Mirabaud, two icons of Swiss innovation, performance and passion

Through its original iconic design from 1980, with the watch bezel featuring signature screws reminiscent of the porthole of a boat. Through its sailing partnerships with the most iconic of races, from the very oldest, on board the Luna Rossa at the 2007 America's Cup, the hardest and most iconic of ocean races, with Alan Roura for his Vendée Globe 2024 campaign, and the largest inland water regatta in the world as the Official Timekeeper of the Bol d’Or Mirabaud since 2013.

Hublot, Official Timekeeper of the Bol d’Or Mirabaud since 2014

Attracting both amateur and experienced sailors, the Bol d’Or Mirabaud features multihulls, monohulls, monotypes and prototypes. The Bol d’Or Mirabaud is 500 boats racing 123 kilometres from one end of the Lake to the other, from Geneva to Le Bouveret, and back. This world-famous Swiss regatta holds a special place in the heart of every Swiss sailor, growing up with the Bol as the symbol of Swiss sailing. For local and Swiss regatta racers, it is the holy grail, a sort of Swiss Vendée Globe. "Taking part in the Bol d’Or is a key moment in the life of a sailor, regardless of where they sail… " This is what Alan Roura said in 2017, as patron of the race, a role he accepted as he made his way around the Brazilian coast during his first Vendée Globe. Before that, the Swiss skipper won the Bol d’Or Mirabaud in 2013 in the Surprise category, a 7.64 m boat, less than half the size of his Hublot IMOCA class craft. The Surprise is a special boat for the Bol, as it is a monotype and the most popular class in the race. For the skippers, this makes for an intense regatta, a sort of race within a race.

The Classic Fusion Chronograph Bol d’Or Mirabaud Special Edition

Designed for land and water, the sporty and elegant Classic Fusion Chronograph Bol d’Or Mirabaud features a 45-mm black ceramic case with alternating satin polished and matt finishes, a satin-finished anthracite grey sunray dial, and an anthracite technical fabric strap with deep navy blue top-stitching. These colours echo those of Lake Geneva's waters, known for their capricious, unpredictable thermals, with the blue of its waters changing from dark blue to an intense black as day turns to night, with boats leaving the start line at 10 am and very often arriving at the Société Nautique de Genève after night has fallen.