Belgian skipper Denis Van Weynbergh has lived a busy and colourful life before joining the IMOCA Class. A graduate in political science and in journalism he returned to studying at the age of 35 as he managed his transport company for 18 years. Then he became a skipper. A sailing and cruising instructor he became more and more taken by competitive sailing. In 2001 he competed in the Mini Transat. Since then Ven Weynburgh has continued to accumulate ocean racing miles, ticking off the Route du Rhum, the Transat Jacques Vabre and the Transat Québec-St Malo as he build up, he hopes, to the Vendée Globe. He has acquired IMOCA Spirit of Hungary, co-designed and raced by Nàndor Fa to seventh place in the 2016-17 Vendée Globe.
He has already sailed more than 70,000 miles – or nearly three times round the Vendée Globe course – and he aims to become the first Belgian to complete the legendary solo non stop around the world race, sending a strong message of determination and tenacity. Committed to supporting initiatives for children, Denis Van Weynbergh has a few solidarity actions linked in particular to the association "No Limit 4 Us", which offers cultural and sports activities to young children with disabilities
