The incredible story of Initiatives-Cœur, written alongside Sam Davies since 2017, will continue until 2025, in particular with their participation in the Vendée Globe 2024. Sam will also be able to take to the helm in a new boat, built using the same mould as L’Occitane en Provence to the plans drawn by the architect Sam Manuard, which is scheduled to launch in May 2022. The new boat, built to a higher spec than the current Initiatives-Cœur, will enable Sam to stay competitive within the rapidly progressing IMOCA fleet and fly the flag for the charitable cause championed by Initiatives-Cœur.

Furthering the sporting and philanthropic success of the project

First established for the 2012/13 Vendée Globe with Tanguy de Lamotte, the Initiatives-Cœur project has gone from strength to strength, building momentum and growing in impact year after year. After taking the helm in 2017, Sam Davies has consistently invested her energy and fighting spirit in the project, driving it forward both in terms of sporting success and with respect to the charity.

Her efforts achieved their greatest success during the last edition of the Vendée Globe, when her brave push to finish the route even after being forced to drop out of the race was widely commended and raised enough money to save the lives of 102 children. Her courageous round-the-world journey brought the total number of children helped by the charity to 314 since the project was launched.

Certain that with her generosity and determination, Sam perfectly embodies the project, the associate sponsors Initiatives, K.LINE and VINCI Energies were keen to make it clear that Sam continues to have their full support until the next edition of the Vendée Globe. The idea is to maintain continuity while also furthering the sporting and philanthropic success of the project.

A new boat to boost the profile of the charity

Over the years and the various races in which it has competed, the Initiatives-Cœur boat has enjoyed increasing success on the waves, helping to attract greater visibility for the cause championed by Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque.

To maintain this momentum and continue to challenge for the top of the leaderboard, it is essential to have a competitive boat equipped with the latest technology. The Initiatives-Cœur team took the opportunity to operate a high-performance boat while minimising costs by reusing the mould of the Occitane en Provence boat owned by Black Pepper Yachts.Sam will therefore be able to ride a highly innovative hull, which will be further improved and developed by harnessing the learnings from the last Vendée Globe and the expertise of the Initiatives-Cœur team.

Entrusted to Black Pepper, the construction of the future Initiatives-Cœur hull is already underway. Before the end of 2021, the boat will be transported to Lorient where the Initiatives-Cœur team will assemble the boat, fitting the keel, mast, deck equipment, mechanics, electronics and paint. The integrated design office will oversee the upgrades made to the previous boat, in particular on the foils, and adapt the boat to suit Sam. It is scheduled to launch in May 2022, which leaves sufficient time to prepare for the Vendée Globe 2024, with its first competitive outing being the Route du Rhum 2022.

Sam Davies “proud to be part of this incredible project”

“It’s brilliant to know the journey will continue, I’m really proud to be part of this incredible project that works well and in which a great many people invest their time and energy. With a more modern boat and the help from the amazing Initiatives-Cœur team, we will be able to shoot for the top of the leaderboard.

I am delighted a female skipper will be out there competing on a level playing field and I sincerely hope I won’t be alone. I am ready to give my all and work tirelessly to get everything I possibly can out of this new IMOCA because I strongly believe that sporting success does translate into success for the charity, as the closer we are to the front of the pack, the more publicity we get, and the more followers we attract. This helps to shine a spotlight on Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque and therefore to save the lives of children. There are many people out there who need our help. We will not let them down, and will always be there for them!”